Top Stories (2026) -
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| Aug 14, 2026 |
Certain cannabis-based therapies may help relieve spasticity in MS
Certain cannabis-based therapies may provide relief from spasticity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review of data from 27 clinical trials involving more than 3,000 participants. Among the different therapies evaluated, those containing an equal mix of two of the main compounds found in the cannabis plant, primarily the oral spray nabiximols, showed modest but consistent benefits. The two compounds are delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). |
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| Aug 14, 2026 |
Right Chemistry: Reefer Madness marijuana allegations go up in smoke “You can grow enough marijuana in a window box to drive the whole population of the United States stark, staring, raving mad.” Those words appeared in the 1928 book Dope: The Story of the Living Dead by Hearst Publications journalist Winifred Black, who specialized in sensational stories. Hostility toward smoking marijuana, the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant, had been brewing in the U.S. southwest since 1910, when the Mexican Revolution significantly increased migration to the U.S., giving rise to anti-immigrant sentiments. |
| Aug 14, 2026 |
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
The main psychoactive component of cannabis seems to reduce persistent and distressing nightmares in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The drug dronabinol – purified tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil extracted from cannabis plants – was more than twice as likely to lead to a complete cessation of nightmares in people with the mental health condition than a placebo. Although it is unclear why it has this effect, THC may suppress the stage of sleep when dreams are most likely to occur. |
| Aug 13, 2026 |
Why Low-Dose Cannabis Is Becoming The Industry’s Growth Engine The legal cannabis market is shifting from a focus on high potency to precision low-dose products, targeting new, cannabis-curious consumers. Industry leaders like ayrloom and Levia see low-dose beverages and gummies as the primary growth engine, making cannabis approachable and controllable. This strategy aims to destigmatize cannabis, attracting adults seeking wellness, social alternatives to alcohol, or stress relief, who previously avoided high-potency options. Low-dose products remove psychological barriers by offering predictable experiences, fostering confidence and allowing cannabis to integrate naturally into daily life. This move is expanding the consumer base beyond traditional users, paving the way for mainstream acceptance and normalization. |
| Aug 13, 2026 |
Historic Shift in the U.S.: Cannabis Use Surpasses Cigarettes and Alcohol
The United States is undergoing an unprecedented cultural and social shift. For the first time in history, the number of Americans who use cannabis daily or nearly every day has surpassed both regular cigarette smokers and people who consume alcohol with the same frequency. This is not a temporary bubble, but a significant transformation in Americans’ behavior, driven by the gradual easing of state-level restrictions and a radically changed perception of risk. |
| Aug 13, 2026 |
Relaunched Cannabis and Hemp platform connects research with real-world impact
From cannabis-based medicines to sustainable farming solutions, a relaunched research platform is creating new opportunities across one of South Africa’s fastest-growing industries. The Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Cannabis and Hemp Research and Innovation Platform combines scientific expertise, advanced technology and industry collaboration to support innovation, product development, skills growth and entrepreneurship across the cannabis and hemp value chain. |
| Aug 13, 2026 |
Can Jamaica’s New Cannabis Permits Deliver for Legacy Growers?
The Cubans have cigars, and Jamaicans have ganja. So why have the traditional farmers behind Jamaica’s most celebrated crop struggled to find a place in its legal cannabis industry? In April 2026, Jamaica’s Cannabis Licensing Authority launched two special permit programs intended to bring traditional and small-scale ganja farmers into the regulated market. The permits lower some of the financial and technical barriers that have kept growers outside the system, while giving them access to support and legal buyers. |
| Aug 13, 2026 |
Tribal cannabis industry transforms Minnesota's poorest communities In Mahnomen, Minnesota, an $8.5 million potato chip factory that sat empty for over a decade on the White Earth reservation is now home to Waabigwan Mashkiki, a tribally owned cannabis company that has become a major supplier in Minnesota's recreational marijuana market. While the chip plant was projected to bring 45 jobs, the cannabis operation now employs 200 people. |
| Aug 13, 2026 |
