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How cannabis became a science-backed crop

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4 months ago

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Recognition of one’s work can take many forms, from peer recognition to institutional awards, and in some cases comes repeatedly throughout a career. This is the course of the cannabis research work of Prof. Nirit Bernstein of the Volcani Institute, which recently ended with the “Cannabis and Hemp Distinguished Achievement Award” given to the Israeli researcher by the American Society of Horticultural Science.

© Nirit Bernstein

The beginning of the modern science of cannabis
Nirit started working with cannabis about 14 years ago, long before the crop gained its current institutional legitimacy. At that time, he approached the Israeli Ministry of Health, through its Medical Cannabis Unit, with a formidable request: to help define cultivation protocols for a crop that is poorly understood from a plant science perspective, to ensure that the plant product is safe for consumers, and to provide growers with the necessary agronomic support. “Back then there was almost no information about the plant science and agronomy of cannabis,” he says. “It was very difficult to establish a cannabis research program at the time because there was no funding, but I felt a great responsibility to do it.”

He did what any academic would do, turned to the scientific literature. For any other well-studied crop, the answers would have been numerous. For cannabis, there was basically nothing. “Cannabis is not a new crop, people have been using it basically forever, so I was hoping to find some useful information,” recalls Nirit. “But when I looked at it, there was basically zero. At that point I understood that if we wanted answers, I would have to start from the very beginning.”

This absence prompted him to redirect his research activity almost entirely to cannabis. Early work focused on the basics, not reinventing the wheel to get into the cannabis side of things, but because every discipline needs a framework to build upon if complex issues are to be addressed. “How the plant responds to mineral nutrition throughout its life cycle. How the vegetative and reproductive stages change in their requirements. What happens when inputs are boosted, limited or misaligned. All of this is decades of knowledge in all crops, but for cannabis it was all new territory.” Nitrogen became one of the first focuses, followed by potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, each of which was systematically analyzed. “Each time we found the optimal level, it became the basis for the next analysis,” he explained. “It was a very cumulative process.”

Academy for cannabis growers© Nirit Bernstein
As soon as Nirit started presenting the first data at conferences, it became clear how hungry the industry was for validated information. Growers, consultants and companies began arriving in volume with very specific questions about nutrient ratios and cropping decisions, often driven by hereditary practices. “For years, I received hundreds of emails and requests every week,” he says. “People would ask about nitrogen, potassium, light, irrigation, crop management and what not…very practical things. You really feel the responsibility, you know the industry is listening.”

The science of cannabis plants is advancing
This sense of responsibility dictated the direction of his laboratory. His research expanded into environmental drivers, light spectra, HPS versus LED, pruning strategies, plant density, and plant architecture, including some early peer-reviewed work on hood uniformity in cannabis chemistry. “We had very little information about the plant, but at the end of the day cannabis is just a plant,” said Nirit. “Interesting, yes, but it still follows physiological rules that need to be understood.”

As the field arrived, so did the questions. Attention was focused on inflorescence development, trichome ripening and harvest time, with industry conventions still struggling to fully distance themselves from heritage practices. “There’s been a lot of change in the last 9 years,” he says. “In the past, people harvested trichomes when they were about 50% amber. Today, many harvest them as soon as they start to turn amber, but we don’t have enough information about how growing conditions affect that process.”

This gap is now central to his research. With international collaborators, including projects funded by the Cannabis Research Institute in Colorado, Nirit is studying not only pesticide residues, but also how pest management strategies affect secondary metabolism. “It’s not just about waste anymore,” he explained. “If you spray the plant, even with terpene-containing botanicals, that can have a dramatic effect on the production of secondary metabolites.”

The physiology of stress has become another key focus. Time and time again, his work has shown that peak concentrations of cannabinoids and terpenes often coincide with how the plant reacts to stressors, an observation long known to growers. “Stress often affects secondary metabolism,” he says. “What we’re trying to do now is to develop extraction methods that trick the plant into thinking it’s under stress while it’s growing under optimal conditions.”

© Nirit Bernstein

This willingness to investigate grounded practices has continually encouraged her to question her research heritage methods. Physical injury, long dismissed as superstition, was shown to have some stimulatory effects on secondary metabolites. “They told us it worked, and they were right,” he says. Flushing, another divisive subject, showed no consistent increase in cannabinoid levels, but no harm either. “My recommendation is to clean it,” he added. “It helps to save money, it does not damage the plant and it improves the conditions of the soil, especially when growers have used too much fertilizer.”

Further experimental work continues in parallel, including carefully measured salinity stress in the last days before harvest, prolonged preharvest light or darkness, and studies on heavy metal uptake. “Hemp is a hyper accumulator, and ‘drug-type’ cannabis was never really tested for that in a medical context,” he explains. “Some of the nutrients we give to plants, such as iron, zinc, manganese, copper, are heavy metals. The question is how much we can give in the inflorescences and in the extracts produced without reaching critical thresholds.”

In all these lines of research, the methodology remains consistent. “We’ve put a lot of effort into understanding the physiology and biology of the plant,” says Nirite. “Not only agronomy, but also chemistry and the physiological function of plants. Then we translate this knowledge into practical applications. This is how we work in my laboratory.”

Thanks to this approach, Nirite has achieved a series of international recognitions in recent years, from the ‘American Chemical Society’, the ‘American Society of Agronomy’, the ‘American Society of Horticultural Sciences’, to agronomic and horticultural organizations throughout Europe and Israel. The “Cannabis and Hemp Distinguished Achievement Award” now joins that list to confirm that cannabis plant science has reached a level of maturity where fundamental work can finally be recognized as such.

“Cannabis is a fascinating plant,” reflects Nirite. “Not just because of the chemistry, but because the physiology can be so different between cultivars. The more we learn, the clearer it becomes how much we don’t know.”

For more information:
Institute Volcanoes
+9723-968-3226
(email protected)
agri.gov.il

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Third cannabis business approved by Jefferson Town Council

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12 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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12 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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