News - Business (503 items)
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| 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. |
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| May 23, 2026 |
Canadian Cannabis Sales Marched Higher in March Statistics Canada released March retail sales for the country, with cannabis sales increasing from the February levels, up 7.4% to C$471.4 million from the prior month. The sequential increase was down 4.0% on a per-day basis more due to the fewer days in the prior month. February, originally reported at C$440.5 million, was revised lower to C$439.1 million. The sales in March were up 6.2% from a year ago, down from the level last month at 7.6% and in May at 8.3% and 7.5% in June but better than the prior lowest annual growth rate since legalization commenced of -0.9% in September 2024 due to the BC strike. In 2024, total sales increased 4.5% to C$5.39 billion, and they were up 4.1% in 2025 to C$5.62 billion. So far in 2026, sales are up 7.7%. |
| May 22, 2026 |
No cannabis for cabin crew - on or off duty
A Quebec arbitrator has ruled in favour of Air Transat’s zero-tolerance cannabis policy for flight attendants. Nathalie Massicotte ruled that the policy is reasonable, even though it bars employees from consuming a legal product on their own time. The decision, Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique, section locale 4041 c. Air Transat (translated as Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 4041 v. Air Transat), 2026 CanLII 44306 (CA SA), dismisses a grievance filed by CUPE Local 4041, representing the airline's cabin crew (personnel navigant commercial in French). |
| May 22, 2026 |
Iowa Farmers Establish Industrial Hemp Processing and Building Block Manufacturing Facilities Farmers in Rock Valley, Iowa, are making significant investments in industrial hemp processing and manufacturing facilities, aiming to create a robust local market for the crop. Steve Vonk, a farmer near Rock Valley, expanded his hemp acreage from 100 acres last year to 1,500 acres this spring, also convincing nine other area farmers to grow hemp to supply the new operations. This initiative addresses a key challenge in the nascent hemp industry: market development. “The biggest challenge is the marketing behind everything,” said Steve Vonk, as reported by GN: industrial hemp. “It’s kind of a chicken and egg thing.” |
| May 21, 2026 |
Cannabis vape recalled due to incorrect THC labelling A cannabis vape sold in Ontario has been recalled due to incorrect THC labelling that shows lower THC content than what is in the product. On Wednesday, CannaPiece Corp. issued a recall notice for its Jays Pin Pennifer 0.4 g all-in-one vape after the company received a complaint. Health Canada stated the product’s label underreports total THC, listing 350 mg/g instead of the correct 972 mg/g. |
| May 21, 2026 |
Thailand’s Weed Boom Is Breaking—Here’s Who Survives In 2025 alone, around 7,000 dispensaries shut down. The shakeout is already underway. A saturated market, constant regulatory shifts—Thailand’s cannabis retail scene is operating in turbulent waters. Simply selling weed is no longer enough. In a Saturated Market, Standing Out Is Everything In the early days, opening a dispensary was easy. Countless undifferentiated shops flooded the market. Today, oversupply has intensified competition, costs have risen, and weaker players are being pushed out. Shops with strong capital backing—or recognizable brands from places like the U.S. or Amsterdam—are the ones that remain. |
| May 21, 2026 |
International Code Council Approves Hemp-Lime Construction for US Residential Building Codes The International Code Council has formally approved hemp-lime construction for integration into the 2024 International Residential Code. This regulatory update allows builders in many US states to utilize industrial hemp-based materials in residential structures without requiring custom engineering variances. The decision marks a significant development for the industrial hemp sector, which has seen its products restricted for nearly a century due to federal laws that did not differentiate industrial hemp from other cannabis varieties. |
| May 21, 2026 |
Cannabis Dispensary Visibility Declines on AI Platforms Despite Google Search Gains, SOCi Report Finds The landscape of local search for businesses, including cannabis dispensaries, is undergoing a significant shift with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) recommendation systems. A recent analysis, the 2026 Local Visibility Index by SOCi, indicates a substantial gap in according to Cannabis Industry Journal, between traditional Google search performance and AI-driven visibility. This presents a particular challenge for cannabis operators, who often face restrictions on paid advertising. |
| May 20, 2026 |
Cannabis markets worldwide are feeling price compression, oversupply pressures Many new markets are stuck in a familiar cycle: ramping up supply faster than they’re adding customers and watching prices fall as a result. |
| May 20, 2026 |
Canada’s Cannabis Advantage: Infrastructure, Innovation, and the Road to Global Dominance At the recent International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) Berlin in April, a panel of industry veterans gathered to discuss the evolution and future trajectory of the Canadian cannabis market. Moderated by Alex Revich, the discussion provided a comprehensive look at how Canada has been actively leveraging its first-mover advantage while navigating the complexities of a maturing and constantly evolving industry. The Canadian cannabis market, born from a historic federal legalization, continues to evolve from its early “green rush” days into a mature industry seeking sustainable global influence. |
