News

Quick Hits: Cannabis news in brief

Published on January 16, 2026 by Pat Bulmer

Photo: Contributed

Cannabis news in brief: Cannara vapes hit Quebec; Strike hurt Stigma; Medical market good for Glow; Alberta eases promotion rules; SNDL targeted by law firm; Redecan adds live resin vapes; Charges at unregulated P.E.I. store; Cannabis testing big business; Aurora expands in Europe 

Vape launch gives Cannara a boost

Vaping is proving to be enormously successful for Cannara Biotech, the company claimed in its first pronouncement of 2026.

“The vape cartridge category launch in our home province of Quebec has been a valuable opportunity to further expand our position as Canada’s No. 1 premium vape producer,” said company CEO Zohar Krivorot. “With five of the 25 total SKUs (products) approved, we successfully positioned our business for the largest product category launch in recent Canadian cannabis history, and I am encouraged at the strong initial consumer demand for our premium vapes.”

The success of the vape launch made Cannara the top cannabis company by retail sales in the province, with a 14.7% market share in December, the company said.

Cannara operates two production facilities in Quebec spanning over 1,650,000 square feet and producing 100,000 kilograms of pot.

BC gov’t strike slowed sales

An eight-week government-workers’ strike in British Columbia hampered sales for Calgary-based CanadaBis Capital (aka Stigma Grow).

“The company estimates this temporary disruption resulted in approximately $0.5 million of lost cannabis sales,” a quarterly financial report revealed.

Despite that, the news was mostly good for the three months ending Oct. 31.

“In spite of this temporary market disruption, the company delivered solid results, generating gross revenue of $5.7 million and net revenue of $3.3 million, with gross margin improving to 27%, up from 22.3% in the prior quarter,” the report said.

“CanadaBis is also pleased to report that it recorded positive adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $0.2 million and positive operating cash flow of $0.4 million during the quarter.

The financial boost was helped by “labour efficiency initiatives” and “refinement of our product offerings toward higher margin formats,” said CEO Travis McIntyre.

The company also said it had received TSX approval to issue more shares to cover an upcoming interest payment.

Medical market is where it’s at

Glow Lifetech is entering Canada’s medical cannabis market with a series of CBD, CBN and THC drops.

The company’s MOD- and .decimal-branded products will now be offered on the Mendo Medical Cannabis platform.

Fourteen items will be “available to medical patients across Canada, including veterans,” Glow said in a news release.

Glow is a biotechnology company that produces nutraceutical and cannabinoid-based products. Its headquarters are in Toronto.

Montreal-based Mendo offers an online portal for medical cannabis patients, featuring products from various producers.

While the Glow products are available through many retail stores, getting on a medical platform is considered important.

“Medical cannabis has historically been the first point of legalization in many global markets, and recent U.S. moves to reclassify cannabis to Schedule III underscore the continued relevance of medical-first frameworks,” said Glow CEO Rob Carducci.

Cannabis drops — taken directly or added to food or drinks — allow for precise dosing, according to various explanations.

Alberta loosens promotion rules

Alberta’s cannabis regulator is making it easier for retailers and suppliers to team up to promote their products.

New regulations issued in an Alberta Liquor Gaming and Cannabis bulletin on Dec. 10 will allow:

— suppliers to direct their advertising to particular retailers and also pay for retailer advertisements of supplier brands;

— removal of restrictions on supplier-branded fridges, display cases and signs within a retail store;

— supplier participation in a retailer’s customer loyalty program; and

— suppliers can now pay for a retailer’s travel costs to attend brand seminars/training.

“AGLC will consult with stakeholders in the coming months to review the effectiveness of these amended policies,” the bulletin said.

SNDL deal attracts law firm

A New York law firm that claims to stand up for defrauded investors is targeting Canadian cannabis and liquor company SNDL.

Revisions to an agreement to buy 32 cannabis stores caused a drop in the SNDL’s share price, Pomerantz LLP explained in a news release.

“On December 15, 2025, SNDL and 1CM Inc. announced an amendment to their earlier announced agreement by which SNDL is to acquire 32 cannabis retail stores from 1CM. While the revised agreement maintains the total purchase price of $32.2 million in cash ($1 million per store), it splits the acquisition into two closings to accommodate regulatory approval timelines.

