Last Week in Cannabis #20
October 12–18, 2026 | Issue #20
Hey friend — welcome back to Last Week in Cannabis. October 17th marked eight years since cannabis became legal in Canada, and it was quite a week to mark the occasion. The Aurora takeover story just got a lot more interesting, Canada launched a new tool for cannabis pardons, and a new clinical trial produced genuinely significant pain results. Let’s get into it.
1. CANADA — Eight Years of Legalization, and the Aurora Bidding War Just Got a Third Party
Friday, October 17th marked eight years since Canada became the first G7 country to federally legalize cannabis. It is a milestone worth pausing on — in 2018, almost nobody predicted that Canada would become the world’s largest cannabis market by revenue, the dominant global supplier of medical cannabis, or that one of its largest producers would be the subject of a hotly contested international bidding war. And yet here we are.
That bidding war escalated significantly this week. Aurora Cannabis confirmed on October 14th that it is “actively exploring a range of alternatives” to Curaleaf’s $5-per-share hostile offer — and that it has entered confidentiality agreements with multiple parties. Reports from MJBizDaily and Business of Cannabis confirmed that Organigram Holdings — the cannabis producer partly owned by British American Tobacco — has been in discussions with Aurora about a potential merger. An industry analyst estimated Organigram could offer Aurora shareholders approximately CA$8.55 per share, which would significantly exceed Curaleaf’s current bid.
Curaleaf called Aurora’s move to engage with Organigram “grossly inadequate and negligent” — language that tells you how seriously the US company is taking the competition. Aurora shareholders have until December 4th to consider Curaleaf’s offer, while Aurora’s special committee continues its review.
Mary Jane’s Take: This is genuinely fascinating. Aurora spent years as a cautionary tale about cannabis overexpansion. Now it is the most sought-after asset in the global cannabis industry, with at least two serious bidders and confidentiality agreements with multiple parties. The BAT angle through Organigram is significant — this would not just be a cannabis deal, it would bring one of the world’s largest tobacco companies into direct ownership of a major global medical cannabis operation. Whatever happens before December 4th, this story is going to shape the Canadian cannabis industry for years.
2. CANADA — Canada Launched an Online System for Cannabis Possession Pardons
The Parole Board of Canada launched a new online application system on October 1st that allows people with eligible cannabis possession convictions to apply for record suspensions electronically. Applicants can upload documents, save unfinished applications, and track their progress through the portal. Canada’s streamlined process for simple cannabis possession convictions removes the need to submit paperwork by mail.
Mary Jane’s Take: This is a quiet but meaningful step toward making right on something that has been an ongoing issue since legalization. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians still carry criminal records for cannabis possession convictions — convictions for something that has been fully legal for eight years. A criminal record creates barriers to employment, housing, and travel that follow people for life. Making the pardon process faster and more accessible by moving it online is a practical improvement that will matter to real people. If you or someone you know is carrying a possession conviction, this portal is worth looking into.
3. CANADA — A Clinical Trial Found a Cannabis Formulation Reduced Morphine Use by Nearly 50% in Nerve Pain Patients
A clinical trial published this week found that a specific formulation combining THC, CBD, and terpenes reduced morphine use by nearly 50% in patients experiencing acute nerve pain. The findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal and represent one of the stronger clinical demonstrations yet of cannabis as an opioid-sparing treatment option.
Mary Jane’s Take: A nearly 50% reduction in morphine use in a clinical trial is a significant finding. Nerve pain — the kind that follows surgery, injury, or certain medical conditions — is notoriously difficult to treat, and opioids are often the default because other options frequently fall short. A cannabis formulation that meaningfully reduces how much opioid medication patients need is exactly the kind of evidence the medical community has been asking for. This does not mean cannabis replaces opioids for everyone — but it adds real weight to the case for cannabis being part of pain management protocols.
4. GLOBAL — Eight Years In, the Case for Legalization Is Still Being Made — and Still Being Contested
As Canada’s eight-year anniversary of legalization passed this week, a Globe and Mail analysis noted that the federal government has largely disengaged from the cannabis file — not actively dismantling the legal framework, but not supporting the industry’s growth either. Cannabis companies warn that without government backing on trade missions and export regulations, Canada risks losing its dominant position in the global medical cannabis market to competitors who are receiving active government support.
Mary Jane’s Take: The irony is stark. Cannabis is Canada’s fifth-largest cash crop, contributing nearly $12 billion to GDP, generating record monthly retail sales, and supplying more than half of Germany’s medical cannabis imports. And yet the industry cannot get a minister to return a call. Pharmaceutical companies of comparable economic footprint would receive active trade support and government advocacy abroad. Cannabis, because of enduring stigma, largely does not. Eight years in, that needs to change.
That’s your week — three from Canada, one global. See you next Monday.
— Mary Jane