End the Grey Zone: Why Mexico Must Regulate Cannabis Now In business, nothing is more expensive than uncertainty. Those of us leading companies in highly complex sectors, such as cannabis, know that a market in the shadows only exacerbates speculation, contraband, and illegal imports. On the other hand, the extreme of an over-regulated market yields benefits solely for massive international capital, fostering a broad grey market. True value and maturity are achieved when social benefit-centered regulation aligns with the market's capacity to expand under the protection of the law. |
| Aug 13, 2026 |
This Big Upcoming Change for Consumers Could Boost Cannabis Stocks
The cannabis sector is about to see some dramatic changes over the next few quarters, which could push sector stocks significantly higher, predict four of the key CEOs in the space. “Buckle up,” said Green Thumb (GTBIF) CEO and founder Ben Kovler in his company’s second-quarter earnings call on August 4. “We think the next six months could potentially be the most significant in the cannabis landscape in the last 12 years.” |
| Aug 13, 2026 |
Data is Becoming Cannabis’ Most Valuable Crop
For more than a decade now, the world’s largest retail conglomerates have been quietly building their consumer data empires. Today, their consumers’ data is perhaps more valuable to these brands than the goods they want to sell them. |
| Aug 12, 2026 |
Vaping and cannabis hit record highs among young adults in 2025: Survey
Young adults’ use of vapes and cannabis hit all-time highs last year, according to the results of a large new national survey conducted at the University of Michigan. The percentage of young adults who said they’d used nicotine vapes in the past 30 days reached the highest levels since the question was first added to the survey in 2017, more than tripling to 19%. For cannabis, 29% of young adults between the ages of 19 and 30 said they’d used the drug in the past 30 days — just slightly below the all-time high of 30% the previous year. A record high of 12% reported daily cannabis use. |
| Aug 12, 2026 |
Inhaled cannabis reduces premature heartbeats in habitual users
Habitual cannabis users experienced about 9% fewer premature heartbeats on days they inhaled cannabis compared with days they abstained, a counterintuitive finding that adds to the complex and evolving understanding of how cannabis affects the heart, new UC San Francisco-led research found. |
| Aug 12, 2026 |
Global Cannabis Use Up 40% Over Last Decade as Reform Spreads, but Overlap With Illicit Market Growing
Use of cannabis across the globe has grown by 40% over the last decade, with 256m people now reported to have used cannabis over the past year in 2024. That growth, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime‘s World Drug Report 2026 (WDR26), follows a ‘continuum of gradual normalisation’ towards cannabis use, which in turn has helped drive a fragmented, but expanding wave of policy liberalisation. |
| Aug 12, 2026 |
Rwanda: A New License Revives the Country's Ambitions in Medical Cannabis Le 24 juillet 2026, le gouvernement rwandais a approuvé un accord de concession avec InipasvalleyRw Ltd pour le projet baptisé High-Value Therapeutic Crops. La décision a été prise lors d’une réunion du Conseil des ministres présidée par Paul Kagame. |
| Aug 12, 2026 |
Village Farms launches easy-pour cannabis pouches
Village Farms International has introduced a new pouch design for its Super Toast cannabis brand, bringing an easy-pour format to Canada’s milled flower segment. The company described this as the first use of this type of packaging in the category in the Canadian market. |
| Aug 12, 2026 |
Curaleaf Launches Hostile Bid for Aurora Cannabis at 45% Premium
U.S. cannabis operator Curaleaf Holdings (TSX:CURA) went public with an unsolicited takeover offer for Canadian rival Aurora Cannabis (TSX/NASDAQ:ACB) on Tuesday, proposing a deal that values Aurora at a 45% premium and would forge a global cannabis giant with operations across 17 countries and annual revenue exceeding $1.5 billion. Under the terms disclosed by Curaleaf, each Aurora share would be exchanged for 0.34 of a Curaleaf share plus $0.75 in cash, equating to $4 per share. Curaleaf added that if Aurora’s stock were to experience a “substantial rise” before acceptance, the total bid price would be capped at $5 per share. The company said the offer was taken directly to Aurora shareholders after multiple private attempts to engage Aurora’s management failed to spark discussions. |
| Aug 12, 2026 |
Federal government invests $24 million for cannabis and brain health research
TORONTO — Federal Minister of Health Marjorie Michel has announced $24 million to create the Canadian Cannabis and Brain Health Consortium. Funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the group of 10 research teams from across Canada will work together to study how cannabis affects the brain in people of various ages. |
| Aug 11, 2026 |
AURORA CANNABIS INC. RESPONDS TO PRESS RELEASE OF CURALEAF HOLDINGS, INC. REGARDING INTENTION TO LAUNCH UNSOLICITED TAKE-OVER BID EDMONTON, AB, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Aurora Cannabis Inc. ("Aurora" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB), the Canadian-based leading global medical cannabis company, responded today to a press release issued by Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. ("Curaleaf") regarding its stated intention to launch an unsolicited take-over bid for all of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Aurora Shares") at a stated implied consideration of US$4.00 per Share, consisting of 0.3463 subordinate voting shares of Curaleaf plus US$0.75 in cash per Aurora Share (the "Proposal"). |
