Last Week in Cannabis #7
September 14–20, 2026 | Issue #7
Hey friend — welcome back to Last Week in Cannabis. A landmark American poll this week that puts the state of public opinion on cannabis in sharp relief, a meaningful update on the US hemp deadline, and a cancer study out of Minnesota worth knowing about. Let's get into it.
1. UNITED STATES — Only 37% of Americans Now Think Cannabis Is Dangerous
A new Rasmussen poll conducted September 8–10 and released this week found that 55% of American adults consider cannabis use not particularly dangerous, while just 37% view it as somewhat or very dangerous — down from 42% who said it was dangerous in the same poll a year ago. Only 13% of respondents described cannabis as "very dangerous." The gateway theory is also losing ground: fewer than half of respondents said cannabis was somewhat or very likely to lead to use of more dangerous drugs.
Mary Jane's Take: Public opinion has been shifting on cannabis for years, but this poll captures just how far it has moved. More than half of American adults no longer believe cannabis is particularly dangerous — and this is in a country where it remains federally illegal. That gap between what people believe and what the law says is getting harder to justify. The gateway theory, which has been used for decades to argue against cannabis access, is now believed by fewer than half of Americans. These attitudes do not happen in a vacuum — they reflect decades of lived experience, growing legal access, and a growing body of research. The science is catching up to what many people already knew.
2. UNITED STATES — Michigan Just Crossed $17 Billion in Total Cannabis Sales
Michigan surpassed $17 billion in combined adult-use and medical cannabis sales since regulated sales began, according to a new state report released this week. August alone generated approximately $259 million in sales — bringing cumulative adult-use sales above $15.4 billion and medical sales above $1.6 billion. The Marijuana Herald estimates those combined sales have generated roughly $2.66 billion in state tax revenue.
Mary Jane's Take: Michigan has become one of the most closely watched cannabis markets in the United States — it sits next to states where cannabis remains illegal, has highly competitive retail pricing, and has consistently outperformed expectations. Crossing $17 billion in total sales is a milestone that puts Michigan's cannabis market in perspective: it is larger than many people realize, and growing. The tax revenue alone — nearly $2.7 billion — tells a compelling story about what regulated cannabis does for public coffers.
3. UNITED STATES — Minnesota Medical Cannabis Patients with Cancer Reported Major Symptom Improvements
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management published a study this week involving more than 6,500 patients — described as one of the largest studies ever conducted on medical cannabis treatment — finding that cancer patients reported decreased nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and depression scores within four months of starting medical cannabis.
Mary Jane's Take: A study of more than 6,500 patients is not a small sample. For cancer patients, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and depression are not minor inconveniences — they are significant quality-of-life issues that can make an already difficult experience much harder to manage. Finding that medical cannabis meaningfully reduced all four within four months is the kind of real-world outcome data that matters to patients, physicians, and policymakers alike. It adds to a growing body of evidence that cannabis has a genuine and meaningful role to play in cancer care — not as a cure, but as a tool for improving how patients feel during treatment.
4. UNITED STATES — The December Hemp THC Deadline Is Creating Real Urgency in Congress
With December 11th now the hard deadline for the federal hemp THC ban, industry advocates and congressional allies are intensifying their push for a regulatory framework before the clock runs out. Several bills are circulating in the House and Senate, but none has the momentum needed to pass before the deadline without significant bipartisan support. Hemp industry representatives warned this week that without a solution, millions of consumers will lose access to products they use regularly, and thousands of businesses will face an abrupt end.
Mary Jane's Take: December 11th is eleven weeks away as of this writing. The hemp THC market — drinks, gummies, vapes sold widely across the country, including in states where conventional cannabis is still illegal — represents billions of dollars in commerce and millions of regular users. Congress delayed the ban by one month specifically to find a solution. Finding a real regulatory framework in eleven weeks is a significant challenge. The most likely outcomes at this point are either another delay or a narrow legislative fix that addresses the most acute concerns without solving the underlying regulatory gap. Either way, this story is far from finished.
That's your week — four from the United States. See you next Monday.
— Mary Jane
