Running a cannabis business is not for the faint of heart. Strict federal regulations, tax code hurdles, and banking limitations make financial management a high-stakes game. That’s where High Times Accounting steps in. Based in Massachusetts, the firm specializes in helping cannabis operators navigate the industry’s unique financial challenges—adhering to compliance regulations while maximizing profitability.
“We quickly realized that many cannabis companies weren’t managing their accounting properly, especially with Section 280E and sales tax audits,” said Jaime Lynn Soares, co-founder of High Times Accounting. “Our goal is to help them stay compliant and financially healthy while they focus on running their business.”
The Challenge of Cannabis Finance
Unlike conventional businesses, cannabis companies face a maze of financial obstacles. Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code prevents them from deducting many standard business expenses, making it critical to track every allowable deduction. Additionally, banking remains a major hurdle, as many institutions refuse to work with cannabis businesses due to federal prohibition.
Soares and her team assist clients with banking, payroll, and tax compliance so every dollar is accounted for and properly reported.
“One of the biggest mistakes we see is businesses using cash transactions without properly tracking them,” Soares explained. “All income must go into the bank first before being spent—otherwise, it becomes difficult to prove expenses during audits.”
Customized Accounting for Cannabis Operators
High Times Accounting tailors its services to the specific needs of cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, and dispensaries. Their offerings include:
Bank account reconciliation to track all revenue and expenses
Sales tax assistance to prevent costly errors in reporting
Payroll management with cannabis-friendly providers
QuickBooks setup and oversight to ensure accurate financial records
Audit preparation to avoid regulatory penalties
Understanding state-specific regulations is another key focus.
“We work with clients in Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont, and each state has its own compliance requirements,” Soares said. “What works in one market may not apply in another, so we make sure our clients are covered no matter where they operate.”
With more states legalizing cannabis, financial regulations will continue to evolve. Soares predicts that federal legalization will eventually eliminate the burdens of Section 280E, but until then, cannabis businesses must stay vigilant.
“It’s getting easier, but we’re still a long way from being treated like any other industry,” she said.
For now, businesses that want to stay compliant and competitive need to take financial management seriously.
“If you don’t have your accounting in order, you’re not going to attract investors, secure loans, or even stay in business,” Soares warned.
As the cannabis industry grows, High Times Accounting is making sure businesses in the Northeast and beyond have the financial tools they need to succeed.
Cannabis & Tech Today is the premier publication for inspiring business profiles, exclusive interviews with thought leaders in the field, science innovations, and insights on new legislation and growth in the cannabis market.
St. Louis-based leader in cannabis and cannabinoid product safety certification, CSQ is bringing Missouri’s cannabis industry together for an exclusive event to help operators stay ahead of the state’s evolving regulations. The CSQ QMS Workshop is a day-long seminar taking place on May 22nd designed to educate cannabis license holders about the state’s Quality Management System (QMS) requirements.
Throughout this workshop, a collection of quality assurance experts will answer questions about what it means to implement a QMS, debunk myths about Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and provide an overview of quality assurance tools, certifications, and training opportunities to simplify and ensure compliance.
Missouri license holders and Quality Assurance professionals in manufacturing, cultivation, extraction, or retail are welcome to attend, along with cannabis consultants, trainers, auditors, local regulators, and industry service providers.
Each $49 ticket includes morning coffee, full access to the 8-hour seminar, catered lunch on-site, networking opportunities, and a Certificate of Completion for CSQ’s Cannabis Safety 101 Course. Cannabis Safety 101 is a stand-alone 2-hour training outlining hazards that lead to unsafe cannabis and cannabinoid products and how to adopt a preventive—rather than a reactive approach to combatting safety hazards.
ASI, the local 94-year running, accredited, food safety company that conducts CSQ audits for license holders is hosting the workshop in their office building, located at 500 NW Plaza Boulevard.
Attendees are required to register online through the Eventbrite page (linked here) to secure a ticket. Members of the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association can receive free admission while supplies last using the members-only discount code.
For more information, contact Kim Ring via email at kring@asifood.com.
About Cannabis Safety & Quality (CSQ)
CSQ is a safety-driven company setting reliable standards for the cannabis industries (marijuana and hemp) to help companies minimize risk, protect their brand, and provide the best product for their consumers. CSQ is the first ANAB accredited safety and quality certification program for cannabinoid products developed by and for the cannabis industries to meet ASTM/ISO standards and market-by-market regulatory requirements from seed to sale. For more information about CSQ’s standards visit our website at www.csqcertification.com or follow CSQ on LinkedIn.
