Top Stories (2026) -
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| Oct 7, 2026 |
Albania Adopts Cannabis Industry Tracking Rules
Albania’s government has adopted new rules for tracking and tracing the cannabis industry. Such rules are commonly referred to as ‘seed-to-sale’ tracking in many legal markets and are standard for emerging cannabis industries around the globe. “The new framework establishes an oversight system covering the entire chain of activity from the import of seeds, seedlings and clones to cultivation, harvesting, drying, processing, storage, transportation and export. It also sets out procedures for the seizure, confiscation and destruction of cannabis-related materials.” reported Albanian Daily News in its local coverage. |
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| Oct 7, 2026 |
New Adult-Use Cannabis Retail Restrictions Take Effect In Ohio
New restrictions on the size and potency of adult-use cannabis products took effect this week in Ohio, WCMH reports. The changes could force some businesses to remove products from their shelves. Under the rules enacted by the Division of Cannabis Control (DCC), cannabis flower is now limited to one ounce per package and vape cartridges are limited to three devices per package. Cartridges also now have a THC cap of 90% and cannot exceed two grams. Regulators have also determined that a single serving from a vape product is a two-second inhalation. |
| Oct 7, 2026 |
Dutch Cannabis Patients Facing 10-Month Supply Gap, Many With ‘No Therapeutic Alternative’
Thousands of Dutch patients are facing a 10-month supply gap for medically essential Bedrocan products, including varieties clinicians consider irreplaceable for children with treatment-resistant epilepsy. Last week, Bedrocan announced that its key Dutch entities had taken emergency financial measures to avoid bankruptcy. The crisis arrives as roughly three-quarters of Bedrocan’s European production capacity falls out of the Dutch patient-supply chain, with no import authorisation granted for Danish-produced material to replace it in the interim. |
| Oct 7, 2026 |
PM says no to cannabis cultivation in Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Manet has restated his firm opposition to cannabis cultivation in Cambodia, saying the government would not be able to effectively control its production and domestic use. The premier made his remarks today, while presiding over the University of Health Sciences’ the 80th anniversary celebrations in Phnom Penh. “My position, even before I became prime minister, was to oppose the cultivation of cannabis in Cambodia,” he said. |
| Oct 7, 2026 |
Experts issue medical cannabis warning to millions of Britons
Nearly two million unlicensed cannabis items were prescribed privately in England over the past 12 months according to new figures, prompting a warning over potential risks to patients. England’s patient safety commissioner Professor Henrietta Hughes said that immediate measures are required to safeguard people purchasing medical cannabis on online platforms. |
| Oct 7, 2026 |
How Nextleaf Solutions Ltd. (CN: OILS) Is Balancing Brand Growth Against Margin Pressure in Canadian Cannabis
Nextleaf Solutions Ltd. (CN:OILS) is trying to grow a portfolio of consumer cannabis brands and an export Business while absorbing the pricing compression that continues to weigh on Canada's legal market. Its fiscal 2026 results so far show the tension clearly: a profitable first quarter was followed by two loss-making quarters, as gross Margin narrowed and the company spent on sales infrastructure, a second processing site and export capability. |
| Oct 6, 2026 |
Medical cannabis has been legalised in the UK. So why is it still a surprise?
