Last Week in Cannabis #6
June 23–29, 2026 | Issue #6
Hey friend — welcome back to Last Week in Cannabis. Canada's national sales numbers are in, a major development on driving laws in Australia, and the United Nations just released its annual global drug report with some striking cannabis numbers. Let's get into it.
1. CANADA — Legal Cannabis Sales Are Up Nearly 7% Across the Country
Statistics Canada released April 2026 sales figures this week showing legal cannabis sales reached $482.6 million for the month — up from $460 million in March and $439 million in February. Combined, Canada's legal cannabis market generated approximately $1.86 billion in sales through the first four months of 2026, up from $1.75 billion over the same period last year. International Cannabis Business Conference
Mary Jane's Take: The numbers keep moving in the right direction. The legal market is steadily pulling consumers away from unregulated sources — and that matters, because legal cannabis means tested products, accurate labels, and no unknowns. The growth isn't dramatic, but it's consistent. For an industry that had a rough first few years finding its footing, consistent and growing is exactly where you want to be.
2. CANADA — Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds Cannabis Driving Limits
In a decision issued April 19, 2026, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the constitutionality of Canada's legal blood THC limits for drivers under the Criminal Code. The defence had argued the limits were unconstitutional because they were arbitrary and did not directly correlate with active impairment — noting that THC can remain in the blood of frequent or medical users long after any impairment has passed. The court dismissed the challenge, ruling that the THC limit is a valid tool for deterrence and that some over-inclusion of non-impaired drivers does not violate the Charter. MLT Aikins
Mary Jane's Take: This is a genuinely complicated issue, and the court acknowledged that. THC does not work like alcohol — it lingers in the body long after any effect has worn off, which means someone who used cannabis two days ago could technically fail a blood test even if they are completely fine to drive. The law isn't perfect, but the court determined it was constitutional. If you use cannabis regularly and drive, it's worth understanding how Canada's limits work and what they mean for you in practice.
3. AUSTRALIA — New South Wales Just Changed the Rules for Medical Cannabis Patients Who Drive
This one is a meaningful win for patients. The New South Wales government introduced legislation this week that would end the automatic penalization of registered medical cannabis patients who test positive for THC at a roadside drug test, provided they are not impaired and meet strict conditions. Under the proposed law, eligible patients must register with Transport for NSW, hold a valid prescription, and complete an online education program. Roadside testing continues as normal, and any positive test still results in an immediate 24-hour driving ban while the sample goes to a lab — but if the lab result comes in below the threshold and the driver is not impaired, no further penalty applies. Canada.ca
Around 300,000 people in New South Wales have a prescription for medicinal cannabis, and the current framework — which automatically triggers a three-month licence suspension on a positive test regardless of impairment — has been a significant barrier to patients being able to drive to work and medical appointments. Canada.ca
Mary Jane's Take: This is the right call, and it has been a long time coming. The existing law treated a positive THC test the same as being drunk behind the wheel, which is not how cannabis works. A medical patient using prescribed cannabis two days before driving is not the same as an impaired driver. Australia is still figuring this out province by province — Tasmania already has protections, Victoria has limited reforms, and now New South Wales is moving. Road safety still comes first, and this law maintains real safeguards. But it stops punishing patients simply for being patients.
4. GLOBAL — The UN Just Released Its Annual Drug Report, and Cannabis Is the World's Most Used Drug by a Wide Margin
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released its World Drug Report 2026 this week, finding that an estimated 256 million people worldwide used cannabis in 2024 — more than opioids, amphetamines, cocaine, and ecstasy combined. The number of cannabis users globally has grown by 40% over the past decade, with prevalence rising from 3.8% of the global population aged 15 to 64 in 2014 to 4.8% in 2024. MJBizDaily
The report also noted a significant reversal among young people in the United States: after years of declining risk perception around cannabis, young people are increasingly viewing cannabis as more harmful since 2021 — including cannabis vaping. MJBizDaily
Mary Jane's Take: Two things can be true at once. Cannabis is the most widely used drug in the world, and it carries real risks — particularly for younger users and for heavy, daily use over long periods. The goal of cannabis education is not to tell people cannabis is harmless. It's to give people accurate information so they can make informed decisions. The fact that young people are starting to view cannabis with more caution is actually a healthy sign — it means the conversation is maturing beyond "it's just a plant" toward something more honest.
That's your week — two from Canada, two from around the world. See you next Monday.
— Mary Jane