LINCOLN — At just 7 years old, Teddy Bronson of Omaha has faced six brain surgeries, been prescribed 14 different drugs and used about half a million dollars in medical hardware to fight his drug-resistant epilepsy that at one time had him enduring an average of 3,800 seizures each month.
Matt Bronson, a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran, and Liz Bronson, a nurse practitioner at Children’s Nebraska, say that each day is a fight for their “beautiful little son,” Teddy, including any measures possible to reduce his seizures. That included a groundbreaking half-day neurosurgery at Children’s just a few years ago with a robotic surgical assistant.
At a public forum this weekend for medical cannabis regulations, which the Bronsons say could help ease Teddy’s pain, Matt Bronson said his son is at 85% higher risk of losing his life each night. But each morning, Liz and Matt greet their son.
“I get to see my son smile. I get to hear him babble, and damn it, he is seven and a half years old and he’s walking,” Matt Bronson told an often raucous, cheering public forum crowd in Omaha on May 4. “Three years ago, he was in a wheelchair.”
Liz Bronson, a nurse practitioner at Children’s Nebraska, and Matt Bronson, a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran, flank their son, Teddy, who has a rare and severe form of drug-resistant epilepsy. (Courtesy of Liz and Matt Bronson)
Data shows Teddy is improving, “but any seizure can take him,” Liz Bronson said. Quoting the family’s California-based epileptologist, Liz Bronson said, “We can either pass evidence-based, well-regulated legislation, or we can sign more death certificates.”
“We come here before you today to say that, ‘I’m sorry, but Teddy matters,’ and that our family matters and that the suffering individuals in this state matter,” Liz Bronson said.
A continued fight
In a more than decade-long fight for medical cannabis in Nebraska, through three election cycles, numerous legislative bills and multiple court fights, the Bronsons are among those who have consistently fought for access to the medicine.
Voters overwhelmingly approved legalizing medical cannabis in November. It was approved by 71% of voters, and just a slightly smaller percentage, 68%, approved the basic outlines of a regulatory system.
The Bronsons were among hundreds of Nebraskans who attended public forums May 3 in La Vista, May 4 in Omaha or May 5 in Lincoln. Most shared a similar message: Medical cannabis is legal in Nebraska, and the “will of the voters” must be implemented.
But how the state should do so differed among the dozens of speakers who addressed a bipartisan group of 13 state senators spread between the three events on Legislative Bill 677, from State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, a bill meant to clarify regulations. Senators estimated at least 300 attendees.
Some speakers linked the fight with legislative efforts to water down minimum wage and paid sick leave protections passed in the 2022 and 2024 statewide elections.
Others linked LB 677 to LB 316, from State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, a priority of Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who has escalated his opposition to LB 677 and all products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. LB 316 essentially reclassifies “hemp” as “marijuana.” Opponents call it a “de facto ban” on nearly all THC or hemp products.
Hilgers said Wednesday that it was never his intention to use LB 316 against the ballot measures. Hansen is working to make explicit in Kauth’s bill that it does not conflict with the ballot measures or LB 677.
Hilgers said his “heart goes out” to anyone in pain who feels they can’t access something they feel could alleviate the hurt. However, he said he must uphold federal laws against marijuana despite dozens of states approving medical or recreational cannabis.
“I think two plus two is four, even if everyone else says two plus two is five,” Hilgers said this week when he launched a law enforcement campaign against LB 677.
Speakers at this month’s forums blasted LB 677 for its compromises, including prohibiting smoking cannabis, specifying 15 “qualifying conditions,” allowing no more than 30 medical dispensaries and requiring a patient or caregiver to pay up to $45 for a registry card under the new state regulatory system.
Among those was Ethan Stankus of Bellevue, who said that if he’d known there would be a smoking ban, conditions list or other “needless compromises,” he would have voted “nay.”
“This is not what we voted for,” Stankus said, holding up a breakdown of the amendment to LB 677, asking why Nebraskans needed to take time to reexplain their vote.
‘100% of the apple’
For Hansen and supporters, the need for the bill is complicated, illustrated, for instance, when many attendees criticized the regulations for being housed in a new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission that shares resources and staff with the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission.
That was part of the ballot measure, partly in response to consistent opposition to medical cannabis from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Across the dozens of speakers, only one, the state’s former longtime state epidemiologist in DHHS, Tom Safranek, raised hesitation about the voter-approved laws, for a “potential for societal damage.”
DHHS also opposes LB 677.