Mention to anyone in a pub that cannabis might soon be legally prescribed in Britain and you’re sure to get the side-eye. It’s been legal since 2018, but the language we use about cannabis in the UK doesn’t reflect that. The trouble is that it’s easy to confuse two whole different things. Recreational marijuana is still not legal. You can get a prescription for medical cannabis. Separating the two makes it a whole lot less complicated. |
| Oct 6, 2026 |
Uganda Minister To Lead Cannabis Industry Organization
The Uganda Medical Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Cooperative Society (UMCHICS) was launched to help organize and promote Uganda’s emerging legal medical cannabis and hemp industry. The nation’s Minister for Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, will serve as the newly formed organization’s acting chairperson. “We want our members to be judged not simply by what they grow, but by how responsibly they operate,” Minister Lumumba said, according to Nile Post. |
| Oct 6, 2026 |
Florida could get another shot at legalizing weed
Pro-cannabis advocates in the Sunshine State are once again trying to legalize adult use. Two separate measures were recently submitted to the state in hopes of getting on the ballot in 2028. The first initiative would legalize the possession and consumption of cannabis for adults 21 and over. The measure would limit possession to two ounces of marijuana, including no more than five grams of concentrates. |
| Oct 6, 2026 |
No Progress After 2 Years of South African Cannabis Act
South Africa is often described as one of the African countries that decriminalised cannabis, but that description becomes less straightforward the closer one looks at what followed the Constitutional Court’s 2018 judgment. In Minister of Justice v Prince, the Court held that criminalising an adult’s private use or possession of cannabis for personal consumption, and private cultivation for that purpose, was an unjustifiable infringement of a person’s constitutional right to privacy. Crucially, the Court did not legalise commercial dealing and did not create an unrestricted right to possess any quantity, but it drew an important line between private and commercialised conduct. Eight years later, South Africa is still trying to decide exactly where that line should be drawn. |
| Oct 5, 2026 |
From THC gummies to cannabis seltzers, a federal ban could upend a $28-billion industry
In a commercial kitchen outside Raleigh, N.C., Nicholas Hohns spreads a blue-green goo into a gridded mold, making one of his company’s signature products: potent THC gummies, featuring the primary intoxicating compound found in marijuana. It’s a business he might soon have to give up. America’s multibillion-dollar market for impairing hemp products — such as THC seltzers sold at some Target stores and smokable cannabis flowers, and different from the regulated legal marijuana industry — faces potential elimination after Congress voted to close a loophole in federal law that has allowed it to flourish. |
| Oct 5, 2026 |
Uganda warns medical cannabis licence holders against diverting crop to illicit market
uganda's government warned medical cannabis and industrial hemp investors against diverting licensed crops into the illicit market at the Annual General Meeting of the Uganda Medical Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Cooperative Society in Naguru, Kampala on Friday, October 3, 2026. |
| Oct 5, 2026 |
Cannabinoids “Significantly Improved” Insomnia Symptoms
According to international researchers, over 852 million adults suffer from insomnia worldwide. Of those individuals, nearly 415 million suffer from severe insomnia. The researchers estimate that insomnia and severe insomnia are “more prevalent in females versus males across all age groups.” Insomnia is a condition in which people have a hard time falling asleep and/or staying asleep, and it is one of the most common health conditions worldwide. The condition can have a tremendously negative impact on a person’s life, making nearly every aspect of life harder, especially among people with severe cases of insomnia. |
| Oct 5, 2026 |
55% Of Americans Say Cannabis Is Not Dangrous
Most US adults say that marijuana doesn’t pose significant dangers to either consumers or to society, according to nationwide polling data compiled by Rasmussen. 55% of respondents said that cannabis is either ‘not dangerous at all’ or ‘not very dangerous.’ Just 13% of respondents perceived marijuana as ‘very dangerous.’ |
| Oct 5, 2026 |
Marijuana and Trucking’s Drug-Testing Dilemma
Marijuana is getting stronger, laws are changing, and drug tests still can’t reliably establish impairment. What does that mean for truck drivers and the fleets that employ them? |
| Oct 5, 2026 |
Curaleaf raises Aurora Cannabis offer by 25%
Curaleaf Hldgs Inc. (OTCQX:CURLF), the Connecticut-based cannabis company, has raised its offer for Aurora Cannabis Inc (TSX:ACB, NASDAQ:ACB), a Canadian cannabis producer, by 25% to a total implied value of $5 per Aurora share in cash and stock. The new price is 86% above Aurora's 30-day volume-weighted average share price of $2.75 as of August 10, the day before Curaleaf announced its intention to make its initial offer. |
| Oct 5, 2026 |
