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Bipartisan Lawmakers Warn That Even One Mistake In Push For Psychedelics Access Could Derail Progress

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4 months ago

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Bipartisan lawmakers are stressing the importance of strategically advancing psychedelic reform in a way that mitigates bureaucratic conflicts and the influence of outside interests. Even a single mistake could threaten to turn the movement upside down, they say.

In a public forum in Washington, DC – organized by the Psychedelic Medicine Coalition (PMC) and the Mission Within Foundation (MWF) last week. Lou Correa (D-CA), Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) spoke about the work ahead to provide patients with access to psychedelics.

Much of the focus centered around the need to provide military veterans with alternative treatments for serious mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychedelics like MDMA and ibogaine can help fill that gap, lawmakers said.

Luttrell said a key challenge facing proponents is the lack of availability of data from private research organizations that can demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of psychedelics; in his view, it would move the needle for members on the fence on the issue.

The congressman said he and his colleagues have spoken to the Department of Defense (DOD), the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) about the issue.

“How do you get into those organizations, use the data to do research, push that forward and make changes that really improve people’s lives?” he said they have asked the agencies.

“When we talk about the effects of ibogaine, it’s amazing,” Luttrell, a veteran himself, who has been open about his experience of going abroad to use psychedelics To treat conflict-related mental health conditions, he said.

“The results of these medications are profound in the veteran community, and the entities charged with caring for our veterans are not moving on that,” he said. “So, yes, there is a problem.”

“How are we going to fix it? We’re working on it every day, but the United States government continues to get its way,” he said. “Until the day I leave, I’m going to keep talking to my colleagues left, right and center because they’re trying to get this done. Make no mistake, it’s a tricky road we’re walking. If we push hard and screw this up, that’s how it’s gone.”

Correa, who along with Bergman co-chairs the Congressional Psychedelic Advanced Therapies (PATH) Caucus, also criticized the government for dragging its feet on the issue, given the prevalence of suicides among the veteran population.

Given the link between mental illness and homelessness, substance misuse and other societal problems, the congressman said it was unacceptable that more promotion of psychedelic therapies was not being done to help those who benefited from the new drugs. And that makes it all the more impressive that lawmakers across the aisle on Capitol Hill are making more progress.

“To see what we have in front of us today, in my opinion, is nothing short of a miracle,” said Correa. “We have invented a cure, a cure for a great challenge we face in society.”

But like the other panelists at the public forum, he added a caveat: “We can’t mess it up.”

“We need to move very aggressively because the voters need it. Our veterans needed it yesterday, not today. And again, I’ll use a statistic: 20 to 40 lives are lost every day to suicide. We need to move,” he said.

Bergman, for his part, “if the systems, the bureaucracies, compete against themselves, we have a problem”.

“What we’re dealing with here as legislators is a series of bureaucratic silos that have been built up over time — not only do they not know what’s going on in others, but they compete silently for resources and funding so that bureaucracy can continue to do what it does,” he said. “Our role as members of Congress is to be where natural competition—healthy competition—is needed.

“The challenge is dealing with bureaucracy competing for limited resources. It’s up to us, as a legislature, to pass good laws and fund appropriations that support research, find better ways, advance therapies and actually implement them for the betterment of patients. The subtle part for us is to make sure that we don’t waste time and money in unnecessary competition within government.”

Luttrell added that “most members of the House of Representatives do not know what this is,” referring to psychedelic therapy.

“For those who do, it’s very taboo,” he said. “We’ve had conversations with members of Congress that, not too long ago, people were going to jail for this. That’s history. And now we’re taking this position here, that’s no longer the case.”

“When we talk to members of Congress, explain, show numbers, show testimony and results, some of them have an ‘aha’ moment. And that helps us move legislation,” said the congressman.

But he reiterated, “If we screw this up, if one member blows this up, it’s gone.”

“Can you hear me? If a member of Congress completely breaks it, we’re going to push to a new low. That’s dangerous,” Luttrell said. “If you’re not beating yourself up about it being the most profound drug on the planet that can literally change lives, especially under this cognitive umbrella and these addiction problems that we have, then you’re missing out. It’s amazing. Literally amazing.”

