Connect with us

Cannabis News

Nebraska Medical Marijuana Supporters Slam Restrictive Rules Proposed By Governor-Appointed Panel

Published

7 months ago

on

“I feel like Nebraska wants to make it as uncomfortable and unbearable as possible.”

Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner

The green shirts filled a hearing room in Lincoln full of Nebraskans who support the legalization of medical cannabis but oppose the state’s new Medical Cannabis Commission’s proposed regulation of the product.

Thirty-two people testified against the proposed regulations on Wednesday. No one spoke up. Witnesses argued that the regulations would not be feasible for most people who need medical cannabis, and roughly half called on commissioners not to attend the hearing to hear their concerns.

“I feel like Nebraska wants to make it as uncomfortable and unbearable as possible,” said whistleblower Nathan Brown.

In the 2024 general election, 71% of Nebraska voters voted to legalize medical cannabis, and 67% voted to create a new regulatory commission. Since December, Nebraskans can legally possess up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis, as long as they have a prescription from a health care professional.

However, medical cannabis cannot yet be purchased legally in the state. Last week, again The Medical Cannabis Commission issued four of its cultivation licenses to Nancy Laughlin-Wagner of Omaha and Patrick Thomas of Raymond. Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Chief Legal Officer Bo Botelho said both licenses were approved.

In September, the commission advanced stricter regulations compared to the emergency regulations approved by the group in June. Gov. Jim Pillen (R) approved the new regulations with one revision Limit cultivators to grow more than 1,250 flower plants at one time

The revised regulations would, for the first time, impose extensive testing and safety requirements and establish a “Recommended Directory of Health Care Professionals” for doctors in the state to recommend medical cannabis. If approved, the rule would remain in effect for 90 days.

Under the regulations, patients or caregivers can purchase up to 5 ounces of medical cannabis within 30 days, which is about 142 grams. But they could not buy more than 5 grams of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from the same dispensary within 90 days. Delta-9 THC is the part of cannabis most commonly associated with a “high”.

Several witnesses said this limit was too restrictive. Testifier Shari Lawlor said a single joint typically weighs about a gram, so limiting people with medical needs to 5 grams of THC for 90 days is impractical.

State Sen. John Cavanaugh (D) of Omaha testified at the hearing that he went a step further and named a limit. a bold voter violation of the ballot language passed in Novemberwhich allowed him to hold five ounces.

The authors, to a large extent, agreed that the proposed regulation goes against what the voters asked for. Several argued that the people responsible for writing the regulations did not understand medical cannabis.

Crista Eggers, campaign manager for Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana initiatives, brought a large stack of papers representing the roughly 240,000 signatures collected between the two petitions as a visual example of the level of public support for medical cannabis.

“I guarantee you every single one of them wishes they were here today,” he said. “You know what, they shouldn’t have. They did their job. The voters spoke.”

Some witnesses criticized the limits on acceptable forms of medical cannabis. The proposed regulations exclude smoking and vaping.

Edward Williams, a veteran and member of the Legal Marijuana Now Party, said smoking or vaping is the most effective treatment method for PTSD when waking up from nightmares. The key factor is that smoking and vaping work faster than other forms of cannabis, such as edibles.

“You can’t wake up with nightmares or flashbacks and expect to wait an hour or two for an edible to work,” Williams said.

Williams wasn’t the only veteran to testify. Several others spoke about how medical cannabis has benefited them and said they’ve lost friends to suicide who didn’t have the opportunity to receive the same treatment.

Most of Wednesday’s speakers offered emotional stories about how medical cannabis can ease painful ailments for them or their loved ones. Medical cannabis has been described as a safer and cheaper option than other pain relief treatments.

“Instead of having to put my mother on morphine at the end of her life, where she then went into a coma just to control her pain, we could have had a meaningful and loving last day if they had prescribed medical cannabis,” said witness Kathy Jensen.

Registered nurse Tracey Davidson, who did not testify but attended the hearing, said she first experienced the benefits of cannabis when her sister-in-law was diagnosed with cancer about 12 years ago. Living in Colorado, he had access to medical cannabis, and said he reasoned that he could continue working and riding his bike days before his death.

“I see cannabis as medicine,” Davidson said. “Throughout my career I’ve seen it work in a variety of situations, from pain management to sleep to PTSD.”

Many witnesses also criticized the three active medical cannabis commissioners not attending the hearing, calling it “shameful” and “insulting”. The hearing was required by law.

Some witnesses also accused members of being “bought” by anti-marijuana politicians. At a commission meeting several weeks ago, witness Georganna Schroeder-Stanley said she saw “indifference, boredom and even contempt” on the faces of some of the commissioners who listened to the public’s views.

Cavanaugh interviewed nominees for the commission as part of his duties as a state senator. He said his “fears have come true” since those conversations: that members are “pursuing a political agenda” that aligns with Pillen’s.

President Monica Oldenburg did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Several other witnesses said Nebraska is losing much-needed revenue. Brown argued that this is absurd given how easy it is for Nebraskans to smuggle cannabis across state lines.

Brown said Nebraska would lose residents because of the government’s resistance to legalizing medicinal cannabis. Another witness, Dawn Weir, said she returned to Nebraska this year because she heard medical cannabis had been legalized.