There Are ‘No Deaths From Overdose Of Marijuana,’ DEA Confirms In Updated Report Marijuana can have a number of effects on people who use it but there are no known instances of someone fatally overdosing from consuming cannabis, federal officials say. “No deaths from overdose of marijuana have been reported,” the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said in a new update to its “Drugs of Abuse” publication for 2026. |
| Oct 5, 2026 |
Manitoba cannabis stores would be allowed to remove window coverings under new law
The Manitoba government is proposing new rules that would let cannabis stores remove the window coverings blocking the public's view of the shops, amid concerns they could be putting staff at risk. A new bill introduced in the legislature Monday, if passed into law, would allow cannabis stores to uncover their windows. The industry has complained that blocked windows hide store employees from public view, potentially making them more vulnerable to crime. |
| Oct 3, 2026 |
Legal Cannabis Sales Increase 46% In Uruguay
Adult cannabis consumers in Uruguay have three options for legally acquiring recreational cannabis. An increasingly popular option is to buy legally through registered pharmacies, as recent sales data demonstrates. “The sale of cannabis for adult use in pharmacies continues to grow. Martín Rodríguez, executive director of the Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA), told El País that in the first eight months of the year, the volume of marijuana sold in the 60 authorized pharmacies increased by 46% compared to the same period last year.” reported El País in its local reporting (translated from Spanish to English). “This trend suggests that this year will break the all-time record for cannabis sales in pharmacies again, and that the total volume sold could approach six tons.” |
| Oct 3, 2026 |
$28B hemp THC industry fights to save itself from looming federal ban
In a commercial kitchen outside Raleigh, North Carolina, Nicholas Hohns spreads a blue-green goo into a gridded mold, making one of his company’s signature products: potent THC gummies, featuring the primary intoxicating compound found in marijuana. It’s a business he might soon have to give up. America’s multibillion-dollar market for impairing hemp products — from THC seltzers sold at some Target stores to smokable cannabis flowers — faces potential elimination after Congress voted to close a loophole in federal law that has allowed it to flourish. |
| Oct 2, 2026 |
Growing EU-GMP medical cannabis on koi water and living soil
In Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, seven tanks holding 60,000 liters of water and about 2,500 live koi feed the medical cannabis that Wellford Canada grows without synthetic fertilizers or chemical pesticides. The system goes back to the facility's original founders, who researched and tested the aquaponic process at Acadia University in 2018, according to Todd Crutchlow, Head of Wellford Canada. Their research found that nutrient-rich water from the koi, combined with the natural relationship between soil microorganisms and plant roots, could support a sustainable, aquaculture-based cultivation model and give the plants the nutrients they need without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. |
| Oct 2, 2026 |
New THC oral spray adds options for UK medical cannabis patients
Medical cannabis patients in the UK will soon be able to access an oral spray made with purified, plant-derived tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), according to Irish manufacturer Dunbar Pharmaceuticals. The spray will use Dunbar’s WaterClear THC, a plant-derived dronabinol, which is the pharmaceutical name for purified delta-9-THC. Most medical products containing dronabinol are made synthetically. |
| Oct 2, 2026 |
Maine cannabis retailers offering free lockable storage bags to better protect kids and pets AUGUSTA — To better protect children and pets from accidentally ingesting cannabis, retailers across Maine are now offering free lockable storage bags. It’s an expansion of a program first offered by the Office of Cannabis Policy in 2024. More than 140 medical and adult use cannabis retailers across Maine are giving out 12,000 of the storage bags. |
| Oct 2, 2026 |
Is Cannabis Legal in Spain? Clubs, Courts and a Market in Limbo
No, not on paper, and in practice it remains a grey area. Private possession and consumption fall outside Spain’s Penal Code through a judicial interpretation gap, not formal decriminalisation. Public possession is a fineable administrative offence under a 2015 law. Cannabis social clubs operate in a narrower, litigated version of that same grey zone, and medical cannabis has been legal only since October 2025, as hospital-only oils. |
| Oct 2, 2026 |
Recreational Marijuana Would Be Legalized In Florida Under Two Newly Filed Ballot Measures Florida activists submitted two new proposed marijuana legalization ballot initiatives to state officials this week. The first measure, from a group called Floridians for Marijuana, would allow adults over the age of 21 to legally use cannabis. They could possess up to two ounces of marijuana, including no more than five grams of cannabis concentrates. |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
New survey reveals age range most likely to drive after cannabis use
New Minnesota data is starting to show who is getting behind the wheel after using cannabis and why the state is still trying to measure the risk. Survey data shows who is driving after using cannabis |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
Medical Cannabis For Endometriosis: What Does The Evidence Tell Us?