State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair kneels to talk with State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue. Hansen is the lead sponsor on a 2025 bill to help give a regulatory structure to the state’s new medical cannabis laws. Holdcroft is the chair of the General Affairs Committee considering his bill. March 25, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
Due to constitutional constraints with ballot measures — including the need to stick to a “single subject” — supporters were limited in what they could present to voters. Supporters of LB 677 say it would provide clearer guidance before the commission acts.
The proposal also seeks to aid a voter-enacted deadline for the commission to write the regulations, which is currently July 1. The commission, in court filings, has said the ballot measure provided “no ability to carry out any duties” set forth in the new laws, particularly with its lack of funding.
State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, chair of the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee, who worked with Hansen on the bill, said Sunday there is “no way” the measure’s required regulations can be completed in time.
LB 677 seeks to delay the required regulations by three months, while also more explicitly setting the parameters of the new regulatory system. The voter-passed laws’ wide flexibility to let the commission draft all regulations could end up with a system stricter than LB 677 proposes.
For instance, one of the governor-appointed members, Lorelle Mueting of Omaha’s Heartland Family Service, said in an online comment against a separate LB 705 this year that her agency does not support legalizing marijuana “in any form for medical purposes” without federal approval.
Hansen said the time is right “to get off our butts” and unite Democrats and Republicans and reach the 33-vote threshold needed to pass LB 677 and help Nebraskans.
The system needs to start right and show “the world hasn’t ended,” Hansen said. “Everyone’s not dying. People aren’t smoking doobies on the corner like a lot of my conservatives think.”
“We’re not going to eat 100% of the apple,” Hansen said Saturday of the efforts. “We get 75%, 80%, make sure the people who need it, you get it.”
‘Pigs must be flying’
Marcie Reed of Blair, one of Hansen’s constituents, spoke of her 12-year-old son Kyler, who has epilepsy and takes six medications a day. Since 2019, the family has prepared to use a rescue medication for Kyler, a controlled substance, if Kyler’s seizures last more than five minutes.
“You don’t ever get it until you’re in that situation,” Reed, who worked on the recent cannabis ballot measures, said. “One day, somebody you love might have epilepsy or cancer, and I think that if you truly think about it, you will realize you wish that you could have this to give to your loved one and not keep fighting for it.”
Marcie Reed of Blair advocates with other families on behalf of her son, Kyler, to receive medical cannabis after voter approval in November. March 3, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
While tense at times, the weekend also brought moments of levity, such as Shannon Coryell of Omaha, a self-described “bleeding heart liberal” who said that “pigs must be flying” because she agreed with Hansen, a Republican with a Libertarian bent.
Tom Becka, a former host on conservative talk radio in Omaha and a longtime broadcaster, spoke to Hilgers and Ricketts, saying that the movie-musical “Reefer Madness” wasn’t a “documentary.”
“More people have died from the onions on the McDonald’s hamburger than have died from medical cannabis,” Becka said to a laughing crowd.
No deaths from overdoses of marijuana have been reported, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, though some edibles have led to an increasing number of emergency room visits.
‘Fight like our lives matter’
Multiple Nebraskans also encouraged lawmakers to act quickly, as some patients who could have gotten help or tested out the medication have died in 12 years of legislative waiting.
Jill Heese of Lincoln spoke of her mother, an open-minded Republican and licensed practical nurse who died of cancer in 2006. While some speakers said they would just go to Missouri for marijuana anyway, Heese said that wouldn’t be the case for her mother, a “kind, compassionate, law-abiding woman.”
Angie Cornett of Norfolk, Terrell Murphy of West Los Angeles and Kim Bowling-Martin of Lincoln joined at the Wine, Beer and Spirits in Lincoln to finalize signature counts for the 2024 Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign. July 3, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
Lia Post of Springfield read a written letter Monday on behalf of her friend Angie Cornett of Norfolk, who missed the meeting to bury her mother.
Cornett, a nurse, wrote that her mom endured severe and chronic pain for decades. When she tried cannabis for the first time 25 years ago, at age 50, it eliminated the severe burning pain in her feet caused by severe nerve damage from her back and apathy from diabetes.
Cornett said her mom described the new pain relief as “stepping on cold slushy watermelon.”
A “cocktail” of addictive pain relief medications was part of her mom’s medical regimen, Cornett said, adding she couldn’t help but wonder how her mom’s life could have changed with medical cannabis.
“She knew exactly what she was voting for, and as I bury my mom today, I want you to know that she is just one of many patients who have died waiting for the right to access plant-based medicines in Nebraska and access to a God-given plant that was used medicinally since the ancient times,” Cornett wrote Monday.