| Aug 11, 2026 |
Alcohol Retailers And Wholesalers Support Bill To Keep Hemp THC Drinks Federally Legal Several major alcohol industry participants are backing a new bill in Congress that would exempt hemp beverages from a currently scheduled ban on THC products derived from the plant while enacting new provisions to tax and regulate the cannabis drinks like alcohol. |
| Aug 11, 2026 |
Curaleaf looks to buy Aurora Cannabis, takes bid directly to shareholders
STAMFORD — Curaleaf Holdings Inc. says it intends to launch a takeover bid for Edmonton-based cannabis company Aurora Cannabis Inc. Curaleaf said in a news release on Tuesday it plans to make an offer to purchase all of Aurora’s issued and outstanding common shares. If successful, the move would create a combined cannabis company with a footprint in 17 countries across Europe, North America and other international markets, it said. |
| Aug 10, 2026 |
Medical Marijuana Can Be Delivered In The Mail By USPS Under Trump’s Rescheduling Move, Georgia Officials Say Georgia regulators are proposing new rules that will allow medical marijuana to be delivered directly to patients—including via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and private carriers like FedEx and UPS. The change, officials with the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission (GMCC) say, is being made possible by the Trump administration’s move to reclassify medical cannabis, which effectively federally legalizes it. |
| Aug 10, 2026 |
Brew and Buds: Comparing Canada’s Approach to Cannabis and Beer Taxes
Canada’s beer and cannabis industries represent two of the most heavily regulated sectors in the country, yet they operate under completely different excise tax regimes. While the nation’s three largest brewers based on annual domestic sales—Molson Coors, Labatt, and Sleeman—benefit from a stable, volume-based tax that promotes predictability, Canada’s top three cannabis producers—Tilray Brands, Organigram Holdings, and Cronos Group—are hindered by a rigid, price-based floor that effectively taxes revenue rather than profit. The excise tax burden demonstrates a major difference between the two industries. For the three largest brewers, annual excise duties range from approximately $27 million to $210 million, effectively consuming 14% to 16% of gross domestic sales. Canada’s top cannabis producers, on the other hand, face significantly steeper taxes: Tilray Brands recently incurred excise duties of $90 million to $100 million (33% to 35%), Organigram Holdings paid $125 million to $135 million (38% to 40%), and Cronos Group faced the highest burden at $65 million to $75 million, which represents 58% to 61% of their gross branded sales. |
| Aug 10, 2026 |
Morocco's Cannabis Reform: Why Small Farmers Are Left Behind | Dw Documentary Morocco's legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes was welcomed by growers in the country. The promise of a better future, however, has yet to materialize for many small-scale farmers. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BA1yL8RfbME?si=_0GgMK28iwmWqufh" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> |
| Aug 10, 2026 |
Why Is Cannabis Still Illegal in the UK? The History Behind Medical Cannabis Law
The 2018 law change generated headlines suggesting cannabis had been legalised. It had not, and the confusion has persisted ever since because the actual change was narrow, technical and easy to misreport. Understanding what happened requires separating two systems that operate side by side and are frequently conflated. |
| Aug 10, 2026 |
Senate extends temporary lifeline for hemp THC – and sets up fight with cannabis industry Key points: The U.S. Senate voted early Saturday to extend a deadline for when hemp THC products become illegal until December. Supporters, including major lawmakers and the alcohol lobby, believe they can convince the House to also delay a ban and regulate the products Setting up a showdown between state-regulated cannabis and the hemp industry, cannabis industry forces pledged to lobby Congress to keep the hemp ban intact. |
| Aug 10, 2026 |
N.S. correctional officer sentenced to 3 years for bringing cannabis into facility
In what a Supreme Court judge called an “egregious breach of…trust,” a Nova Scotia correctional officer brought contraband cannabis into his facility, receiving a three-year federal sentence in the process. |
| Aug 9, 2026 |
The CDC’s New CHS Report Has a Cannabis Problem: It Doesn’t Know What Patients Actually Used The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new report on August 6, 2026, examining emergency department visits involving cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, better known as CHS. Predictably, the findings are already ripe for another round of alarming cannabis headlines. There is just one enormous problem. The CDC does not actually know what cannabinoid products caused the cases it counted. That distinction matters. |
| Aug 9, 2026 |
New Law Opens More Doors for New York Cannabis Businesses