Faced with minimal pain relief using existing therapies, people are increasingly considering how medical cannabis could help manage symptoms. The body’s endocannabinoid system is involved in processes including pain signalling, inflammation and immune function, and research suggests it may also play a role in endometriosis. Cannabinoids such as THC and CBD interact with this system and other biological pathways involved in pain and inflammation, providing a rationale for further investigation of their potential therapeutic effects. |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
GOP senators call for DOJ to investigate Chinese role in hemp, cannabis markets
Four GOP senators who opposed the delay of a ban on intoxicating hemp products are calling on the Justice Department to investigate the role of Chinese criminal networks in America’s cannabis and intoxicating hemp markets. In a Wednesday letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche, the senators said Chinese criminal networks “are exploiting vulnerabilities in federal law to operate expansive illicit drug enterprises that threaten our communities and national security.” |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
North Carolina cannabis council considers public consumption policy for THC products
North Carolina’s Advisory Council on Cannabis faces a December 31st deadline to issue final recommendations for a comprehensive cannabis policy to Gov. Josh Stein. While the legislature would have to agree to enact any changes in existing law, the council gave the public its first glimpse this week of how a public consumption policy might be crafted. |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
Canadian Cannabis Company Celebrates Launch of Odourless Pot
A Canadian cannabis company is celebrating the expansion of its odourless cannabis throughout the Ontario market. The product was developed through selective breeding and cultivation practices to produce cannabis that is “virtually free of the traditional tell-tale cannabis smell during storage and consumption”. The product contains no added fragrances or odour-masking agents. A laboratory specializing in odour assessment and environmental odour impact made, tested, and produced a 2022 report finding that the proprietary product produced substantially less measured odour than regular cannabis under controlled conditions, including during combustion. |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
Maryland Bill Allowing Veterinarians to Discuss Cannabis Products for Pets Takes Effect
A bill in Maryland allowing veterinarians to discuss cannabis products for pets with their clients takes effect today. Prior to the bill’s passage veterinarians in the state risked license suspension, revocation, or professional reprimand or censure for discussing cannabis as a therapeutic option for pets. Maryland is the fifth state to allow veterinarians to discuss cannabis and CBD products with their clients, joining California, Michigan, Nevada, and Utah. |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
In Ukraine, a patient with cancer has received medical cannabis-based medication for the first time
In Ukraine, a female patient with cancer has received medical cannabis-based medication for the first time. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine reported this on October 1, UNN writes. |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
Maryland Firefighters And Rescue Workers Can Now Use Medical Marijuana Off Duty Without Being Punished For It A new Maryland law that took effect this week will protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job. Gov. Wes Moore (D) gave final approval to the measure in April after it cleared the Senate and House of Delegates, and it officially became operative on Thursday. |
| Oct 1, 2026 |
California Governor Signs Marijuana Bill Adding New Packaging And Labeling Requirements For THC Edibles And Drinks The governor of California has signed a bill to revise packaging and labeling rules for marijuana-infused edibles and beverages. Under AB 2532, which Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) approved on Wednesday, labels and inserts for cannabis edibles and drinks would need to include the toll-free telephone number for the national Poison Help line. |
| Sep 30, 2026 |
Study: German Legalization Not Associated With Changes In ‘Heavy Use’
