CannabisLink.ca - Current Affairs 2026

(2026) - Chronological (797 items)

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May 28, 2026	Minnesota Governor Walz Signs Landmark Cannabis Omnibus Bill, Reshaping State’s Cannabis Industry On May 26, 2026, the Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed into law the 2026 Omnibus Cannabis Bill. Sponsored by Representative Jessica Hanson (DFL-Burnsville), the law represents a sweeping set of reforms to the state’s regulated cannabis industry, touching everything from medical cannabis access and supply chain logistics to hemp-industry lifelines and a brand-new license category. Representative Hanson described it as a “collaborative effort” involving more than 80 stakeholders and weekly meetings over the course of three months. Here is a breakdown of the law’s most significant provisions and what they mean for Minnesota’s cannabis landscape. Merging the Medical and Adult-Use Supply Chains Perhaps the most consequential change in the law is the merger of Minnesota’s currently bifurcated medical and adult-use cannabis supply chains. Under current law, cannabis businesses that participate in both markets must maintain separate cultivation, manufacturing, and inventory tracking systems—including separate instances within the state’s Metrc seed-to-sale tracking platform. The omnibus bill eliminates this dual-track requirement and allows businesses with a medical cannabis endorsement to serve patients and adult-use customers from a single, unified operation.
May 28, 2026	How the UK’s medical cannabis sector is reshaping modern healthcare access The UK’s medical cannabis sector has changed dramatically since cannabis-based medicinal products were legalized for specialist prescription use in 2018. What initially appeared to many observers as a limited and highly cautious policy shift has gradually evolved into a growing healthcare sector shaped by digital clinics, increasing patient demand, and broader public awareness surrounding alternative treatment pathways. While the UK still operates under tightly regulated prescribing structures, the overall landscape in 2026 looks very different from the early years following legalization. Private clinics have expanded rapidly, telehealth systems have modernized patient access, and conversations surrounding specialist cannabis treatment have become increasingly normalized within wider healthcare discussions.
May 28, 2026	Cannabis use does not lower testosterone, study concludes The effects of cannabis on the hormonal system and male fertility remain controversial within the scientific community. A study conducted by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the Swiss Center for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), provides a new answer by showing that cannabis use does not reduce testosterone levels in young men and may even increase its testicular synthesis.
May 27, 2026	New Jersey court lets job seekers sue employers over cannabis tests New Jersey job seekers can now sue employers directly over a rescinded offer tied to a positive cannabis test. That's the headline takeaway from a New Jersey Appellate Division ruling issued on May 26, 2026, in Darlene Sanders v. The Levari Group, LLC, doing business as First Choice Freezer. As a matter of first impression, the court found that the state's Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Market Modernization Act, or CREAMMA, gives applicants the right to sue employers who reject them because of cannabis use.
May 27, 2026	Recreational Cannabis Legalization and Traffic Fatality Rates in the United States, 2005-2024: An Imputation-Based Difference-in-Differences Event Study Conclusion Legalizing recreational cannabis was followed by a rise in traffic deaths during the first four years after the law took effect. The increase began at legalization rather than at the start of retail sales. This suggests that the change in law and shifting public attitudes had a greater impact on traffic safety than the availability of cannabis in stores. States considering legalization should prepare traffic safety measures in advance, while those that have already legalized should reinforce existing efforts to address ongoing risks.
May 27, 2026	$2.56 Billion in Farm Receipts Marks Largest Increase in Cannabis Production Since 2020 The Canadian cannabis sector experienced significant growth in 2025, with farm receipts increasing 16.9% to $2.56 billion and total recreational sales reaching $5.5 billion. Cannabis producers also appeared to be setting aside more cannabis in storage in 2025. Government revenue from the industry rose to $2.5 billion, while the market continued to shift toward inhaled extracts, which accounted for nearly one-third of all sales. Despite a general sales slowdown compared to previous years, retail figures remained strong, highlighted by a 6% year-over-year increase in March 2026.
May 27, 2026	State Attorneys General File Lawsuit To Block Trump Administration’s Marijuana Rescheduling Move Three Republican state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit challenging the federal cannabis rescheduling action announced by President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice last month.
May 27, 2026	How Policy Changes and the Pandemic Reshaped Teen Cannabis Use A recent study, published online in JAMA Network Open, examined more than 1.3 million screenings of Northern California adolescents from 2011–2024 to understand how cannabis use changed after legalization and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rates of adolescent cannabis use had been steadily declining before California legalized recreational cannabis in 2016, but began increasing after the law passed—before retail stores even opened—suggesting shifts in social norms, perceived risk, and normalization rather than access alone. Rates continued to rise modestly after legal sales began in 2018.
May 27, 2026	This Event Is Basically the World Championship of Weed, But With a Stacked Rap Lineup If cannabis had its own Olympics, Zalympix would be the medal ceremony, the marketplace, the concert, and the afterparty rolled into one. The traveling cannabis competition returns to Los Angeles for the seventh time this Saturday, bringing together cultivators, brands, curious shoppers, and full-blown cannasseurs for a 21+ event built around flower, culture, and discovery.
May 26, 2026	Researchers Discover Cannabis Compounds That May Fight Obesity Without the High Scientists at UC Riverside uncovered evidence that compounds beyond THC may influence how the body regulates metabolism and insulin signaling. A preclinical study from the University of California, Riverside offers new insight into a puzzling pattern that scientists have noticed for years: people who use cannabis chronically often have lower body weight and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, even though cannabis is widely known for increasing appetite.