| May 20, 2026 |
Cannabis-friendly cafe owner hopes Edmonton law catches up with vision of selling on site A new cafe coming to Edmonton is hoping to become the city’s premier joint for all things cannabis. Whyte Avenue’s incoming New Amsterdam Cafe wants to both sell and allow its customers to consume cannabis products - edibles and infused drinks, namely - on its premises. |
| May 20, 2026 |
South African grower pairs Health Canada-registered genetics with indoor environmental control to target premium export markets BioCann operates what it says is the largest commercial indoor cannabis facility in South Africa, shipping flower to Germany, the UK, and Australia from seven licensed hectares on a 100-hectare farm in Limpopo province, with EU-GMP equipment already imported and an inspection pending. |
| May 19, 2026 |
US cannabis revenue falls for first time in a decade as oversupply and policy shifts reshape the market After more than a decade of uninterrupted growth, the U.S. regulated cannabis market recorded its first year-over-year revenue decline, with 2025 sales estimated between $28.6 and $29.6 billion, down from $30.1 billion in 2024, according to a report by First Citizens Bank and Whitney Economics. The drop is not related to demand, as unit volumes are stable or growing. What has collapsed is price, as excess supply piles up across nearly every state market. Whitney Economics projects legal cultivation capacity at roughly 73 million pounds annually against combined regulated and unregulated demand of around 50 million pounds. That gap narrows only slowly through 2030. |
| May 18, 2026 |
Strict Rules Keep Canadian Cannabis Brands on the World Cup Sidelines Canada is preparing to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Mexico, an event expected to draw millions of viewers and hundreds of thousands of visitors. For most industries, it represents a once-in-a-generation marketing opportunity. But for cannabis companies, the conversation is much more complicated. |
| May 15, 2026 |
Aurora granted Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada Aurora Cannabis has been granted Plant Breeders' Rights in Canada for two proprietary cannabis cultivars developed through its world-class breeding program. This certification gives Aurora the exclusive rights to grow, propagate, and sell finished products produced from these varieties. |
| May 15, 2026 |
Delaware court grants Cannabist first-ever Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection for a cannabis MSO On May 9, a Delaware bankruptcy court handed The Cannabist Company Holdings Inc. something no cannabis multistate operator had ever managed to obtain: federal bankruptcy protection. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Brendan L. Shannon signed the recognition order, confirming that Cannabist's ongoing insolvency proceedings in Canada qualify as a foreign main proceeding under Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, effectively pausing domestic collection actions while the company works through its asset sales. |
| May 15, 2026 |
Canada Supplied Half Germany’s Cannabis Imports in Q1 2026 Germany imported 50,539 kg of cannabis flower for medical and medical-scientific purposes in the first three months of 2026 (Q1 2026). The latest figures from Germany’s medical cannabis regulator, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), show imports were down about 15% from the previous quarter but up about 34% year-over-year, compared with Q1 2025. |
| May 12, 2026 |
B.C. cannabis sales losing its buzz as novelty fades Data hints that buying legal weed in B.C. may have lost the cache of being an exciting novelty. Overall cannabis wholesale sales and volume in the province in the first quarter of this year was down slightly, following years of significant growth. The trend coincides with a decline in consumer eagerness to join cannabis protests, or celebrations. |
| May 7, 2026 |
Health Canada’s directive on tours leaves industry questioning what’s still possible Health Canada’s recent reminder to licensed producers about the rules governing facility visits hasn’t introduced new regulations, but it has shown that possibilities for meaningful compliant tours may be far narrower than previously assumed. For years, tours have served as a tool for producers to build brand equity, attract investors, and demonstrate quality in a highly regulated market. But the latest guidance appears to shift how the regulator interprets who should be allowed inside a cannabis facility and why. |
| May 6, 2026 |
Target Is Launching Hemp THC Drink Sales In Three Of The U.S.’s Most Populous States Major retailer Target is deepening its involvement in the hemp-derived THC beverage market by launching sales in three more states—significantly expanding beyond a pilot program it rolled out in Minnesota last year—even as a federal law is set to ban the products later this year. Last year, the company began a pilot program involving sales of cannabis drinks at 10 select stores in Minnesota. It later applied with state officials for licenses to sell THC beverages at all 72 of its stores in the state, where the company is headquartered. |