Post, a frequent medical cannabis advocate at the Nebraska State Capitol, said she is one of a handful of longtime advocates who have been told by lawmakers to mind their interactions and cool frustrations or methods of advocacy, such as Post telling Republicans that patients are dying.
Lia Post, at left, holds a Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana T-shirt beside Trish Petersen on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, on Lincoln, Neb. The two became best friends during the campaign. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
Even so, Post said the roadblocks won’t make her back down from a disease — complex regional pain syndrome — that will one day take her life.
“Fight for us. Fight like our lives matter,” Post said Saturday. “None of you are God, and you do not deserve to play God in this anymore.”
Seeing patients
Dominic and Shelley Gillen of Bellevue have been in the fight for 12 years, similar to the Bronsons, for their now 23-year-old son Will, who similarly has a severe form of drug-resistant epilepsy and is referred to by friends and family as “God’s Will.”
In that time, Dominic Gillen estimated, his son has faced more than 450,000 seizures and “a body littered with scars.”
Dominic Gillen said he considers Hilgers’ efforts against the medical cannabis campaign and its many volunteers, patients and caregivers, the type of “lawfare” that Republicans lamented under former President Joe Biden. At each event, Gillen told senators to see the patients, “not look through them.”
“Will has never spoken a word, but he’s touched countless lives in this state and other states through his story,” Dominic Gillen said. “Will is truly the greatest of blessings. He’s perfect even in his imperfection.”
The Gillen family joins together in summer 2020 at turn-in day for the first of what would be three campaigns to legalize and regulate medical cannabis in Nebraska, which the family hopes will help Will Gillen, front. Joining Will Gillen, from back left, is Katelyn Gillen, Nolan Gillen, Shelley Gillen, Megan Gillen and Dominic Gillen. (Courtesy of Shelley and Dominic Gillen)
Hansen, too, urged Nebraskans to share their stories and photos with lawmakers, particularly Republicans. “Out of curiosity,” he asked Sunday whether those in attendance would support recreational marijuana if LB 677 failed and the regulations became too restrictive.
Nearly everyone raised their hands. Hansen said he’s telling his colleagues to pass LB 677 and regulate medical cannabis, or the voters will end up legalizing recreational marijuana. Hilgers and other opponents of medical cannabis and recreational marijuana have said LB 677 would open the door to recreational use already.
Court battles continue in front of the Nebraska Supreme Court and in courts in Hall County, against a notary, and Lancaster County. The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office has argued the laws are preempted by federal law and threatened to sue the Medical Cannabis Commission if it issues dispensary licenses.
Notaries targeted in those cases have pledged innocence, including Jacy Todd of York, a notary who faces first-of-their-kind criminal charges in Grand Island. None of the four notaries targeted in the case before the Nebraska Supreme Court has been criminally charged, though a lower-court judge tossed some of their signatures. Hilgers said the lack of charges shouldn’t be “read into.
Hilgers, joined by various sheriffs on Wednesday, said that medical cannabis and LB 677 are “going to make Nebraska less safe, more dangerous. It’s going to handcuff the good men and women here that are in front of you and all their colleagues around the state.”
‘Let’s take away this pain’
Todd, a disabled veteran, was among those asking lawmakers to act and include post-traumatic stress disorder in the list of acceptable conditions for use, the removal of which Hansen said was one of the “negotiating factors” that was needed to get LB 677 out of the General Affairs Committee.
Matt Bronson, a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran, joins his son Teddy, who has a rare and severe form of drug-resistant epilepsy. (Courtesy of Liz and Matt Bronson)
Two amendments from State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha would add PTSD to the list. The first directly, the second by removing the list altogether and leaving the decision between doctors and patients.
Matt Bronson, who served in the military, left for war at age 19. He said he broke his back in 2007, struggles with PTSD, is a recovering alcoholic and has lost most sensation in his legs. He was given many options, including opiates and other addictive pain medications. Before Teddy was born, he said he tried to take his life.
Medical cannabis is not about Matt Bronson or Teddy getting high — “I give two s— about getting high,” his father says.
However, Bronson says he can’t take the addictive medications, get significant back surgery or be put in a wheelchair for 18 months because he and Liz Bronson need to care for Teddy at a moment’s notice, who comes first above his own health.
“Let’s take away this pain,” Matt Bronson said. “I don’t want to remember those brothers and sisters I lost in war. I don’t want to remember every single damn casket I put on the back of C-17 flying home covered in the damn flag. I love my country, but God damn, Uncle Sam, let’s do something about this s—.”
With more than 14 state-licensed businesses anticipated to seek authorization to open within areas regulated by the county, commissioners have been working on ordinance revisions designed to guide the process for selecting registrants.
