Happy Monday, everyone.
The first legal cannabis ever sold in Canada was on October 17, 2018. Seven years and three days later, legal cannabis is about as normal in Canada as Molson. It’s always interesting to reflect on what people were saying back then. Great perspective from Member of Parliament Nate Erskine-Smith here.
Also, new partners are joining the Cultivated world today: check out all things Weedgets below.
-JB, JR, ZH, NM
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📣 Quotable
“All day long I take phone calls from people to tell them no, we don't have the product,” Mark Eide, who got his license to sell cannabis in Minnesota on Aug. 12, told MPR News. “Then they want to know when I’m going to have the product and I have no clue.”
Eide is just one of the many dispensary operators in Minnesota who are struggling with a drastic undersupply in the market.
📣 Quick hits
Pennsylvania senators introduce bill for cannabis regulatory body 📜
A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania senators have introduced a bill to create a Cannabis Control Board to oversee the state’s medical cannabis operations and prepare for recreational legalization. The legislation is supported by 17 lawmakers and emphasises the need to be “ready when legalization becomes law.”
Police crack down on illegal Ontario cannabis 👮
The Ontario Provincial Police seized over 700 illegal cannabis plants earlier this month in Centre Hastings. The illegal product was found when investigating a different site and six individuals were arrested.
Connecticut hemp farmer sues state over social equity rules 🧑⚖️
Brant Smith, one of the state's few remaining hemp farmers, sued the state in federal court on Oct. 14, claiming that the state unconstitutionally restricts new cultivator licenses to social equity candidates. The state grants social equity status based on income and whether or not they live in one of the state's communities that have been most affected by the War on Drugs.
Florida cannabis advocacy group files lawsuit 🏛️
Smart & Safe Florida filed a lawsuit this month against the Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd. The suit is based on the director of the state Division of Elections (who works for Byrd) encouraging election supervisors to discard 200,000+ pro legalization valid signatures based on an "unprecedented directive.” Smart & Safe Florida and other advocacy groups have been collecting signatures to get recreational cannabis on the 2026 ballot while facing stiff opposition from the governor and his allies.
WEEDGETS
Cough reduction with smoke filtering and cooling from Weedgets*
Coughing is one of the most common side effects of smoking cannabis, it’s a physiological reaction that is often hard to avoid.
When hot, harsh smoke hits the throat and lungs, it triggers irritation, inflammation, and dryness. Over time, this can lead to chronic coughing, even for experienced users.
Weedgets was founded by a medical device engineer who saw a simple truth: the issue isn’t the cannabis, it’s how it’s consumed.
By applying medical-grade design principles to smoking, Weedgets developed innovative solutions that filter and cool smoke before it reaches your lungs — drastically reducing cough, heat, and irritation.
Its flagship device, the MAZE-X Pipe, uses a patented maze-like airway to cool smoke on its path through the device, making each inhale noticeably smoother.
The newly-released X7 one hitter pipe combines cooling and filtering in a sleek, portable form that’s easy to clean and built to last. And Weedgets proprietary Charcoal Filters trap tar and micro-particles, letting users breathe easier while preserving flavor.
*SPONSORED
🤝 Deals, launches, partnerships
Cannabis media company WeedWeek gets acquired 📈
Cannabis industry media company WeedWeek has new owners. Shane D'Aprile and Shane Greer launched RegStream Media Group, which will include WeedWeek in its portfolio of B2B media outlets. Journalist Alex Halperin will remain at the helm of the newsletter.
😂 One fun thing
Cannabis comes up in the NYC’s mayoral debate
Last week the three men running to be New York City's next mayor were asked during a debate whether or not they had ever legally purchased cannabis from a licensed dispensary.
Curtis Sliwa went hard, Zohran Mamdani gave an answer like his boss just caught him smoking in the walk-in freezer and Andrew Cuomo curtly said "no." The New York Post has the clip.
The debate saved the most burning question till the end. Moderators asked Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa if they've purchased anything in a cannabis shop, prompting some giggle-inducing answers.
— #New York Post (#@nypost)
2:30 AM • Oct 17, 2025
📰 What we’re reading
The curious case of cannabis-scented tissues | The Portugal News