Top Stories (2026) -
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| Aug 24, 2026 |
Who’s using more weed? The answer may surprise you More Americans are consuming cannabis than ever before. The rise comes amid relaxed drug policies and wider normalization. The latest federal data suggest the generational gap may be narrowing, with older Americans reporting higher rates of use than ever before. According to the annual Monitoring the Future study, more than one in five older adults said they consumed cannabis in the last year. Around one in seven said they consumed it in the last month. |
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| Aug 24, 2026 |
More Americans Are Now Smoking Marijuana Than Ever Before As Cigarettes Hit All-Time Low, Gallup Poll Shows A record-high number of U.S. adults now smoke marijuana, while cigarette smoking is at an all-time low, according to a new Gallup poll. The survey, published on Monday, shows that 17 percent of Americans over the age of 18 now smoke cannabis—more than double the 7 percent who said they smoke marijuana when Gallup first asked about the issue in 2013. Separately, 15 percent of American adults consume marijuana edibles, the poll found. In contrast, just 11 percent of U.S. adults said they smoked tobacco cigarettes within the past week. Nine percent said they vaped nicotine within the past seven days, while 4 percent used nicotine pouches. |
| Aug 24, 2026 |
https://azmarijuana.com/arizona-medical-marijuana-news/cannabis-and-alcohol-exhibit-contradictory-effects-on-driving-performance/ Drivers increase their speed following the use of alcohol but reduce their speed following the use of cannabis, according to an assessment of real-world driving performance published in the journal Accident, Analysis & Prevention. Consistent with driving simulator data, participants who consumed cannabis engaged in compensatory driving behavior. Researchers reported that “alcohol-involved trips showed increased proportions of speeding on primary and secondary roads, suggesting impaired judgment or compromised longitudinal vehicle control. In contrast, cannabis-positive trips had speeding proportions closely aligned with baseline conditions, likely indicating habituation or compensatory driving behaviors.” |
| Aug 24, 2026 |
Graphic of the day: Global cannabis usage
As global restrictions around cannabis use ease, North American producers are acquiring European operators. World Population Review data highlights wide adoption variance. Canada leads at 26 percent and the US reaches 21.9 percent, contrasting with European markets like Germany (8.8 percent). In Asia, adoption remains low, with India reporting 2.8 percent usage. |
| Aug 24, 2026 |
US Cannabis at a Crossroads
Key Points Section 781 would keep the 0.3% total THC limit for hemp plants while imposing separate thresholds on processing intermediates and finished cannabinoid products. Finished products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of combined total THC and designated similar-effect cannabinoids per container would no longer qualify as hemp. The intermediate-product rule could make ordinary U.S. extraction of full-spectrum hemp difficult because extraction naturally concentrates cannabinoids. Competing bills would repeal Section 781, establish consumer-safety rules, overhaul federal cannabis policy, or create category-specific regulation for hemp beverages. The article argues that federal policy should regulate products according to dose, intended use, manufacturing process, claims, and actual risk rather than plant origin alone. In 2018, Congress legalized hemp. Eight years later, Washington is still trying to decide what that means. |
| Aug 24, 2026 |
Aurora Cannabis Fires Back at Curaleaf’s Claims, Urges Shareholders to Wait
Aurora Cannabis is firing back at US cannabis company Curaleaf following the American company’s efforts to acquire Aurora. The Edmonton-based Aurora is urging its shareholders to take no action. At the same time, it awaits a formal recommendation from its Board and a newly formed Special Committee, both of which are reviewing Curaleaf’s proposal together and consulting financial and legal advisers to assess the best path forward to maximize value for the company and its shareholders. Curaleaf’s offer remains open for at least 105 days from its formal launch on August 18, 2026. |
| Aug 24, 2026 |
AURORA CANNABIS CORRECTS INACCURATE STATEMENTS MADE IN SUPPORT OF CURALEAF HOLDINGS' HOSTILE BID "Curaleaf's timing and public comments appear to be a transparent attempt to pressure Aurora shareholders into making a short-term decision for the benefit of Curaleaf shareholders," said Miguel Martin, Executive Chairman and CEO of Aurora. "Curaleaf's interest underscores the value that Aurora has created. They are trying to acquire our world-class EU-GMP global infrastructure at the lowest possible price, depriving our shareholders of the long-term value our strategy is built to deliver." |
| Aug 24, 2026 |
Canada still dominates global cannabis exports, but changes are coming fast Long a boon mostly for Canada, still the world’s biggest exporter of cannabis, Germany’s growing appetite for medical cannabis threatens to reshape the global marijuana market and trigger a race among major international players to seize and ensure a share of the pie in rapidly expanding Europe. These include U.S.-based marijuana multistate operator Curaleaf Holdings as well as Canadian licensed producers who have long dominated global cannabis trade. |
| Aug 23, 2026 |
Canadian Cannabis Still Dominates Australian Medical Market while Thai Imports Increase and Domestic Supply Increases Exports from Canada contributed to 61% of all medical cannabis Australia imported in 2025, according to the newest figures from the country’s cannabis regulator. The country’s domestic supply has also increased significantly. Australia produced more cannabis than it imported from Canada in 2025, the first time since 2022. Australia imported 81,119 kilograms of cannabis for medical purposes in 2025, a 5% increase from 2024 and an 82% increase from 2023. About one-quarter of the nation’s total cannabis imports were still held in inventory at the end of 2025. Exports from Thailand accounted for another 25% of Australia’s medical cannabis imports in 2025, up from just 1% the previous year. |
| Aug 23, 2026 |
101-year-old woman arrested for selling cannabis in Ogun