A May 6 public hearing on the proposed changes prompted some questions and potential tweaks, with the county potentially holding a lottery for each of three license types that allow retail sales directly to customers.
“Commissioners have listened to comments during the public hearing and have reviewed the ordinance language in more detail,” states a county staff report ahead of the planned May 15 public hearing, which will be held at 4:30 p.m. in board chambers of the city-county Government Center. ”This discussion will shape final revisions to the ordinance that will be presented to the County Board for approval on May 20, 2025.”
The state plans to issue an unlimited number of microbusiness licenses to qualified businesses as authorized recreational sales of cannabis begin in Minnesota. A microbusiness license allows the holder to grow, buy and sell cannabis. It also allows opening a single retail location.
A statewide cap has been set for mezzobusinesses, which can open up to three retail outlets, and cannabis retailer licenses, which don’t allow growing but provide the option to open up to five retail locations in the state.
for mezzobusinesses and some cannabis retailers on June 5, with a second, broader retailer lottery in July, to determine who will receive mezzobusiness and cannabis retailer licenses.
While the Minnesota Office of Cannabis determines who can hold a license to sell cannabis, the planned Olmsted County lottery for each of the three license types will provide authorization to establish a business in most areas of the county, where they are allowed by zoning regulations. Local government entities overseeing registration are required to allow at least one retailer for every 12,500 residents in the jurisdiction.
The cities of Byron and Pine Island have opted to oversee registrations locally, meaning any businesses in those cities won’t count toward the limit set by county commissioners.
Once guidelines for the county lottery plans are established, a 30-day application period is expected to be announced before a drawing is held. During that time, Olmsted County Public Health Associate Director Sagar Chowdhury said, county staff will review applications to ensure they meet requirements and work with applicants to address any concerns.
While plans call for providing a 15-day window to address any application shortfalls, commissioners said they don’t want the process to delay the lotteries, which will be held during a regular board meeting.
Randy Petersen joined the Post Bulletin in 2014 and became the local government reporter in 2017. An Elkton native, he’s worked for a variety of Midwest papers as reporter, photographer and editor since graduating from Winona State University in 1996. Readers can reach Randy at 507-285-7709 or rpetersen@postbulletin.com.
Alcohol and cannabis can impact blood pressure and medications. Learn how to make informed choices for heart health and talk openly with your doctor.
Published: May 9, 2025
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
You’ve heard the usual heart health advice — exercise more, cut the salt, maybe swap the fries for a salad. But no one talks about your weekend wine and cocktails, that edible you split with a friend or the vape pen tucked in your drawer. Let’s go there.
Many adults enjoy alcohol or use cannabis products safely (and legally) for a variety of reasons. They may use these as ways to relax, but did you know that these substances can raise blood pressure? Here’s what you need to know about how alcohol and cannabis may raise blood pressure in adults.
Alcohol is a buzzkill for your liver
Alcohol is processed by the liver, which can handle only so much at a time. Too much alcohol can damage the liver over time. Drinking too much alcohol — beer, wine, or liquor — can raise the force your blood exerts on your arteries. What is “too much”? As with many substances, the poison is in the dose, which means — it depends on how much, your size, gender and age.
“We process alcohol differently as we age,” said Joshua H. Brandon, M.D., family medicine physician with Norton Community Medical Associates. “Men and women handle alcohol differently. Medications also can impact how your body responds to alcohol.”
Moderate drinking is considered to be two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less for women. Binge drinking means four or more drinks for women, or five or more drinks for men during an occasion. Heavy drinking means eight or more drinks for women, or 15 or more drinks for men during a week.
A “drink” is:
12 ounces of beer with 5% alcohol
8 ounces of malt liquor with 7% alcohol
5 ounces of wine with 12% alcohol
A shot or 1.5 ounces of liquor or distilled spirts (80-proof liquor)
80 proof means the liquor has 40% alcohol.
Types of liquor include brandy, gin, rum, tequila vodka, and whiskey
“Even moderate alcohol consumption can interfere with blood pressure medication,” Dr. Brandon said.
Alcohol can alter the metabolism of a medication, speeding or slowing the clearance of the medication from the body and thus lowering or raising the blood levels of the medication.
A medication can influence the absorption and metabolism of alcohol, potentially resulting in higher blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) and other adverse effects.
Alcohol can alter the pharmacological effects of the medication, which can increase or decrease the effect of the medication on the body.