Bergman agreed with his colleague’s broader point, saying that “some of our members are very dangerous,” and that applies to psychedelics despite growing bipartisanship on the issue.

“When you combine that with bureaucracies that are inherently risky, you get a piece of the puzzle. But you also have to consider who loses, or feels like they lose, if we succeed and if these breakthrough therapies move forward,” he said.

The congressman believed that special interests outside the psychedelic space have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo of prohibition and research restrictions on novel therapeutics.

“So you have natural opposition. I won’t name names, but it’s there, and they’ll try to influence the process. Most of us here are old enough to remember a little character whispering in your ear on one shoulder and another character whispering something else on the other shoulder, trying to influence you.”

“It’s part of the reality that you have to take into account. Our mission is more than a team effort. It’s to overcome the concerns of people who don’t know, but want to give this a chance,” said Bergman, adding that he’s still “confident that we’re on the right track, especially with research.”

“This is about standing over time. I’m not going to let it go,” he said. “One by one, something is going to happen that creates an ‘aha’ moment for people who are on the fence right now, and that’s okay. We’re going to get through it. We can’t quit. We just have to keep moving forward.”

Other speakers at the event included MWF CEO Jay Kopelman, PMC founder Melissa Lavasani and Crossroads Treatment Center founder Martín Polanco.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi recently missed a deadline set by Congress. guidelines to ease barriers to research on Schedule I substances such as marijuana and psychedelics.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), for its part, has separately set quotas for the legal production of controlled substances in 2026, more. increasing the number of certain psychedelics that can be made for research purposes this year

Late last year, the VA faced criticism after rejecting an organization’s grant application It helps connect veterans to programs overseas where they can receive psychedelic therapy to treat serious mental health conditions.

A former US senator says he recently spoke with the heads of the VA and HHS about the therapeutic potential of psychedelics like ibogaine, and Both members of Trump’s cabinet welcomed reform on the issue.

While former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) noted that Collins was not particularly familiar with psychedelic therapy before joining the Trump administration, the secretary has become one of the most vocal supporters of advancing reform to ease access for veterans.

In July, for example, VA Secretary He proclaimed his mission to promote access to psychedelics for veterans with serious mental health conditions, it was possible to say that it “opened that door wider than most probably thought”.

user photo CostaPPR.

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Third cannabis business approved by Jefferson Town Council

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17 hours ago

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May 15, 2026

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The Jefferson City Council unanimously approved “Green Leevs” as the city’s first cannabis micro-farm at its May 6 meeting. This is the third cannabis business approved by the municipality in order to bring income to the municipality. Retail dispensaries “Greenlight Apothecary” and “Gas and Grass” were previously approved.

Green Leevs are owned by Bill Comeford, Elliot McClendon and Josh Moskowitz. All three are from the local area, Comeford grew up in Jefferson. In New Jersey, a micro-enterprise is a facility with 2,500 square feet of growing space. A micro-farm relies on the craftsmanship of cannabis rather than mass production.

“We have more control, we have more hands, the smaller grow rooms make it easier to inspect each plant,” Comeford said. “If you’re careful, it makes for a better product at the end of the day.”

Green Leeves understands that there are mixed feelings about the Council’s approval of the cannabis industry and hopes that this will ease over time.

Read more at Press Jefferson










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Virginia Governor Signs Marijuana Resentencing Bill After Lawmakers Rejected Her Amendments

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17 hours ago

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May 15, 2026

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Virginia’s governor has signed legislation to grant sentence relief to people with past marijuana convictions, even as lawmakers have refused to accept proposed amendments to the legislation that would significantly narrow the scope of reform.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) gave final approval to the bills, Rozia Henson Jr.’s HB 26 (D) and Senate President Pro Tem Louise Lucas’ SB 62 (D), on Thursday.

Separately, lawmakers and advocates are waiting the governor’s action on separate legislation to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana after amendments to his proposal were similarly rejected by the House and Senate last month. The changes suggested in that legislation included delaying the start of sales by six months, increasing taxes and introducing new criminal penalties for cannabis users.

Retrial reform, on the other hand, creates a process by which people incarcerated or on community custody for certain crimes involving the possession, manufacture, sale or distribution of marijuana will consider changing their sentences to receive an automatic trial.