“On this news, SNDL’s stock price fell $0.29 per share or 13.12% to close at $1.92 per share on December 15, 2025.”

Disgruntled shareholders are invited to contact Pomerantz through its website.

Pomerantz seeks out unhappy shareholders. On the same day as this announcement, the law firm posted at least two similar notices referring to other (non-cannabis) companies.

Cannabis companies Aurora and Canopy Growth were previously in the law firm’s sights after issuing what the lawyers thought might be flawed financial reports.

In the revised sale agreement between SNDL and 1CM, five stores in Alberta and Saskatchewan changed hands on Jan. 7 with 27 in Ontario still waiting for regulatory approval.

SNDL operates Value Buds and Spiritleaf stores. 1CM retail brands include TCannabis, Cost Cannabis and One Cannabis Market.

Tilray launches new vapes

Tilray’s Redecan brand is launching a new line of vape cartridges.

Amped Live Resin Liquid Diamond 1g 510 cartridges are debuting with two strains — Space Age CK and Blueberry DNTS.

Redecan promises the latest and greatest engineering for its 80% live resin and 20% liquid diamonds formula.

“Redecan engineered Amped around the TrueDraw Ceramic core, made from medical‑grade zirconia ceramic, and a wide‑body architecture that improves airflow and helps prevent clogs,” the company claimed in a news release.

Vaping is most popular from December to February “perfectly aligning with the timing of this launch,” the release said.

The cartridges are offered in Ontario and Alberta. National distribution is scheduled for early 2026

Cannabis store operators face charges

Mounties on Prince Edward Island raided an unregulated cannabis store.

The raid took place in September. An RCMP press release was issued two months later.

Police said a man, 41, and woman, 40, were arrested. The store was in Scotchfort.

Police seized 143 items, including over 6.5 kilograms of bulk dried cannabis, high dose edibles, concentrates, vaping products and nicotine pouches, the release said.

Adam Michael Jadis and Melissa Victoria Jadis were charged with eight federal and provincial offences — federal charges for possession and selling cannabis, provincial charges related to operating an unauthorized store.

A court appearance was set for Dec. 15.

Scotchfort is an unincorporated rural community in northeastern Queens County, says Wikipedia.

An unlicensed cannabis store in Digby, N.S., was also ticketed, RCMP said.

“During the inspection (on Jan. 6), officers seized a quantity of illegal cannabis in various forms, hashish, cash, unstamped tobacco, and vape products,” police said in a news release.

Two men received tickets. One was also arrested “based on an outstanding warrant on an unrelated investigation.”

Cannabis testing to grow

The business of testing cannabis for THC levels and other quality checks will more than double worldwide by 2030, a report says.

Dublin-based Research and Markets said the business is worth $US1.51 billion now and will grow to US$3.79 billion by 2030.

“As more regions transition to regulated markets, the demand for comprehensive analytical services to verify potency, purity, and safety increases for a burgeoning array of cannabis products,” the research firm said in a news release touting the report Cannabis Testing Services Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2020-2030F.

The companies that do the testing are getting better at it, Research and Markets says: “The increasing adoption of automation and high-throughput technologies is transforming cannabis testing laboratories by enabling them to process larger volumes of samples with enhanced speed and precision.”

The report profiles a number of testing companies, including provincial government-owned Saskatchewan Research Council and Mississauga-based SGS Canada.

You can buy the report for $4,500.

Aurora launches new brands in Europe

Edmonton-based Aurora Cannabis has been busy overseas.

Last month, the company announced the launch of a new medical cannabis brand in Germany.

Daily Special is “designed to offer reliable, high-quality flower at an accessible price point,” the company said. It became available through pharmacies and online on Dec. 19.

“The Daily Special launch introduces a sativa-dominant cultivar … with a range of 21-23% THC,” the company said.

Aurora also launched the Black Jelly brand in Poland on Dec. 11.

Black Jelly is “a proprietary cultivar … expanding the company’s portfolio of high-potency medical cannabis products in one of Europe’s fastest-growing markets,” the company said. “Black Jelly (27% THC)  joins Farm Gas and Sourdough under the Cannabis flos Aurora brand portfolio.”

Aurora named Kerry Miller, a 35-year consumer packaged goods executive, as managing director for Australia and New Zealand, effective Jan. 15.