Cannabis is not a chill as you might think (at least for your heart)
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary active compound in cannabis. It’s what gives users a “high.” THC can cause temporary spikes in heart rate and blood pressure. How your body responds to THC depends on several factors, including:
Dose
Method — smoking, gummies, edibles
Overall health, including the presence of chronic conditions
The presence of other substances, such as medications, alcohol, or tobacco
Age
Frequency and duration of use
The side effects of cannabis taken with blood pressure medication include:
Marijuana’s biggest-known impact is with opioids, sleep medications, muscle relaxants and alcohol, because all affect the central nervous system. Marijuana use combined with these may boost the effects of both.
Marijuana may increase the risk of bleeding when taken with drugs that increase the risk of bleeding, such as aspirin, blood thinners or other pain relievers, including ibuprofen and naproxen.
Marijuana may affect blood sugar levels. If you are taking medication or insulin for diabetes, you should be watched closely by a health care provider.
Marijuana may cause low blood pressure, which may affect people on high blood pressure medication.
As cannabis becomes legal in more places, both for recreational use and for medical purposes, people should stay informed about the potential health risks. One small study showed a moderate increase in systolic blood pressure with cannabis use. The general consensus is more research is needed, especially in older adults.
Blood pressure and substance use
High blood pressure is referred to as a “silent killer,” due to the lack of symptoms. Long-term high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
High blood pressure is often symptom-free — hence “the silent killer.”
Long-term high blood pressure increases risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.
Alcohol and cannabis can make it harder to manage or detect changes in blood pressure.
Getting blood pressure checked regularly is key — even if you feel fine.
No judgment, just things to know:
Your first step should be awareness. Get a baseline blood pressure reading with your health care provider at your annual checkup. Keep track of your blood pressure using an at-home monitor. Check your blood pressure after alcohol consumption or cannabis use.
Be honest with your health care provider so they can give you the best care and offer options to keep you safe and healthy. This may help you make smarter choices for your health.
Little tweaks can add up, and your doctor can help by adjusting medications or explaining how much to cut back.
Checking in with your heart
Heart health isn’t about giving up things you enjoy; it’s about understanding how your lifestyle may affect your health. Talk to your doctor honestly about your drinking, even if it’s an uncomfortable topic.
“It is important for your health care provider to know if you are using alcohol or cannabis, even if it’s moderate use,” Dr. Brandon said. “There may be potentially harmful interactions that you don’t know about.”
[PRESS RELEASE] – KINGSVILLE, Ontario, May 9, 2025 – Greenway Greenhouse Cannabis Corp., a cultivator of high-quality greenhouse cannabis for the Canadian market, announced it has applied to Health Canada for new dedicated propagation space at the Leamington, Ontario, facility, which should help increase the number of batches the facility can grow annually, and provided an update on current market dynamics.
Greenway has applied through Health Canada to create a new dedicated propagation and vegetation space at its current cultivation facility located in Leamington, Ontario. This new space is meant to be utilized for mid-stream propagation, allowing Greenway to gain space and time efficiencies in its flowering rooms. By doing this, the company believes it will be able to increase the amount of biomass the facility can throughput annually and should help Greenway move toward its goal of having six full crop rotations every year.
“We are always looking for new ways to increase our efficiency and lower our costs, and changing over this space will better equip us to achieve both of those goals,” Greenway President Carl Mastronardi said. “We have found by giving our cuttings coming over from our nursery more time to become acclimated to the greenhouse environment before moving into the flowering stage, we receive higher production from our premium genetics. By having this new dedicated space, we can make sure that the plants remain in the most optimized environment for each stage of their development. Space and timing efficiencies are one of the ways we can continue to make incremental progress as a grower.”
Supply and Wholesale Price Update
Greenway continues to see positive signs that the wholesale domestic and international markets are rebounding from the lows of 2023. The company’s revenue per gram has been steadily increasing for six straight quarters, from $0.84 to $1.58 per gram.
“As we have seen the wholesale price of cannabis for Greenway increase, the speed at which we have been able to move our crops has also increased,” Greenway CEO Jamie D’Alimonte said. “This trend has continued since our most recent quarter and shows no signs of regression. Everything we are growing right now and over the last few months has had a home before it has even finished being harvested. This is a great sign for the industry, as it ensures consumers are getting the freshest product possible and that Greenway is not sitting on any inventory. With both the domestic and international markets heating up rapidly over the last 18 months, we have also been able to move towards more advantageous commercial terms.”
CPG Update
Greenway’s MillRite brand continues to be a leader among pre-rolls in the 2×0.5-gram size category, being the No. 2-ranked brand and having both the No. 2-ranked indica and sativa pre-roll in the segment with their Lavender Haze and Pink Moon.
