Top Stories (2026) -
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| Feb 19, 2026 |
Marijuana Legalization Is On The Ballot In Texas During The Primary Election That’s Happening Now Texas voters who go to the polls for the primary election that’s currently underway have the opportunity to weigh in on whether marijuana should be legalized in the state—at least if they select a Democratic ballot. |
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| Feb 19, 2026 |
BC's cannabis scene navigates a market built for bigger players British Columbia has the highest per capita growers in all of Canada, with a cannabis culture that spans decades. There's a whole constellation of small, craft, local growers that have morphed their old ways into the new legal ones, and the quality old clients were used to can now be partially found in licensed retailers. Holly and Cam met because of, or perhaps thanks to, cannabis, and their union gave birth to Sassy Weed, a micro processor-cultivator based in BC. |
| Feb 19, 2026 |
Cannabis: What Is the Profile of Adults at Low Risk of Dependence? A new study led by Marie-Pierre Sylvestre, professor at the Université de Montréal School of Public Health, examines cannabis use 4 to 5 years after Canadian legalization by adopting a different perspective: rather than focusing solely on at-risk cases or those associated with problems, it identifies the socio-demographic, mental health, and lifestyle profiles of those who present a low risk of cannabis use disorder (CUD). |
| Feb 19, 2026 |
Hunting for the world's most mythical cannabis: Big Sur Holy Weed California is racing to save iconic cannabis strains before legalization kills them |
| Feb 18, 2026 |
RCMP shares "blunt truth" about organized crime and the Canadian cannabis market The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have shared a new document about how organized crime groups exploit the cannabis market as part of its online section dedicated to federal policing and organized crime. |
| Feb 18, 2026 |
Virginia Cannabis Sales Bill Moves to Senate Floor for Consideration Virginia legislators have moved closer to creating a legal retail cannabis market, advancing a revised Senate proposal. The updated bill cleared the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on a 7 to 5 vote, sending it to the full Senate for debate. Meanwhile, House members are preparing to debate their companion bill. |
| Feb 18, 2026 |
Cannabis jobs used to pay well. Now minimum wage is catching up. When it comes to paying her employees, Jasmine Johnson is one step ahead. Minimum wage in Florida, where the CEO of hemp-derived THC retailer Gud Essence opened her first location in Clearwater, will increase from $14 to $15 an hour Sept. 30. But Johnson already pays front-line employees significantly more – and people appear to have noticed. |
| Feb 18, 2026 |
Arizona Senators Take Up Bills To Criminalize 'Excessive' Marijuana Smoke, Even On Private Property Arizona lawmakers are considering at a pair of measures that would make the act of creating "excessive" amounts of marijuana smoke a nuisance crime punishable by jail time, even if the person is using cannabis in compliance with state law in their own homes. |
| Feb 18, 2026 |
Costa Rica opens applications for medical cannabis, hemp permits Costa Rican companies and individuals interested in developing activities related to hemp for food and industrial use and psychoactive cannabis for medicinal and therapeutic use will now be able to manage permits digitally. |
| Feb 18, 2026 |
Two years of legal cannabis from specialized retail stores: Swiss pilot project shows positive effects For more than two years, the scientific pilot project "Grashaus Projects" has been underway in the Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft. The study examines the regulated, legal sale of recreational cannabis to registered participants through licensed specialty stores, operating under clear legal requirements and providing individualized professional counseling. Implemented operationally by the Sanity Group under the scientific leadership of the Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction (ISGF), the project is now delivering robust, up-to-date data on how controlled access to recreational cannabis can function in practice. The central findings: legal specialty stores can help push back the illicit market, strengthen consumer competence, and promote harm-reducing behavior - factors that are highly relevant both for Switzerland's ongoing legislative process on cannabis legalization and for Germany. |
| Feb 18, 2026 |
Partnership announced to introduce Japanese-quality medicinal cannabis to global markets Somai has partnered with Kiseki Plant Factory (Thailand) to support the global distribution of Kiseki's medicinal cannabis flower across Somai's international medical markets. Through this collaboration, Kiseki's medicinal cannabis products will become available for the first time in the UK, leveraging Somai's established regulatory infrastructure and pharmaceutical distribution network. This milestone represents one of the first introductions of a Japanese-origin cannabis brand into Western prescription markets. The partnership will continue to expand in phases, aligned with applicable market authorization processes and regulatory requirements. |
| Feb 18, 2026 |