May 26, 2026	Marijuana Legalization Supporters And Opponents File Notices To Participate In DEA Hearing On Rescheduling Next Month Advocacy organizations on both sides of the marijuana legalization debate have filed notices of intent to participate in a hearing on broad federal rescheduling of cannabis that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is set to begin next month.
May 26, 2026	Indiana Officials Await Federal Action on Marijuana Indiana legislators may soon return to discussions surrounding medical cannabis, though state officials say there is still uncertainty about whether federal action will prompt any immediate changes in state policy. During a meeting on May 11, members of the Indiana Board of Pharmacy examined a federal notice concerning cannabis rescheduling. However, the board did not move forward with any decisions, emphasizing that Indiana would only consider a response once the federal government formally completes the process. As a result, existing cannabis laws in the state remain intact for the time being.
May 26, 2026	Is the Cannabis Industry Breeding Itself Into a Corner? Walk into any licensed dispensary in Canada today, and the shelves have never looked more exciting with dozens of strains, vivid names, and endless variety. But beneath the surface of that apparent abundance, some say the genetic foundation of cannabis is shrinking.
May 26, 2026	Cannabis Provides ‘Significant Improvements’ In Pain For Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis And Osteoarthritis Patients, Study Shows Cannabis products appear to have “beneficial effects” for people struggling with the symptoms of chronic pain, according to a new study— with the results indicating relief from both intoxicating and nonintoxicating cannabinoids. Researchers affiliated with the University at Buffalo, University of Michigan Medical School and MoreBetter recruited 64 people with fibromyalgia, 25 with rheumatoid arthritis and 75 with osteoarthritis of the knee and/or hip to participate in the trial.
May 26, 2026	Antigua and Barbuda Medicinal Cannabis Authority Educates Police Recruits on Cannabis Law Antigua and Barbuda Medicinal Cannabis Authority Educates Police Recruits The Antigua and Barbuda Medicinal Cannabis Authority (ABMCA) has initiated an educational program for police recruits, providing foundational knowledge in medicinal cannabis law. This initiative involved nearly 60 officers-in-training at the Police Training School, aiming to foster a more informed and effective national law enforcement body. The ABMCA’s engagement session focused on its mandate, the structure of the medicinal cannabis industry, and the legal distinctions pertinent to law enforcement duties.
May 26, 2026	Cannabis Europa London 2026: The First Major Gathering Since Rescheduling Changed the Game Events Podcasts Issue Library Newsletter Subscribe Directory Submit Media Kit Cannabis Europa London 2026: The First Major Gathering Since Rescheduling Changed the Game May 26th, 2026 For many, last week’s rescheduling announcement threw a spanner in the works. The US medical cannabis market, for now the only market to be impacted by rescheduling directly, is far smaller and, as such, much less of a priority for many operators. Yet Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s announcement has done something more profound than adjust a tax position or ease a research barrier. By moving Schedule III, cannabis is officially recognised as having medical benefits for the first time. In essence, this brings the US’ federal policy far closer to its European counterparts. The legal mechanism underpinning the rescheduling order, a provision of the Controlled Substances Act designed to bring US drug law into compliance with the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, is the same international framework that governs medical cannabis regulation across Europe. That convergence, and what it means for operators, investors, regulators and patients on both sides of the Atlantic, is the most pressing conversation in the global cannabis industry right now, and one that will take place next month at Cannabis Europa London 2026.
May 26, 2026	Entering its Eighth Year, Rosebud Bowl is Returning to its Cannabis Culture Roots What began as a cannabis gathering within the legacy Kootenay cannabis community, Rosebud Bowl has evolved into Canada’s Premiere Cannabis Comparison event focused on sensory evaluation, education, and community connection. While the event has evolved to be held alongside the Unicorn Music Festival in recent years, organizers say this year marks a deliberate return to the Bowl’s original cannabis-centred focus.
May 25, 2026	Renewabuild Great Plains to Begin Manufacturing Structural Hempcrete Blocks in Iowa Renewabuild Great Plains is preparing to commence manufacturing of structural hempcrete blocks in Rock Valley, Iowa, with production anticipated to begin by the end of 2026. This initiative positions the company as the first in the United States to produce these specific structural hempcrete blocks, according to a report by Agweek. The development builds on earlier reports of industrial hemp infrastructure development in Iowa.
May 25, 2026	Weed, Driving, and DUIs: What Happens If You Get Pulled Over Switch to Light Mode Driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal. Yet, with states having different criteria as to what constitutes driving under the influence of drugs (DUID), marijuana consumers need to be familiar with what “under the influence” really means. Unlike the nationally recognized standard for drunk driving (0.08% blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, in every state except Utah), there is no comparable nationwide standard for drug impairment. Additionally, limitations of drug-detecting technology and the fact that THC levels in the bloodstream vary depending on individual factors (such as metabolism and frequency of use) complicate the enforcement of DUID laws.
May 25, 2026	New Zealand’s Medicinal Cannabis Sector Gains Export Focus with New Grower Body The New Zealand medicinal cannabis sector is undergoing a structural development with the establishment of a new grower body, NZ Grow Co, and an associated extraction facility in north Waikato. This initiative, spearheaded by Ora Pharm, aims to enhance the industry’s position as a high-value export sector by integrating cultivation, processing, and export capabilities for local growers. The move is intended to address the complexities of operating in regulated international markets and to foster a more cohesive industry framework.

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