Two years after Germany implemented the first provisions of its national cannabis legalization measure, the historic policy change was not associated with changes in 12-month cannabis use prevalence or ‘heavy use,’ according to the results of a recent study. Starting on April 1st, 2024, adults in Germany can cultivate, possess, and consume personal amounts of cannabis. Researchers affiliated with Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, University College London, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), the University of Leipzig, and Maastricht University analyzed survey data from two years before and two years after German legalization. The study’s findings were published in the International Journal of Drug Policy. |
| Sep 30, 2026 |
Cannabis stocks sink after DEA marijuana rescheduling hearing paused
Multi-state operators nosedived Wednesday as they deal with the aftermath of a DEA administrative law judge's order issuing a stay in a hearing that could move marijuana to a Schedule III drug from Schedule I. Of the largest MSOs, Jushi Holdings (JUSH) is the hardest hit, down ~19.5% in afternoon trading. Not far behind is Trulieve Cannabis (TRLV), off ~16%. The judge, Derek Julius, granted the stay requested by opponents of rescheduling who want a GAO report on the federal government's rescheduling process, released on Sept. 23, entered into the hearing's record. He has given the DEA until Oct. 13 to respond whether that should happen. |
| Sep 30, 2026 |
GCRS White Paper Delivers Blueprint for Global Cannabis Regulatory Alignment
The Global Cannabis Regulatory Summit (GCRS) has published a 100-page white paper that diagnoses a fragmented global regulatory landscape and sets out a working architecture to address it. The legal framework for medical cannabis has existed for more than 60 years. A coherent regulatory framework has not. The Summit brings together regulators, policymakers, healthcare professionals, patient groups and industry. Co-published by Artemis Growth Partners and Prohibition Partners, the document captures the central themes, workshop findings and recommendations that emerged from this year’s London Summit. |
| Sep 30, 2026 |
Pre-Rolls Overtake Flower as Canada's Top Cannabis Category by Revenue in 2025, Cones Canada Report Finds
Pre-rolls overtook flower in 2025 to become Canada's top cannabis category by revenue, extending a long-standing lead in unit sales, according to the newly released State of the Canadian Pre-Roll Market 2026 report from Cones Canada, the Canadian arm of Custom Cones USA. |
| Sep 30, 2026 |
Virginia’s first look at a cannabis retail market
Virginia took a step toward launching its recreational marijuana market this month after years of legislative limbo. The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority released its first draft of regulations for prospective businesses, including registration fees, limits on customer purchases, and even how delivery operators would be permitted. Virginia approved legislation legalizing retail marijuana sales this year. The law allows up to 350 recreational marijuana stores, 100 microbusinesses and five tier V cultivation facilities to open across the state. |
| Sep 30, 2026 |
Medical Cannabis Pioneer Bedrocan Fights to Avoid Bankruptcy in Home Market
Bedrocan, the Dutch medical cannabis stalwart thousands of patients rely on for their prescriptions, is now fighting to avoid collapse. This week, Bedrocan’s two Dutch entities, Bedrocan Nederland B.V. and Bedrocan International B.V., applied for a court-supervised suspension of payments (‘surseance van betaling’). On September 25, Arnold Gras of BENK Advocaten was officially appointed administrator for both entities, in what Bedrocan’s spokesperson Femke Starrenburg framed as a ‘glimmer of hope’ rather than an inevitable collapse into bankruptcy. |
| Sep 29, 2026 |
DEA Judge Pauses Marijuana Rescheduling Hearing As Opponents Highlight Government Report Detailing ‘Gaps’ In Federal Processes A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) judge is pausing proceedings in an ongoing hearing on the Trump administration’s marijuana rescheduling proposal and asking agency officials and other participants to weigh in after a federal watchdog issued a report finding that there are “gaps” in the government’s process for evaluating controlled substances. DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek Julius on Tuesday issued a stay in response to a motion from a drug testing industry association and other participants who want a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on drug scheduling to be entered into the record for the hearing, which took testimony in June and July. |
| Sep 29, 2026 |
Jamaica To Increase Legacy Cannabis Grower Industry Participation