Over the next few months, the MillRite has new pre-roll sizes coming to Ontario, including its first foray into the blunt category with the Lavender Haze 1-gram glass-tipped blunt arriving on store shelves before the end of May.
In April, Greenway re-launched The Jeffrey pre-rolls in Ontario, which are now available across the province for purchase in three convenient sizes, helping expand Greenway’s presence into new size categories.
SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) — Sauk Rapids city leaders are considering leasing a city-owned building to a cannabis producer.
During its meeting on Monday night, the city council will vote on a lease agreement for the former G & J Awning building.
The city bought the building back in 2021 because it is adjacent to the Government Center and they wanted to property in case there is a need for potential future expansion. In the meantime, they want to lease it out.
They are working with a cannabis producer that will grow it and prepare it for distribution. There will be no retail on the site.
The producer will still need to apply for and be granted a Conditional Use Permit by the city to move forward with the project, which they are planning to bring to the Planning Commission in June.
The five-year lease has a rent of $6,375 per month with a four percent annual escalator. This is $75,500 annually and $382,500 over the five years.
The building does need to have improvements made to its power and HVAC.
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In an effort to provide an evidence base for cannabis policy reform, researchers in Switzerland have begun assessing the effects of regulated cannabis access. The Weed Care study, launched in January 2023, is a collaboration between the Department of Health of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, the University of Basel, the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel and Psychiatric Services Aargau.
This study is the first randomized controlled trial in Switzerland designed to directly compare the impacts of legal versus illegal cannabis procurement on user behavior and mental health.
Study design and participant structure
For the first 6 months of the study, approximately 370 adult cannabis users were assigned to one of two groups. Half were given legal access to cannabis products through nine local pharmacies and were offered optional counseling. The control group continued to obtain cannabis from the illegal market.
Both groups provided data on their cannabis use and psychological health through periodic questionnaires. The study aimed to assess not only patterns of consumption but also the psychological effects commonly linked to cannabis use, such as anxiety and depression.
“There has never been a controlled, randomized study like this before,” said Dr. Lavinia Baltes-Flückiger.
Effects on consumption and mental health
Findings from the first phase, published in Addiction, indicate that problematic cannabis use declined modestly among participants with legal access.
Problematic use was defined as use associated with negative health, psychological or social consequences, even in the absence of clinical dependence.
The most notable reduction in problematic use was seen among individuals who used cannabis alongside other drugs.
“In this subgroup, problematic cannabis use experienced a significant drop,” says Baltes-Flückiger.
No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of depression or anxiety symptoms after the six-month period.
Following this initial phase, individuals in the control group were also granted access to legally distributed cannabis, as was agreed upon at the start of the trial.
Continuing outcomes
An interim analysis conducted after two years of study suggests ongoing mental health improvements in participants who have remained involved. The team reports a general easing of psychological strain among these individuals, with continued legal access appearing to play a supportive role.
Further long-term analysis is expected to offer deeper insights into how structured access to regulated cannabis may influence behavior and health over time.
Reference: Baltes‐Flueckiger L, Steinauer R, Meyer M, et al. Effects of legal access versus illegal market cannabis on use and mental health: A randomized controlled trial. Addiction. 2025:add.70080. doi: 10.1111/add.70080
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This content includes text that has been generated with the assistance of AI. Technology Networks’ AI policy can be found here.
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In an effort to provide an evidence base for cannabis policy reform, researchers in Switzerland have begun assessing the effects of regulated cannabis access. The Weed Care study, launched in January 2023, is a collaboration between the Department of Health of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, the University of Basel, the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel and Psychiatric Services Aargau.
This study is the first randomized controlled trial in Switzerland designed to directly compare the impacts of legal versus illegal cannabis procurement on user behavior and mental health.
Study design and participant structure
For the first 6 months of the study, approximately 370 adult cannabis users were assigned to one of two groups. Half were given legal access to cannabis products through nine local pharmacies and were offered optional counseling. The control group continued to obtain cannabis from the illegal market.
Both groups provided data on their cannabis use and psychological health through periodic questionnaires. The study aimed to assess not only patterns of consumption but also the psychological effects commonly linked to cannabis use, such as anxiety and depression.
“There has never been a controlled, randomized study like this before,” said Dr. Lavinia Baltes-Flückiger.
Effects on consumption and mental health
Findings from the first phase, published in Addiction, indicate that problematic cannabis use declined modestly among participants with legal access.
Problematic use was defined as use associated with negative health, psychological or social consequences, even in the absence of clinical dependence.
The most notable reduction in problematic use was seen among individuals who used cannabis alongside other drugs.