After the 2024 ballot initiatives, some witnesses questioned whether they should continue to vote if the state intervenes so easily. Cavanaugh urged attendees to continue voting, but to vote “for those who really respect you.”

Supporters of medical cannabis have long argued that the issue is nonpartisan, with several witnesses identifying themselves as registered Republicans who either regret voting Republican in 2024 or are reconsidering their party affiliation.

“I don’t know how long (my Republican record) is going to last given that this situation is going the other way,” said John Reagan, the declarer.

At the end of the hearing, the committee will decide whether to formally accept the regulations or make changes. If finalized, the regulations would be sent to the office of Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R) for legislative review. Pillen would have the final say. Hilgers’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This story was first published by the Nebraska Examiner.

Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Cannabis operators report mixed results as rescheduling reshapes the financial outlook

Published

7 hours ago

on

May 14, 2026

By

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.”

Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Medical Marijuana Helps Pain Patients Reduce Use Of Opioids, New Study Shows

Published

7 hours ago

on

May 14, 2026

By

As opioids continue to cause overdose deaths, a new study suggests that making medical cannabis available and affordable could help patients reduce their use of prescription painkillers.

“Although cannabis has historically been characterized as a potential ‘gateway drug,’ it may also serve as a harm reduction tool for some patients seeking to reduce their reliance on higher-risk opioid medications,” researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine found.

The study, a prospective observational trial at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, followed 29 adults over five months. All had been living with chronic pain for years—an average of 11 years—and were already taking opioid medications, but struggled to taper off of them despite other treatments.

The study is unique in its focus on cost as a factor in access to medical marijuana, with the researchers describing their work as “the first prospective observational study evaluating medical cannabis as an alternative to opioids in a setting where cost was removed as a major barrier.”

Participants were recruited from a university outpatient chronic pain clinic and then completed monthly pain assessments using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRS). The researchers measured daily opioid use, measured in milligrams of morphine equivalents (MME).

“Seven patients (24%) were able to completely discontinue opioid therapy at the end of the study, five of whom did so by the second month. Pain levels also decreased over time,” the authors wrote.

Notably, “there was a statistically significant reduction in mean pain scores experienced over the five-month study period,” says the paper published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.

“There was also a reduction in average opioid consumption of about 32 MME per day, which remained the same throughout the follow-up. In addition, seven patients were able to completely discontinue opioid therapy during the study.”

“Mean daily opioid consumption decreased from 46.8 MME/day at baseline to 16.2 MME/day at one month and remained low during the five-month follow-up period,” the researchers found.

What set the new study apart was not just the inclusion of medical cannabis, but the deliberate removal of cost as a barrier. Participants “consistently identified cost as a major barrier to initiating medical cannabis” before enrolling in the study, the document says.

Noting the novelty of the study, they added their hypothesis: “Improving access to medical cannabis will allow a subset of patients, especially those with a high cost barrier, to reduce or discontinue opioid use while maintaining adequate pain control.”

“These results suggest that medical cannabis may be a useful adjunctive therapy to reduce opioid use, relieve chronic pain, and improve health-related quality of life,” they concluded.

“The findings of this study add to the body of literature supporting the safety profile and potential therapeutic role of cannabis.”

The studies the authors are cautious in their conclusions, warning of limitations and the need for further research. “The sample size was small and derived from a single clinical site, and there was no control group.” And because “patients self-titrate cannabis products, leading to variability in dosage and frequency of use,” the findings are not standardized.

But the authors concluded that “when used under appropriate medical supervision, medical cannabis may be an effective adjunctive strategy to reduce opioid use among patients receiving long-term opioid therapy.”

This study follows a Recent research shows that using medical marijuana helps people reduce their use of other drugs, including opioids.sleep aids and antidepressants. They also experience fewer negative side effects after switching from prescription drugs to cannabis, according to a study involving more than 3,500 patients.

It also comes from behind President Donald Trump says marijuana ‘can make people feel a lot better’ and serves as a “substitute for addictive and potentially lethal opioids.”

Last month, the Trump administration announced it moving forward with federal reclassification of marijuana medicinal cannabis is classified under Schedule I to III of the Controlled Substances Act.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Livermore Falls debates cannabis licensing fees

Published

1 day ago

on

May 13, 2026

By











Existing medical cannabis licensing fees will be temporarily applied to recreational marijuana businesses, the Select Committee decided on May 5. Board members agreed 4-1 to the temporary change, as long as officials say the fees are higher than necessary and accurately reflect the town’s oversight costs.

Bryce Cobb, Livermore Falls’ code enforcement officer, plumbing inspector, health officer and E-911 dispatcher, said voters approved the amended cannabis ordinance on April 28. Cobb said the amended ordinance allows recreational marijuana businesses and the next step was to establish a fee schedule. Recreational cannabis businesses operating in town would require local licensing approval under the ordinance.

Asked if he had fee schedules from other towns to compare, Cobb said he did not. Additionally, the town’s fee schedule specifically mentions medicinal cannabis.

“So it could be medical and adult use,” Cobb said when discussing whether the existing fee structure could apply to recreational businesses.

Read more at Sun Magazine










Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2021 The Art of MaryJane Media