New York is expanding opportunities for licensed cannabis microbusinesses to reach consumers through approved community events under legislation Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law. S.10113/A.11217 allows eligible microbusinesses to participate in Cannabis Showcase Events, including approved pop-ups, farmers markets and public market events. |
| Aug 8, 2026 |
Senate Passes Spending Bill With One-Month Delay to Federal Hemp Crackdown
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate has passed a government funding bill that would give the nation’s embattled hemp industry roughly one more month before sweeping federal restrictions on hemp-derived THC products take effect. |
| Aug 8, 2026 |
After 2 Decades of Raids and Prison Stints, Liverpool's 'Cannabis Martyr' Is Still 'Fighting for Freedom'
Gary Youds says his cannabis café is “what the future looks like the day after the drug war.” |
| Aug 7, 2026 |
California approves first cannabis self-checkout kiosk
Cannabis dispensary Perfect Union Northside in Sacramento has introduced what its parent company describes as California's first regulator-approved cannabis self-checkout system, according to a New York Post report. MWG Holdings Group received clearance to deploy the RFID-based technology, which allows customers to purchase cannabis products through a process resembling self-checkout at supermarkets and convenience stores. |
| Aug 7, 2026 |
Why a Massachusetts town owes the cannabis industry $2 million
A tony Boston suburb must return more than $2 million in fees collected from three legal cannabis business after failing to demonstrate it properly spent the money. The city of Newton’s bill to cannabis retailers, which court records show was imposed by a Middlesex Superior Court judge on Tuesday, is the latest example of Massachusetts cannabis businesses challenging localities over “community impact fees” – and winning. |
| Aug 7, 2026 |
Dr. Oz Asks Senators To Delay Hemp Product Ban So Seniors Can Get CBD Products Covered Through Medicare Dr. Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is asking U.S. senators to reject an amendment that would keep a forthcoming ban on hemp products on track to take effect in November. “Passage of this amendment would undo significant gains that have been made to make clinically-appropriate full-spectrum hemp-derived CBD accessible to the senior citizens and individuals with disabilities that rely on the Medicare program for their healthcare,” Oz wrote in a letter to senators. |
| Aug 7, 2026 |
The Convenience Revolution Has Finally Reached Cannabis
Most of what Americans buy now arrives without anyone leaving the house. Dinner comes in twenty minutes. Groceries are ordered on a phone and left at the door. Prescriptions refill automatically. Convenience has become the baseline expectation across nearly every retail category, and consumers notice immediately when a product fails to meet it. Cannabis was one of the last categories to catch up. For most of the legal era, buying THC meant driving to a dispensary, waiting in line, and paying in cash. That is changing, and platforms like Edibles.com are part of the reason why. Launched in March 2025 and based in Atlanta, the wellness-focused marketplace ships vetted, third-party-tested hemp-derived THC products directly to consumers across more than 30 states, including many where no dispensary exists. |
| Aug 7, 2026 |
SQDC to Host First Networking Event for Cannabis Producers
The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) is hosting a networking and educational event for cannabis producers in Montreal on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. The one-day event, split into a morning plenary session and an afternoon networking session, is focused on those selling cannabis into the Quebec market, as well as those interested in doing so. |
| Aug 7, 2026 |
Square Tells Businesses To Stop Selling Hemp And CBD Products In Light Of Upcoming Federal Ban The popular point-of-sale and payments service Square says it will no longer allow CBD and other hemp-derived products to be sold on its platform, according to an email obtained by Marijuana Moment. The communication, sent to a business that uses Square, cited an upcoming change to federal law that will recriminalize many hemp products that were previously legalized by Congress. |
| Aug 7, 2026 |
Police Used Flock Cameras to Track Wisconsin Man’s Out-of-State Cannabis Purchases
Police in Wisconsin used Flock camera feeds to determine that a man who regularly traveled to Michigan and back was likely trafficking cannabis, which remains strictly prohibited in Wisconsin, according to a 404 Media report. |
| Aug 6, 2026 |
Why Low-Dose Cannabis Is Becoming The Industry's Growth Engine
For decades, cannabis brands competed on one metric: potency. More THC meant a better product, at least for experienced consumers chasing a stronger high. But in today's maturing legal market, some of the most successful companies are taking the opposite approach, betting on precision instead of potency to win over adults who don't regularly consume cannabis. |
| Aug 6, 2026 |
Virginia and Texas Are About to Become Cannabis Battlegrounds. Here's Which Stocks Are Positioned to Win.