“In this subgroup, problematic cannabis use experienced a significant drop,” says Baltes-Flückiger.
No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of depression or anxiety symptoms after the six-month period.
Following this initial phase, individuals in the control group were also granted access to legally distributed cannabis, as was agreed upon at the start of the trial.
Continuing outcomes
An interim analysis conducted after two years of study suggests ongoing mental health improvements in participants who have remained involved. The team reports a general easing of psychological strain among these individuals, with continued legal access appearing to play a supportive role.
Further long-term analysis is expected to offer deeper insights into how structured access to regulated cannabis may influence behavior and health over time.
Reference: Baltes‐Flueckiger L, Steinauer R, Meyer M, et al. Effects of legal access versus illegal market cannabis on use and mental health: A randomized controlled trial. Addiction. 2025:add.70080. doi: 10.1111/add.70080
This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.
This content includes text that has been generated with the assistance of AI. Technology Networks’ AI policy can be found here.
Wisconsin will likely remain one of eight states without legalized medical cannabis after Republican lawmakers disemboweled more than 600 of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposals on May 8.
Among those proposals, Joint Finance Committee members stripped the governor’s plans to legalize both medical and adult-use cannabis as well as to provide for citizen-initiated ballot measures that would allow Wisconsinites to vote on binding referenda and constitutional amendments.
While Evers called attention to the cannabis cuts, he primarily blasted the committee members for rejecting his 2025-27 biennial budget proposals for middle-class tax cuts, lowering child care and medical costs, and increasing support for children, farmers and veterans.
“Republicans talk a lot about what they’re against, but not what they’re for,” Evers said in a press release ahead of Thursday’s committee vote. “Republican lawmakers have gotten away with doing nothing for far too long. Wisconsinites are sick and tired of having a do-nothing Legislature. Republicans must get serious about getting things done.”
Wisconsin is one of eight states where one party controls the governorship and the opposite party controls the Legislature, creating friction not only in budget proposals but also in partisan legislation. Wisconsin Republicans currently control 54.5% majorities in both chambers of the state’s bicameral Legislature.
In his release, Evers said that legalizing, regulating and taxing adult-use cannabis for those 21 and older, “much like the state already does with alcohol,” would make Wisconsin more competitive with its neighbors by aligning policy with the will of the electorate.
The governor pointed to a February 2024 survey conducted by Marquette Law School pollsters, who found 63% of the state’s registered voters supported adult-use cannabis legalization and 86% supported medical cannabis legalization.
In his executive budget brief released in February 2025, Evers projected that legalizing and taxing adult-use cannabis would generate more than $58 million in state revenue in fiscal year 2026-2027 and “growing amounts” in future years.
In addition to canceling Evers’ legalization plans, committee members nixed his idea of creating a pathway for initiative and referendum processes for citizens to circulate petitions, gather signatures and place questions before voters. Wisconsin is one of 24 states without this process.
Evers, who took office in 2019, has not only clashed with state lawmakers on cannabis policy but also on other issues that could lend themselves to the initiative process, from abortion rights to background checks on firearm purchases, Medicaid expansion and redistricting.
“Republican lawmakers shouldn’t be able to ignore the will of the people and then prevent the people from having a voice when the Legislature fails to listen,” Evers said in January. “That has to change.”
Evers’ push for establishing an initiative process came on the heels of House Republicans and Senate Republicans clashing in 2024 over the idea of state-run dispensaries in colliding medical cannabis legalization bills.
The governor said in January 2024 that, should GOP leaders overcome their differences, he’d back their more limited reform approach versus an all-in recreational program.
“I would think that getting it all done in one fell swoop would be more thoughtful as far as meeting the needs of Wisconsinites that have asked for it,” Evers said. “But if that’s what we can accomplish right now, I’ll be supportive of that.”
However, Assembly Speaker Rob Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, couldn’t find middle ground and medical cannabis legalization talks died early last legislative session.
Other legislative leaders have offered varying takes on the prospects for 2025 reform.
In December, Senate President Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk, said she anticipated that Vos would remain an “obstacle” to medical cannabis reform, while Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August, R-Walworth, said in February he remained “hopeful” that lawmakers in the lower chamber could enact change.
“I don’t think anyone is naive enough to think that marijuana and THC products aren’t present in the state of Wisconsin when they are readily available over state lines, so I think we need to come to an answer on this,” August said.
Wisconsinites 21 and older can travel to border states Michigan and Illinois—and soon Minnesota—to purchase cannabis at adult-use dispensaries.
So far in 2025, Wisconsin lawmakers have yet to deliver an answer.
