Photo: Greenlight Facebook page

NEBRASKA CITY – Otoe County Sheriff Colin Caudill reminds residents that it is illegal to possess marijuana in any form in Nebraska prior to Wednesday’s opening of the  Greenlight Marijuana Dispensary in Rock Port, Mo.

A Greenlight press release says the Rock Port location targets Nebraska and Iowa cannabis consumers and says the company strategically chose Rock Port to broaden its consumer base.

The press release notes that the dispensary is 30 minutes from Nebraska City and an hour from Lincoln and Omaha.

The dispensary will feature over 300 branded cannabis products for all types of consumers with a convenient drive-thru for the public 21 years or older. Sheriff Caudill said only products with a THC level of .3 percent or less can be sold in Nebraska.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers is leading a coalition to oppose the Biden Administration’s proposal to reschedule marijuana from schedule I to schedule III on the federal controlled substance act.

A press release from Hilger’s office says rescheduling would be a significant step toward fully legalizing marijuana at the federal level.

Hilgers said Nebraska law makes marijuana illegal in all circumstances. He described it as addictive and linked it to mental and physical ailments.

  

Here is the company’s press release

ROCK PORT, MO (July 23, 2024) – Greenlight, a leading vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operator, announced the opening of its newest dispensary location at 105 Speedy’s Dr, Rock Port, MO 64482. Sitting on the border of Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska, Greenlight Rock Port is now open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT. Rock Port is strategically located just thirty minutes from Nebraska City, and one hour from Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska.

The Rock Port dispensary marks Greenlight's 16th location in Missouri as the company continues its aggressive expansion across limited-license states. With over 700 employees, Greenlight now operates dispensaries in seven states – Missouri, Arkansas, West Virginia, Illinois, Ohio, Nevada, and South Dakota – with a total of 33 dispensary locations nationwide.

"As the largest cannabis operator in Missouri, our home state is a key market for Greenlight," said John Mueller, co-founder and CEO of Greenlight. “Rock Port is located within driving distance of major cities in Nebraska and Iowa, allowing us to broaden our 21+ consumer base in new markets. Notching our 33rd dispensary nationwide, and being consistently voted the Best Dispensaries in Missouri, our goal is to solidify Greenlight as a go-to name in the market and keep sharing 'cannabis with culture' with consumers across the country.”

Greenlight Rock Port has been designed to reflect the brand’s signature retail model and consumer experience. The dispensary features over 300 branded cannabis products for all types of consumers with a convenient drive-thru for the public 21 years or older.

With continued rapid expansion, Greenlight plans to reach 40 dispensary locations by the end of 2024. The company continues to scale its vertically integrated operations with over 300,000 square feet of cultivation and manufacturing facilities supplying its retail stores.

Here is Attorney General Hilger’s press release

Lincoln -- On Monday, Attorney General Mike Hilgers led a coalition of eleven States in submitting a public comment letter opposing the Biden Administration’s proposal to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III on the federal Controlled Substances Act. 

The comment letter was submitted in response to the Department of Justice’s Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding the proposed change. Moving marijuana to Schedule III would be a significant step toward fully legalizing marijuana at the federal level and represents, in practical effect, a significant tax break for marijuana retailers.  

Nebraska’s 40-page comment letter outlines several reasons why the rescheduling of marijuana is both unlawful and ill-advised. 

“There is a myth that marijuana is relatively safe and that expanding legal access to it would not significantly harm the public health. Our comment letter explains why nothing could be further from the truth,” Hilgers said. “The Biden Administration’s effort ignores the science, ignores our decades-old treaty obligations, and ignores the law, all while acting to give marijuana companies a tax break.

Nebraska law makes marijuana illegal in all circumstances. Nebraska has long recognized and strived to protect its citizens from the negative consequences of marijuana. Marijuana is addictive and has many harmful health effects. It is particularly harmful to child and adolescent development and has links to both mental health conditions like psychosis and schizophrenia as well as physical ailments such as heart disease and several forms of cancer. 

Expanding access to marijuana also causes a host of secondary problems. It increases both the number and severity of motor vehicle accidents and creates difficult problems in enforcing laws that prohibit driving while intoxicated. Marijuana is also linked to rising homelessness and welfare dependence, reduced workplace productivity, and increases in anxiety and suicidal ideation. And, despite suggestions to the contrary, it does not reduce consumption of opioids or other “hard drugs” like cocaine and heroin. On the contrary, research shows marijuana is often a “gateway drug” that increases the consumption and illicit use of those drugs.    

Attorney General Hilgers led a coalition of attorneys general from the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, South Carolina, and South Dakota.