Organigram to acquire German cannabis company Organigram Global has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire German operator Sanity Group GmbH. "Organigram's proven track record in executing highly strategic and complementary M&A is exemplified by our proposed acquisition of Sanity Group, a transaction that is both strategically significant and financially accretive. By combining our strengths as focused cannabis pure play companies, we will be well-positioned to deliver meaningful value for our shareholders and accelerate growth in key European markets. We are truly excited about the opportunities ahead with this acquisition as we are now poised to set a new standard in the global cannabis sector together," said Paolo De Luca, Chief Strategy Officer at Organigram. |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
Nebraska medical cannabis at risk of federal raids before it begins Medical cannabis businesses in Nebraska, where patient access has not launched more than a year after voters legalized the drug, are on track to become the only state-sanctioned MMJ operators at risk of federal prosecution. That's because Nebraska is absent from a list of states in a federal spending bill finalized last month in which, for the past 12 years, Congress has blocked the Department of Justice from prosecuting state-legal medical cannabis operations |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
Hawaii Senators Take Up Marijuana Legalization Bills After Key House Lawmakers Signal Reform Is Dead For 2026 Session Hawaii senators have taken up a pair of bills to legalize marijuana — with one proposal contingent on federal reform or changes to the state Constitution and the other omitting provisions allowing for commercial sales. |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
Illinois Still Struggles to Clear Old Marijuana Criminal Records For decades, a cannabis conviction from 1980 trailed Roosevelt Myles, lingering on his record long after he served his time. Myles, an Illinois resident, spent nearly three decades behind bars for a murder he maintained he did not commit. An appellate court later overturned the conviction, and a judge granted him a certificate of innocence after finding no physical evidence connected him to the crime. |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
People who switched to cannabis drinks cut their alcohol use nearly in half Cannabis infused drinks could offer a new way for some people to cut back on alcohol, according to a small study led by public health researchers at the University at Buffalo. |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
City staff oppose Iqaluit cannabis store's relocation An Iqaluit cannabis store is facing opposition from city staff over its proposed move to a new location before its current lease expires. |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
Is Hemp the Future of Flooring?
For decades, the flooring aisle has offered a familiar tradeoff. Natural wood brings warmth and longevity but at rising cost and environmental strain. Vinyl promises affordability and convenience, yet increasingly raises questions about what it introduces into the home. As homeowners, schools, and designers reconsider those choices, hemp is beginning to surface as a credible alternative. |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
Cannabis regulators weighing licensing freeze Massachusetts cannabis regulators are considering a licensing freeze to address businesses that have been squeezed by falling marijuana prices. The Cannabis Control Commission voted Thursday to schedule a public hearing on a potential freeze of new cultivation licenses and a temporary moratorium on approving additional canopy capacity. |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
Leading Cannabis Brand PAX Returns to Canada With TRIP All-in-One Vape TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PAX, a pioneering global cannabis brand, today announced its anticipated return to the Canadian market with the launch of TRIP, PAX’s All-in-One vaporizer in the brand’s award-winning Live Rosin with Diamonds line. Products are now available in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with further expansion to come. |
| Feb 17, 2026 |
Is Congress sabotaging Nebraska medical cannabis before it begins? Medical cannabis businesses in Nebraska, where patient access has not launched more than a year after voters legalized the drug, are currently the only state-sanctioned MMJ operators at risk of federal prosecution. |
| Feb 16, 2026 |
Canadian industry, healthcare providers split on regulations for CBD as a Natural Health Product Health Canada's latest "What We Heard Report" on regulating cannabidiol (CBD) as a Natural Health Product (NHPCC) highlights both numerous areas of agreement and deep divisions on the topic among stakeholders, including industry, healthcare professionals, and provincial governments. The report once again includes no concrete path forward for any such changes. |
| Feb 16, 2026 |
Cannabis Is Quietly Reshaping Mardi Gras Culture For generations, Mardi Gras in New Orleans has been synonymous with exuberant parades, bead throws, brass bands, and free-flowing alcohol. From the krewes rolling down St. Charles Avenue to the packed revelry of Bourbon Street, the Carnival season has long been fueled by hurricanes, hand grenades, and go-cups carried through the French Quarter. But as cultural attitudes shift and younger generations redefine celebration, cannabis is quietly reshaping Mardi Gras culture. Marijuana, hemp, cod and low-alcohol alternatives are quietly reshaping how people experience the greatest free show on Earth. |
| Feb 16, 2026 |