A 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly selling cannabis in Ilisan, Ogun State. The centenarian was apprehended on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 90 grammes of skunk, a form of cannabis, which was reportedly packaged in small quantities for sale. According to the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Ogunmabo admitted that she sold the substance to people in the community. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Iowa Officials File Rules To Let Out-Of-State Patients Register For Medical Marijuana Access Iowa regulators have filed proposed rules changes to remove the residency requirement for patients in the state’s medical cannabis program while also ensuring that military veterans qualify for reduced registration fees. The residency-focused part of the regulatory change from the state Department of Health and Human Services is meant to comply with provisions of a bill that Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed into law in June. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Cannabis Consolidation Wave Accelerates, ETF Allocation Value Stands Out
The cannabis industry is entering a clear phase of consolidation after an early period of capital frenzy and a sharp retreat in share prices. Weaker players are exiting, while stronger companies are expanding through acquisitions. With individual stock volatility rising and deal outcomes uncertain, building exposure through cannabis-themed ETFs is becoming an increasingly attractive way to position for the sector. Investor enthusiasm was extremely high when cannabis stocks first began trading. A gold rush mentality led to a flood of new listings. Although the overall industry has continued to grow, most individual companies have failed to live up to lofty early expectations. Cannabis shares now trade well below their early highs, and a shakeout is underway. Acquisitions have become a central theme. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Illinois proposes outdoor cannabis cultivation rules, excluding home growers llinois cannabis regulators propose allowing licensed cannabis companies to cultivate cannabis outdoors for the first time, a shift that reverses the state Department of Agriculture's previous interpretation that the law's requirement for an "enclosed, locked" facility prohibited outdoor growing. The department proposes that licensed growers and craft growers may cultivate outside next to existing facilities, provided the growing area is enclosed by a continuous chain-link fence at least 8 feet high, topped with razor wire or security wire, and screened from public view. Outdoor-grown cannabis would only be permitted for extraction purposes, producing concentrates for edibles, vapes and oils, not flower for smoking. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Cato Scholar Statement: Don’t Let Cannabis Data Spark a Moral Panic The reported rise in problematic cannabis use deserves attention, but it shouldn’t become the basis for a new moral panic. After alcohol prohibition ended, drinking increased for decades before declining as Americans developed knowledge and social norms around responsible use. Cannabis may be undergoing a similar adjustment. Indeed, a five-year Canadian study found that cannabis misuse declined after legalization, with frequent pre-legalization users reducing both their use and misuse. We should educate people about cannabis’s risks, not assume that today’s trends represent the long-run effects of legalization—or that prohibition is the answer. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Direct Delivery Growth Outpaces Central Stream in BC Cannabis Q1 2026
BC’s cannabis distributor wholesaled $152.2 million worth of cannabis in its first fiscal quarter of 2026, ending June 30, 2026, totalling 40,912,864 grams. This amounted to a 1% year-over-year increase in sales and a 3% increase in grams sold. The average price of all cannabis products declined 2% YOY to $3.72, while flower declined nearly 1% to $3.12. There were 530 cannabis stores in BC as of June 30, 2026, a 2% increase YOY. While store counts increased by 14 in the Lower Mainland, they declined by two on the Island and three in the interior. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Canadian LPs expand presence in European cannabis
Canada-headquartered global medical cannabis company Tilray Brands is expanding cultivation across Canada and Europe, the company said Thursday. Tilray says it’s increased annual production capacity to about 275 metric tons, up from 210, to serve growing international and medical cannabis markets. The expanded output comes from both its Canadian facility, located in Quebec, and its EU-GMP-certified facility in Portugal. The increased cannabis production is intended for burgeoning international cannabis markets in Europe, Australia and other regulated markets. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Canadian Cannabis Retail Sales Hit New $500M+ Record in June 2026 Retail cannabis sales surpassed half a billion dollars in May and June of 2026, both setting new records, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada, which also include notable increases to previous estimates for May 2026. Cannabis stores across the country sold $517.8 million worth of cannabis in June 2026 and $510.4 million in May. Both months outperformed the previous high-water mark of $508.6 million in December, 2025. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Germany becomes Europe’s largest regulated cannabis market
Germany has become Europe’s largest regulated cannabis market since partially liberalising the drug two years ago, as imports surge and conservative politicians warn of rising criminal activity and health risks. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Too Many People On Probation And Parole Still Can’t Use Medical Marijuana, Even Under Federal Rescheduling And State Legalization Medical marijuana is legal in 47 states, the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories. Yet for millions of Americans on probation or parole suffering from qualifying conditions like chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, that legalization is worth very little in practice. In many states, people on probation and parole are forbidden to use medical marijuana, even when legally recommended by a physician. It’s an oversight that state lawmakers need to address. |
| Aug 21, 2026 |
Marijuana while pregnant? A shocking number of Ohioans think it is OK With cannabis now legal in Ohio, ensuring people have accurate information about its impacts is more important than ever. Access is no longer the central issue. Education is. As cannabis becomes more widely used and socially accepted, Ohioans deserve clear, science-based information that helps them make informed decisions and understand the risks that can accompany its use. A May polling suggests that need is becoming more urgent, as cannabis use rises while perceptions of risk continue to decline, especially around youth use and use during pregnancy. Forty-one percent of Ohioans report currently using cannabis, up from 35% in 2024. More than two-thirds say cannabis has become more socially acceptable since legalization. |
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