Last Week in Cannabis #3
June 1–7, 2026 | Issue #3
Hey friend — welcome back to Last Week in Cannabis. A big week, with a fun Canadian story to kick things off and some significant movement south of the border. Let's get into it.
1. CANADA — The World Cup Is Coming, and Cannabis Shops Are Ready
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off this week, and Canada is hosting 13 matches between Toronto and Vancouver — making this the first World Cup ever held somewhere cannabis is fully legal. The Globe and Mail reports that cannabis shops near the stadiums are stocking up on ready-to-consume products like pre-rolls, vapes, and beverages, with Ontario retailers estimating a potential sales boost of up to 10% for stores close to the action. Mmjdaily
Vancouver dispensaries are also running "know before you go" information campaigns to help visiting tourists understand how to buy cannabis legally in Canada. Mmjdaily
Mary Jane's Take: This is genuinely exciting. Millions of visitors from countries where cannabis is still illegal will be walking into legal dispensaries for the first time. That's a real opportunity to show the world what a well-regulated cannabis market looks like — good products, knowledgeable staff, and clear information. If you're in Toronto or Vancouver this summer, the advice is the same as always: start low, go slow, and ask questions. The staff at legal shops are there to help.
2. CANADA — Manitoba Raised Its Cannabis Markup This Week
Effective June 1st, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries increased the wholesale markup on cannabis products sold in the province from 11% to 13% — the second increase in as many years. The markup is a fee charged to retailers when they purchase cannabis from the province's distributor, and increases typically get passed down to consumers in some form. International Cannabis Business Conference
Mary Jane's Take: Markups and taxes are one of the less-discussed reasons legal cannabis still struggles to compete with the illicit market on price. Every time costs go up for retailers, it makes it a little harder for legal stores to offer competitive prices. Manitoba's markup is still lower than most other provinces — Ontario sits at 23% — but the direction of travel is the wrong one if the goal is getting people off the black market.
3. UNITED STATES — States Are Suing to Block Cannabis Rescheduling
Last week we covered the US cannabis rescheduling hearing set for June 29th. This week, the legal challenges arrived. The attorneys general of Indiana and Nebraska filed a lawsuit with the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit arguing that the April rescheduling order is arbitrary and not in accordance with the law. A separate suit filed by anti-cannabis group SAM Inc. has been consolidated with the state challenge. Business of Cannabis
Louisiana's attorney general initially joined the lawsuit but has since filed to withdraw from the proceedings. Business of Cannabis
Mary Jane's Take: This was predictable — any significant policy shift gets challenged in court, and cannabis rescheduling is no different. The key thing to understand is that these lawsuits don't automatically stop the June 29th hearing from proceeding. What they do is create uncertainty about how durable the rescheduling order will be long-term. For patients and businesses who were counting on the change, it's a reminder that federal cannabis reform in the US rarely moves in a straight line.
4. UNITED STATES — Scientists Made a Plastic Out of CBD That Might Replace Conventional Packaging
This one is worth a pause. Researchers at the University of Connecticut developed a hemp-derived plastic synthesized from CBD that can stretch to 16 times its original length, withstand boiling temperatures, and degrades without leaving microplastic residue. The findings were published in the journal Chem Circularity. canada
Mary Jane's Take: Cannabis packaging waste is a real problem — anyone who's bought legal cannabis has noticed the excessive plastic. A biodegradable, high-performance plastic made from a cannabis byproduct is the kind of solution that sounds almost too good to be true, but the science here appears solid. It would take significant investment to scale commercially, but this is exactly the kind of research that gives the cannabis plant a much broader story than just what you consume.
5. CANADA — Canadian Industry Met with Trade Officials in London
Representatives from Canada's cannabis industry met with the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service at Canada's High Commission in London on May 27th to discuss opportunities in global medical cannabis export markets, with a focus on the UK, Germany, and Australia. canada
Mary Jane's Take: Canada has quietly become one of the dominant forces in global medical cannabis exports, and these kinds of government-industry meetings matter more than they might seem. The UK's medical cannabis market is growing fast, Germany's is already the largest in Europe, and Australia continues to expand. Having the Trade Commissioner Service actively working to support Canadian producers in those markets is good news for the industry's long-term health.
That's your week — two from Canada, three from around the world. See you next Monday.
— Mary Jane