EHIA pushes for whole plant recognition and 1% THC threshold European Industrial Hemp Association has welcomed the European Commission's proposal to clarify that all parts of the hemp plant fall within the EU agricultural framework, while reiterating its call for a harmonized 1% THC threshold under the ongoing review of the Common Agricultural Policy and the revision of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 on the Common Organisation of the Markets. |
| Feb 16, 2026 |
Cannabis use associated with better decision-making skills in people with bipolar disorder A new study published in Translational Psychiatry suggests that chronic cannabis use may not be associated with cognitive impairment in people with bipolar disorder, contrasting with its effects on healthy individuals. The findings indicate that people with bipolar disorder who use cannabis moderately may possess better decision-making skills than those with the disorder who do not use the drug. This research offers a potential explanation for why many individuals with this condition turn to cannabis for symptom management. |
| Feb 15, 2026 |
B.C. court orders former U.S. cannabis CEO to pay $7.4M after offshore deal collapses B.C.'s Supreme Court has ordered a former cannabis company executive to pay more than $7.4 million after he engaged in a high-stakes financial workaround designed to bypass U.S. securities regulations. |
| Feb 15, 2026 |
Nepal: Watch cannabis rituals unfold during Shivaratri in Kathmandu Crowds thronged Kathmandu's Pashupatinath Temple for Shivaratri, where worship, music and a rare legal tolerance of marijuana marked the festival. |
| Feb 15, 2026 |
Nepal Celebrates Shivaratri With Cannabis Rituals Amid Religious Fervor Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, was engulfed in religious fervor and cannabis smoke as the country celebrated Shivaratri, one of its largest Hindu festivals. While cannabis use is strictly prohibited year-round, it is permitted as part of tradition during the festival, with devotees actively participating in rituals honoring Shiva, the deity of "destruction and regeneration." |
| Feb 15, 2026 |
Study challenges negative cannabis stereotypes, claiming link to brain benefits Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus analyzed cannabis usage, brain scans and cognitive test results for more than 26,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 77, using data from the UK biobank. The study found that cannabis users — particularly those who reported moderate lifetime usage — showed larger volumes in several brain regions. |
| Feb 14, 2026 |
Scientists revive prehistoric cannabis enzymes and uncover more medical uses Long-lost cannabis enzymes are back, and they pinpoint when the plant first gained the chemistry to make THC, CBD, and CBC. These three compounds drive the psychoactive and medical effects of cannabis. |
| Feb 13, 2026 |
The Media Narrative Turning Against Cannabis? In the latest Trade To Black podcast presented by Flowhub, hosts Shadd Dales and Anthony Varrell challenge the conventional media narrative around the cannabis industry. Most people believe cannabis struggles because of regulation, oversupply, and price compression. But what if those aren’t the root causes? What if the real constraint holding the industry back is capital structure and liquidity timing? Adam Stettner, CEO of FundCanna, and Kevin McKernan join the show to discuss the issues and news this week. |
| Feb 13, 2026 |
If America has a marijuana problem, The New York Times wants to make it worse In a Feb. 9 editorial, The New York Times declared that America has a marijuana problem, a sweeping declaration eagerly amplified by the usual suspects who want a return to prohibition. On several points, they're right. High-potency products have proliferated. THC-minded milligram one-upmanship distorts consumer behavior. Labeling can be inconsistent. Misleading health claims exist. Overconsumption is real. |
| Feb 13, 2026 |
Trump Pardons Former NFL Star Convicted Of Trafficking 175 Pounds Of Marijuana President Donald Trump has pardoned a former NFL star who was convicted of trafficking 175 pounds of marijuana. As advocates await action on federal marijuana rescheduling—and many people continue to endure the consequences of ongoing cannabis criminalization—Trump granted clemency to five ex-NFL players, including Nate Newton, who helped lead the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s. |
| Feb 13, 2026 |
Group petitions for provincial medical cannabis program
Life comes with a lot of lows, and pain and there are a lot of B.C. patients who depend on cannabis to see them through. A group of these patients are petitioning the provincial government to administer a provincial medical cannabis program as per the Canada Health Act. |
| Feb 13, 2026 |
Gorilla Gardens opens Alberta's first cannabis farmgate store in Okotoks |
| Feb 13, 2026 |
Kentucky Officials Ask Lawmakers to Expand Medical Marijuana Program
Kentucky marijuana officials are urging lawmakers to broaden the list of medical conditions that qualify patients for a medical cannabis card. In a letter sent Thursday to top legislative leaders, the OCM outlined its case for expanding eligibility under the state’s relatively new program. |
| Feb 13, 2026 |
Access, Saturation, Consolidation: Why Denmark Foreshadows the Future of Europe's Medical Cannabis Markets As Europe's medical cannabis markets continue to mature, an increasingly familiar pattern is beginning to emerge. First, access opens and demand surges. Then operators and products flood into the market, leading to the compression of both the price for patients and the margins for businesses. This, inevitably, is followed by consolidation as those without the deep pockets to weather the price crush give way to those who do. |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