Spanberger sent proposed amendments to lawmakers last month They had to proactively submit requests for assistance to affected people instead of the courts proceeding automatically. The Senate and House of Representatives, however, rejected the proposal, effectively rejecting it and sending the original legislation to Spanberger’s desk.

Henson, the sponsor of the House version of the bill, said it was ready to accept the governor’s changes, even if he is concerned this would mean that some people with cannabis convictions would fall through the cracks because they “didn’t have a lawyer or didn’t know how to ask.”

The whole parliament did not agree with the change, however, and now HB 26 and SB 62 The laws that were originally approved have been implemented.

The relief will apply to people with convictions or convictions for conduct that occurred before July 1, 2021, when a state law that legalized personal possession and home cultivation of marijuana went into effect. State and local corrections officials should identify and notify eligible individuals of their rights to provide notice of relief and then work with courts to automatically schedule hearings.

Henson said last month that the resentencing legislation was “built for people who are still paying the price for something that Virginia has made legal.”

“If the commonwealth were to change the law, it still has the duty to review the consequences of the people punished according to the old one,” he said.

The governor’s office said in a press release when he proposed his amendments that they “clarify that there will be no tolerance for violent crimes in Virginia, from armed robbery to possession of firearms to distribute fentanyl, heroin and other dangerous drugs.”

But Henson said he shares the “governor’s commitment” to making sure violent offenders are not eligible for this relief; and that commitment is reflected in the bill itself, which excluded people convicted of violent acts under Virginia law.

Spanberger’s release last month made no mention of the actual major changes to the bill, which was the removal of automatic leniency provisions for people with cannabis convictions.

The governor’s amendment also proposed removing the deadline for court filings on the retrial.

In the previous session, members of parliament approved similar legislation, but the then government vetoed it. Glenn Young (R).

Separately, Spanberger signed several other reform bills last month, including measures protecting the parental rights of marijuana users and giving patients access to medical cannabis in hospitals.

Cannabis policy reform organizations, on the other hand, sent a letter earlier this month asking the governor to enact the adult-use marijuana sales bill.

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Cannabis operators report mixed results as rescheduling reshapes the financial outlook

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2 days ago

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May 14, 2026

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The rescheduling came mid-quarter and rewrote the tax math for each medical sales operator, but the underlying revenue picture remained uneven in early 2026, with acquisitions driven at one end of the scale and continued top-line compression at the other.

Vireo Growth: Back on $106 million deal
Vireo Growth Inc. reported Q1 GAAP revenue of $106.2 million, up 333.5% year-over-year, driven almost entirely by recent acquisitions rather than organic growth. The company completed the Schwazze acquisition in March, adding 45 dispensaries and two manufacturing facilities in Colorado and New Mexico. At the end of the quarter, it closed Eaze and Hawthorne Gardening, FLUENT Corp. announced an acquisition agreement and executed a California dispensary joint venture with Glass House Brands. Treating all acquisitions as closed on January 1, 2025 on a pro forma basis, revenue was $210.2 million and adjusted EBITDA was $42.2 million. The company ended the quarter with $137.8 million in cash.

John Mazarakis, CEO of Vireo, said: “Performance in the first quarter met our expectations and we are excited to welcome Schwazze, Eaze and Hawthorne to Vireo. We are focused on integration and optimization across the platform, while remaining opportunistic regarding growth opportunities associated with further acquisitions.”

Cresco Labs: $151 million, 280E relief and Texas license
Cresco Labs reported Q1 revenue of $151 million, down from $165.8 million in Q1 2025. Adjusted gross margin was 50.7% and adjusted EBITDA margin of $33 million was 21.7%. Cash at the end of the quarter was $67 million against a $310 million secured term loan. The company was conditionally granted a Texas Compassionate Use Program license after the quarter ended and opened two new dispensaries in Ohio.

Management said, “Moving the state’s legal medical cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III is the most impactful reform this industry has seen, and it validates the work we’ve been executing for years. We’ve built the operational foundation and balance sheet discipline to reap the immediate benefits of rescheduling, and position Cresco to take advantage of the broader path to normalization.”

