Last Week in Cannabis #5
June 15–20, 2026 | Issue #5
Hey friend — welcome back to Last Week in Cannabis. A quieter week on the Canadian front, but a pair of international stories worth paying close attention to — including one that took a genuinely surprising turn heading into next week. Let's get into it.
1. CANADA — Pre-Rolls Are Now Canada's Biggest Cannabis Category
According to cannabis analytics firm Headset, which tracks sales data across four Canadian provincial markets, pre-rolled joints officially overtook dried flower to become Canada's largest cannabis category in 2025. It is a shift that has been building for years as consumers have moved toward convenience.
Mary Jane's Take: This makes a lot of sense if you think about how most people actually use cannabis. Not everyone wants to grind, roll, and pack — especially newer users. Pre-rolls remove a barrier. They're consistent, portable, and require nothing extra. The fact that they've overtaken loose flower is a sign that the legal market is maturing and adapting to what consumers actually want rather than what the industry found easiest to sell early on.
2. CANADA — High Tide Is Buying Four More Stores in Ontario
Calgary-based High Tide Inc. announced this week that it is acquiring Northern Helm, adding four established retail cannabis stores in Ontario to its growing national footprint. High Tide also secured approval for C$40 million in new credit facilities the same week — a sign of continued confidence from lenders in the company's retail model. StratCann
Mary Jane's Take: High Tide has been one of the more aggressive consolidators in Canadian cannabis retail, and this acquisition follows that pattern. Four stores in Ontario is a meaningful addition given how competitive that market is. For consumers, retail consolidation can be a mixed bag — bigger chains often have better prices and more consistent stock, but smaller independent shops tend to offer more personality and specialized knowledge. Both have a place in a healthy market.
3. GERMANY — A Cannabis-Based Painkiller Just Got Full Government Approval
This is a big one. Germany and Austria have granted full marketing authorization to Exilby, a standardized full-spectrum cannabis extract developed by Munich-based company Vertanical, making it the first cannabis-based prescription medicine specifically approved for chronic low back pain with a neuropathic component. Commercial launch in both countries is planned for September 2026, and the US FDA has already granted the drug Breakthrough Therapy Designation, with a US Phase 3 trial currently underway. Cannabis EuropaCannabis Europa
Mary Jane's Take: This matters more than most cannabis news stories. There is currently no non-opioid drug in the world that has replaced opioids as a standard treatment for chronic pain — and chronic pain affects hundreds of millions of people globally. Exilby is a pharmaceutical-grade, full-spectrum cannabis medicine that has gone through rigorous clinical trials and received formal government approval. That is different from medical cannabis flower prescribed under general access programs. If the US trial data holds up, this could become one of the most significant medical developments in a generation. Worth watching closely.
4. UNITED STATES — The DEA's Rescheduling Hearing Just Got Much More Complicated
The big US cannabis rescheduling hearing begins June 29th — just days from now. But this week brought a development that caught even experienced observers off guard. The DEA released its list of approved participants for the hearing and selected only seven anti-cannabis organizations to present testimony — including prohibitionist group SAM Inc. — with zero representatives from the cannabis industry, patient advocates, or pro-reform organizations allowed to participate. Canada.ca
The hearing's administrative law judge confirmed that the narrow issue before the hearing is whether cannabis beyond state-licensed medical products should move from Schedule I to Schedule III, and that the government itself carries the burden of proof for the proposed rescheduling rule. Canada.ca
Mary Jane's Take: This is an unusual situation. The government is technically the one proposing rescheduling, and yet the only voices invited to the hearing are those opposed to it. Cannabis industry groups and patient advocates who applied to participate were passed over entirely. Whatever the legal reasoning, it means the hearing will proceed without any testimony from the people most directly affected by the outcome — patients who use medical cannabis, businesses operating legally under state law, and researchers who study it. The hearing runs until July 15th. We'll cover what comes out of it.
That's your week — two from Canada, two from around the world. See you next Monday.
— Mary Jane