Retail Cannabis Access Associated With Decline in Suicides Among Older Adults Atlanta, GA: The opening of state-licensed adult-use cannabis retailers is associated with fewer suicides among mid-life and older adults, according to data published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Researchers affiliated with Emory University assessed the relationship between adult-use marijuana legalization and suicide rates. They determined: “Suicide rates among adults aged 45 and older decline following the opening of recreational marijuana dispensaries, while there is no effect among those ages 25-44. These results hold when controlling for other state-level factors such as beer and cigarette taxes, opioid policies, unemployment rates, poverty, and income, none of which show significant impacts on suicide rates in this demographic. … These findings are important because of the implication that access to recreational marijuana has palliative effects among older populations which manifest in lower suicide rates |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
Cannabis Stocks Are Sinking The Global Cannabis Stock Index closed on 2/11 at 5.69, which is down 3.4% in February and down 13.7% so far in 2026. Since April 30, 2024, it has plunged 51.4%. Five years ago, the index peaked at 92.48, and it has dropped 93.9% since then. |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
California's biggest pot shop is dead after burning cash for years Planet 13 was supposed to revolutionize legal cannabis. The marijuana superstore opened five years ago in Orange County with fanfare and predictions that its walls of TV screens and massive footprint would change how everyone bought weed. |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
US (MS): State House of Representatives pass two medical cannabis-related bill Two bills related to Mississippi's medical cannabis program passed in the House of Representatives this week. One bill extends the timeframe for a patient's follow-up visit to keep their medical cannabis card valid, while a second bill creates a system where patients suffering from debilitating or terminal conditions not already on the state's list of approved conditions can petition to try medical cannabis. |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
Ghana to start licensing process for medical, industrial cannabis cultivation The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to start implementing the licensing regime for medicinal and industrial cannabis cultivation in Ghana. |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
Navigating New Hemp Laws- A Major Shift for the Cannabis Industry A fast-growing market built on hemp-derived cannabinoid products is about to face a federal reset. Over the past several years, consumer demand for products such as hemp-derived THC gummies, beverages, vapes, and flowers helped create thriving new retail categories across mainstream outlets and e-commerce. |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
New Zealand: Guests, growers spend the day at rural cannabis facility The sun was out, the breeze was soft, and a group of international delegates enjoyed a day of speeches, networking, and alfresco dining among rows of cannabis plants. |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
France's Long-Awaited Medical Cannabis Reimbursement Framework to Be Revealed Next Week French authorities will present a first draft of the long-awaited pricing and reimbursement decree for medical cannabis on February 18, marking a critical milestone in the country's drawn-out transition from pilot programme to permanent framework. |
| Feb 12, 2026 |
Washington state lawmakers weigh legalizing home cannabis grows Growing recreational cannabis at home is illegal in Washington state - but lawmakers in Olympia are considering a bill this year to legalize it. |
| Feb 11, 2026 |
California Activists Warn of Environmental Damage from Illegal Cannabis Farms Pot has been legal in California for a decade, but a sprawling black market persists for crops cultivated outside the law. In a February 9 report from CalMatters, environmentalists and politicians sounded the alarm regarding the challenges they face in mitigating environmental damage caused by illegal marijuana farms. |
| Feb 11, 2026 |
Cannabis retail's frontline workers are carrying more than we think In the early days of legalization, the budtender was cast as the friendly guide in a brave new world, part educator, part concierge, and part cultural translator. Over eight years later, that role has hardened into something far more complex: regulator, brand ambassador, salesperson, and sometimes security buffer, all at once. |
| Feb 11, 2026 |
Canada's Medical Cannabis Research Is Changing the Global Debate For more than a decade, medical cannabis has existed in a strange policy limbo. Patients have benefited from it. Physicians have debated it. Regulators have tolerated it. But the kind of rigorous, longitudinal evidence that typically moves medical consensus has been slower to materialize - particularly evidence grounded in real-world patient outcomes. |
| Feb 11, 2026 |
Bipartisan Wisconsin Lawmakers Circulate Bill To Decriminalize Marijuana Bipartisan Wisconsin lawmakers will soon be introducing a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession for first-time offenses. |
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