Jushi Holdings: 4% growth, 460 basis point margin expansion
Jushi Holdings reported first-quarter revenue of $66.4 million, up 4% year-over-year, with gross profit margin up 460 basis points to 45%. Adjusted EBITDA was $11.4 million, up 17.2%. The margin improvement was driven by higher production volumes in Ohio, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and the performance of grower processors. Jushi brand products accounted for 58% of retail revenue in vertical markets. The company refinanced $132.3 million in debt during the quarter, providing $160 million in new debt through 2029.

Jim Cacioppo, president and CEO, said: “The recent scheduling of state-licensed medical marijuana for Schedule III is an important milestone for the industry, eliminating 280E tax limitations for medical operations and supporting a more favorable long-term operating environment.” Medical sales accounted for about 60% of Jushi’s 2025 revenue, making this material relief.

iAnthus Capital: Revenue falls to $33.5 million
iAnthus Capital reported first-quarter revenue of $33.5 million, down $4.6 million from 2025’s first quarter. Gross margin was 47.5%, up 477 basis points from the 2025 quarter. The company did not provide a management comment in the press release.

Country farms: international export record, fourth consecutive quarter of net income
Village Farms International reported first quarter consolidated net sales of $50.2 million, up 27% year-over-year, with net income of $2.9 million and adjusted EBITDA of $9.9 million, up 118% year-over-year. International export sales increased 171% to a record $14.6 million, driven by demand for EU-GMP compliant products in Germany. Pure Sunfarms had the top Canadian market share in dried flowers for the 15th consecutive month. The company started planting the first half of its Delta 2 greenhouse expansion and expects its Phase II facility in the Netherlands to reach full capacity by the end of 2026, which would quadruple Dutch production.

Michael DeGiglio, President and CEO, said: “Our first quarter results reflect a strong start to the year and continued momentum in our largest markets, with adjusted EBITDA growth of 118% year-over-year, significantly outpacing revenue growth of 27%, driven by our international business and continued leadership in Canada.

Cronos Group: Record revenue, $822 million in cash
Cronos Group reported Q1 net income of $45.2 million, up 40% year-over-year and a record quarter, with net income of $15.7 million and adjusted EBITDA of $5.1 million. Israel led growth PEACE NATURALS grew 53% for ninth consecutive record quarter. In Canada, the Spinach brand took first place in vapes with a 9.8% share of the national market, and maintained its top spot in edibles at 20.8%. The company ended the quarter with $821.9 million in cash and authorized a new $50 million stock repurchase program. The deadline to close the acquisition of CanAdelaar, one of the ten licensed growers in the Dutch Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment, has been extended to September 9, 2026 to allow time for regulatory approvals.

Mike Gorenstein, chairman, president and CEO, said, “Cronos achieved net earnings and gross profit in the first quarter as we continue to execute against our unlimited product strategy and the additional supply from Cronos GrowCo’s expansion fuels the next phase of our growth.”

Org chart: Revenue down 9%, Sanity Group acquisition closes after quarter
Organigram Global reported fiscal second quarter net income of $59.8 million, down 9% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA of $0.9 million, down 82%. Lower vape and pre-infusion sales drove the decline, along with a $5.8 billion dent in the U.S. hemp business. The company achieved a record quarterly harvest of over 32,000kg at its Moncton facility, up 56% year-on-year, and launched 10 SKUs in Australia targeting over 4,000 pharmacies. At the end of the quarter, Organigram acquired Sanity Group, one of Germany’s leading cannabis companies, and updated its 2026 guidance to net revenue of more than $350 million.

James Yamanaka, CEO, said: “Q2 reflected our poor performance in vaporizers and temporary challenges in pre-infusion production, compounded by slower industry growth. We have acted quickly to address these issues, and the operational changes and product improvements we have implemented are already beginning to stabilize performance.”

Greg Guyatt, Chief Financial Officer, said: “The financial impact of the competitive and operational challenges encountered earlier in fiscal 2026 is believed to have materialized in the first half of the year, and we are now beginning to stabilize performance. We expect to resume a trajectory of margin expansion and improved profitability during the second half of the year, supported by positive revenue and international sales growth. The Sanity Group.”

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