cannabis policy

Nebraska Bill to Protect Doctors Who Recommend Medical Cannabis Fails

Published

2 months ago

April 10, 2026

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Nebraska Bill to Protect Doctors Who Recommend Medical Cannabis Fails

There will be no protections provided in Nebraska state law this year for doctors who refer patients to the state’s medical cannabis program after cannabis opponents blocked the legislation from state Sen. John Cavanaugh (R). NTV reports.

legislators voted to approve proposal during early review. However, in subsequent debates, opponents of medical cannabis derailed the bill with amendments that sought to change the intent of the proposal.

With the added changes, Cavanaugh eventually withdrew the bill from consideration, noting that “This bill no longer serves the purpose of ensuring that children have access to medicine.”

“Every amendment that has been introduced to that bill is hostile and an attempt to hijack that bill and go against the will of the voters.” – Cavanaugh, via NTV

Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved the state’s medical cannabis program in 2024, but rollout has been slow and, for many advocates, frustrating.

Crista Eggers of the Nebraskans Campaign for Medical Marijuana said KETV“If there are no practitioners, there are no patients in this program.”

“What seems to be the purpose of this is to make sure that Nebraska never has a functioning program,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Nebraska Legislature approved last week the first state legislation related to the medical cannabis program. This bill would allow the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission to impose new fees on the industry and increase revenue.

adult use

Supreme Court Rules Cannabis Consumers Have Right to Own Guns

Published

3 days ago

June 20, 2026

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Supreme Court Rules Cannabis Consumers Have Right to Own Guns

The US Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that cannabis users can legally own firearms under the Second Amendment.

The ruling stems from United States v. Hemani, in which prosecutors pursued criminal charges against Texas man Ali Hemani, who admitted to regularly using cannabis while in possession of a firearm.

In their reasoning, the justices cited a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that requires gun restrictions to be “consistent with this nation’s historic tradition of regulating firearms.”

National Rifle Association (NRA) and National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) submitted amicus briefs for the case earlier this year.

Joseph A. Bondy, chairman of the board for NORML and the organization’s co-counsel on its amicus brief, called the decision “a measured but important vindication of personal liberty and constitutional principle.”

“The Court accepted what NORML sought: that responsible adults not lose their Second Amendment rights simply because they consume cannabis, absent any individualized showing of dangerousness. Our Constitution protects people, not stereotypes, and does not allow the government to turn cannabis use alone into a categorical mark of civic worthlessness.” – Bondy, in a statement

Based in Portland, Oregon, Graham is the editor-in-chief of Ganjapreneur. He has been writing about the legalization landscape since 2012 and has contributed to Ganjapreneur since our official launch in…
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adult use

Virginia Officials Reach Compromise to Launch Legal Cannabis Sales Next July

Published

5 days ago

June 18, 2026

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Virginia Officials Reach Compromise to Launch Legal Cannabis Sales Next July

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) reached a compromise with state lawmakers to add provisions legalizing the commercial cultivation and sale of adult-use cannabis to the state budget. WTOP reports.

Under the agreement, adult-use sales will begin on July 1, 2027. The industry will initially be taxed at 6%, rising to 8% in 2029, and local governments will be able to levy an additional tax on cannabis of between 1% and 3.5%.

Governor last month vetoed a cannabis sales proposal sent to her desk by lawmakers, despite a campaign promise to support the establishment of legal sales. Spanberger had initially requested changes to the proposal, but lawmakers instead sent their original proposal back for reconsideration, which she rejected.

“In the end, we all wanted to provide a market that the Commonwealth could effectively implement over the long term. We’ve always had the same end goal, an end goal that’s been years in the making.” – Spanberger, at a press conference

The vetoed legislation would have launched the adult-use market on Jan. 1, 2027, but lawmakers settled on the governor’s delayed start date. The agreement includes a total of 350 cannabis business licenses, although the governor’s proposal had reduced the number of licenses to 200.

The sales agreement also creates a new $250 fine for public consumption of cannabis, although the governor had proposed making the offense a Class 4 misdemeanor, the report said.

California

Los Angeles Votes to Raise Taxes on Unlicensed Cannabis Shops

Published

1 week ago

June 16, 2026

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Los Angeles Votes to Raise Taxes on Unlicensed Cannabis Shops

During the city’s recent midterm elections, Los Angeles voters approved Measure CB, which would require unlicensed cannabis distributors within city limits to pay taxes required of city-licensed vendors. NBC Los Angeles reports.

Currently, only licensed distributors must pay the city’s 10% cannabis business tax.

Voters approved the CB measure with 72% support. The measure was projected to raise between $30 million and $35 million in new tax revenue annually.

According to the report, the city also passed Measure TC, which closes tax loopholes for online hotel reservations.

Meanwhile, in March, the Los Angeles City Council asked The Finance Office drafted language to create an “amnesty” program for the city’s licensed cannabis businesses, which at the time collectively owed more than $400 million in back taxes and fees.