Cannabis has been intertwined with Jamaican culture for a very long time. While it is unknown how many unregulated cannabis cultivators there are in the Caribbean country, it is a safe bet that there are many of them. Jamaica’s government is working to make it easier for those ‘legacy’ growers to enter into the nation’s legal industry. “Traditional marijuana farmers are encouraged to take advantage of dedicated pathways introduced by the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), making it easier for them to enter the legal cannabis industry.” Jamaica Information Service wrote in a recent article. “Under the recently implemented Cultivator’s Transitional Special Permit and the Special Community Permit, these legacy growers can access the market with reduced financial and technical barriers.” |
| Sep 29, 2026 |
Could a Generational Flip Be Unfolding in Marijuana Use? For years, a central argument against marijuana legalization in the U.S. was that easier access for adults would encourage more teenagers to use the drug. More than ten years after the first states opened regulated recreational markets, however, national survey data show a different pattern. Marijuana use among teenagers has fallen substantially, while consumption among older Americans has continued to increase. According to data from a recent CDC survey, nearly 13% of teenagers reported using it in the last 30 days in 2025. That was the lowest figure recorded by the survey. In 2011, the share was 23.1%, meaning the reported rate has declined by about 44% since then. |
| Sep 29, 2026 |
Medical cannabis enrollment surged nationwide over past decade, but leveled off as recreational access expanded
A national analysis of medical cannabis registry data found that the number of Americans registered to use medical cannabis increased from about 747,000 in 2016 to about 3.9 million in 2024. Patient enrollment often declined after states legalized recreational cannabis, suggesting some people may obtain cannabis outside medical programs. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
| Sep 29, 2026 |
Trinidad and Tobago proposes higher legal ages for alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and gambling
The Trinidad and Tobago Government is proposing to raise the minimum legal age for alcohol and tobacco from 18 to 21, while increasing the legal age for cannabis and gambling from 18 to 25. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced the proposed changes Monday, saying the measures are intended to strengthen protections for young people. |
| Sep 28, 2026 |
Chinese-owned firm Yongji Health takes over Tasmanian Botanics cannabis farm
One of Australia's largest cannabis cultivators is now almost entirely owned by Chinese-owned firm Yongji Health. Company documents show Yongji, a subsidiary of a Guizhou-based company, has taken full control of Pijen, which owns more than 95 per cent of the shares in Tasmanian Botanics. |
| Sep 28, 2026 |
A Very Consequential U.S. Cannabis Vote To Occur In November
The United States cannabis community has made enormous strides in recent decades. Starting in 1996 with the successful California medical cannabis legalization campaign, cannabis advocates have worked tirelessly to modernize cannabis laws and regulations across the country. As it stands right now, 40 states have adopted medical cannabis legalization, and 24 states have adopted adult-use cannabis legalization. Washington, D.C., has adopted both forms of legalization. Additionally, the federal government continues to work to reschedule cannabis. |
| Sep 28, 2026 |
Lt. Gov. John Rodgers to pay fine for cannabis violations
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Vermont Lt. Gov. John Rodgers must pay a fine after state regulators dinged him for violating cannabis licensing rules on his property in West Glover. Earlier this month, the Cannabis Control Board called out Rodgers for growing unlicensed cannabis plants. |
| Sep 28, 2026 |
Six Canadian Cannabis Companies Named Among Canada’s Top-Growing Businesses for 2026
Six Canadian cannabis companies made the list of the country’s top-growing companies in 2026. The annual list, put together by Canadian media outlet the Globe and Mail, ranks the top 375 companies that are “closing the innovation gap and finding ways to grow through the ups and downs of a turbulent economy and geopolitical landscape.” |
| Sep 28, 2026 |
Could Animal Feed Be Hemp’s Way Out of the Oversupply Trap?
The US post-2018 Farm Bill hemp boom helped create a problem the industry is still wrestling with: too much flower and too few buyers. During that time, CBD-rich hemp biomass reportedly sold for $30–$40 per pound, while hundreds of thousands of acres were licensed at the industry’s peak. But the economics changed quickly. Prices fell, acreage contracted, and large volumes of hemp biomass began losing their value after harvest and processing. |