Forget California and Colorado. Those markets are already well established. If you're looking for where the cannabis industry could find its next meaningful growth opportunities, Virginia and Texas deserve a much closer look. Each state is following a different regulatory path, but both could become important drivers of industry growth over the next few years. |
| Aug 6, 2026 |
Hemp fight sparks GOP ‘blowup’ as Trump pushes to delay ban
President Donald Trump is urging Senate Republicans to delay a federal hemp ban he signed into law, personally calling one senator as the White House pushes for broader cannabis reform. According to Axios, Trump phoned Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) to explain why his administration is in favor of a proposed delay to the so-called hemp ban. Trump reportedly explained the White House is working on updates to federal cannabis policy and the November ban could “complicate” their plans. |
| Aug 6, 2026 |
New law allows for marijuana sales at farmer's markets & other community events
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — On Thursday, August 6, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation designed to strengthen New York’s regulated cannabis market by offering more venues to legally sell and purchase products. The bill, S.10113/A.11217, ensures that licensed cannabis microbusinesses are eligible to fully participate in Cannabis Showcase Events (CSEs). These permits allow licensed operators to engage directly with consumers at approved pop-ups, farmers’ markets and public market events, while strengthening partnerships with local municipalities. The law recognizes the unique role microbusinesses play in New York’s cannabis marketplace and expands opportunities for them to participate in these community-centered events. |
| Aug 5, 2026 |
OCS and AGCO Among Agencies Facing Provincial Review
This summer, the province will review operations at the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation (OCRC) and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The OCRC operates under the public-facing brand name Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS). The AGCO regulates the private retail sale of recreational cannabis in Ontario. It licenses eligible store operators and managers, authorizes individual retail store locations, sets operational and safety standards, approves employee training, and enforces compliance rules across the province’s legal storefront network of nearly 2,000 private cannabis retailers. |
| Aug 5, 2026 |
Medical Cannabis for ADHD in the UK: How It Compares With Stimulants
Ask any UK cannabis clinic which conditions bring people through the door, and ADHD will reliably be near the top of the list. Despite this demand, the published literature on what cannabis does for ADHD is strikingly thin. Currently, there is only one small randomised trial that missed its primary endpoint, a single uncontrolled case series, and a large volume of self-report. Stimulant medication, by contrast, has decades of controlled trials behind it. That imbalance is the starting point for any meaningful comparison, but the reason why so many patients are asking about cannabis lies elsewhere. |
| Aug 5, 2026 |
10 Things to Know About Terpenes
The cannabis industry is abuzz over terpenes. Everyone in the know is claiming it’s “all about them terps brah,” but do you truly understand these magnificent compounds? Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about the intoxicating aromas of cannabis. 1. Terpenes Are Everywhere |
| Aug 5, 2026 |
French Polynesia Is Finally Ready to Launch Its Medical Cannabis Pilot Program After Months of Delays After a delay of more than a year, the French Polynesia is finally set to launch its pilot program for growing medical marijuana. The authorities have confirmed that training for the nine selected farmers will begin in early August, while the decree authorizing cultivation is expected to be presented to the Council of Ministers shortly. If the final administrative steps are completed on schedule, the first harvests are now expected in April 2027. |
| Aug 5, 2026 |
Is hemp a thirsty crop? New research measures just how much water cannabis farming can use In South Africa, it’s been legal for several years for people to grow hemp (a type of Cannabis sativa with very low levels of the psychoactive compound THC), for personal use following changes to the law. There’s also been a growing interest in its medicinal and industrial potential for clothing, insulation and paper production. Many see it as a “green gold” opportunity for small-scale farmers. However, hemp needs water to grow, and South Africa has limited water resources. Planting more hemp could potentially reduce the water available in already dry areas. |
| Aug 5, 2026 |
UNLV launches cannabis career certificate programs LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — If you're hoping to make a career out of cannabis, you're in luck. The University of Nevada Las Vegas has just announced a new certificate program. The program is part of a partnership with Green Flower, a cannabis education company. There are more than 11,000 jobs in the state, according to the 2026 Cannabis Jobs Report. |
| Aug 5, 2026 |
GFL must pay after firing worker over single cannabis test A positive cannabis test was enough for one safety-sensitive employer to fire an assistant operator the same day. It was not enough, a labour tribunal has now confirmed, to prove the company had just cause for the dismissal. In a decision dated July 22, 2026, Vice-Chairperson Patricia Warwick of the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board dismissed GFL Environmental Inc.'s appeal of a wage assessment issued in the worker's favour by the Director of Employment Standards. The ruling confirmed an earlier adjudicator's finding and left GFL owing $5,958.19 in wages tied to the notice period. |
| Aug 5, 2026 |
The science of THCV
Cannabis research has historically concentrated on THC and CBD, and for good reason. These two ‘major cannabinoids’ dominate the cannabinoid profiles of almost all cultivars available to medical cannabis patients around the globe. But recently, there has been a shift towards interest in the distinct pharmacological properties of comparatively rare cannabinoids, THCV in particular. James Duckenfield, CEO of Glass Pharms®, explains why the emerging evidence is compelling, while cautioning that scientific promise should not be taken as outright clinical evidence. |