TSA Says You Can Fly with Medical Marijuana: Last Week in Weed May 6-May 18, 2026
Welcome to the latest edition of “Last Week In Weed,” catching you up on the latest breaking news and industry developments in the world of cannabis.
Here’s what you may have missed over the last week:
TSA’s Medical Marijuana Guidance Sparks More Questions Than Answers
The TSA says travelers can fly with medical marijuana under certain circumstances, but the reality remains legally murky and wildly inconsistent depending on the airport, airline, and state involved. The updated guidance reignited confusion around federal enforcement, patient protections, and what happens when state cannabis laws collide with federal air travel regulations.
For medical patients, the announcement represents both progress and frustration: greater acknowledgement of cannabis as medicine paired with almost no clear national framework for navigating it safely.
Los Angeles Moves to Crack Down on Illegal Cannabis Shops
Los Angeles officials are advancing a cannabis tax proposal designed to strengthen enforcement against the city’s persistent illicit market. Supporters argue the plan could help licensed operators compete more fairly against unregulated storefronts that continue undercutting legal businesses on pricing and compliance costs.
The proposal highlights one of the industry’s biggest ongoing challenges: legalization alone has not eliminated illicit sales, especially in major urban markets where enforcement remains inconsistent and taxes remain high.
Read more: Emerald, Owner of MJBizCon, Goes Private Equity – Cannabis & Tech Today
Cannabis Stocks Aren’t Crashing, They’re Stalling
According to analysts at New Cannabis Ventures, Q1 cannabis earnings reports revealed something more subtle than collapse: stagnation. The bigger story was not dramatic failure, but an industry struggling to generate momentum amid compressed margins, cautious investors, and ongoing federal uncertainty.
Increasingly, operators are being forced to focus less on expansion-at-all-costs and more on operational discipline, sustainable cash flow, and surviving long enough to capitalize on eventual federal reform.
Arcana Collective Pushes Into Europe
Arcana Collective announced a new distribution partnership with UK-based seed bank Pure Sativa, expanding the company’s reach into the European market.
The partnership gives European home growers and cultivators broader access to Arcana’s preservation-focused genetics while reflecting the increasingly global nature of cannabis breeding and seed distribution. Arcana CEO Andrew Berman framed the expansion as part of a larger effort to build international infrastructure around cannabis genetics preservation and intentional breeding.
As Europe’s cannabis markets continue evolving, genetics companies are increasingly positioning themselves less as local brands and more as international intellectual property and cultivation platforms.
Packaging Claims Face Greater Scrutiny
The BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division recommended that Grove Bags modify or discontinue several advertising claims tied to its TerpLoc® storage technology after a challenge from competitor Calyx Containers.
While regulators found support for claims that the packaging helps preserve moisture, cannabinoids, and terpenes under certain conditions, they concluded that some marketing language overstated consistency and implied guaranteed performance across all use cases.
The case reflects a broader maturation within the cannabis industry as packaging, preservation technology, and post-harvest science become increasingly sophisticated and increasingly scrutinized.