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:
Scromiting Linked to Heavy Cannabis Use
What is scromiting? Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), a troubling medical phenomenon, which saw renewed spotlight this week. Reports surged of people, often long term or heavy cannabis users, experiencing extreme and repeated bouts of nausea and violent vomiting, sometimes up to five times per hour, along with pain and distress.
Described by some patients as “a living hell,” these cycles can lead to dehydration, kidney damage, severe abdominal pain, and in worst cases may necessitate emergency medical care. The rising number of reported cases appears tied to increased cannabis use over the past several years, especially among younger adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perhaps crucially: CHS now has an official medical diagnosis code, a change that allows doctors to better track occurrence and research outcomes, but also forces users and the broader culture to confront what many had dismissed as rare or fringe side-effects.
This new layer of clinical seriousness threatens to rewrite the narrative — pushing cannabis from a laid-back wellness staple or recreational escape into something that, for some long-term users, carries very real medical risks.
Veterans Access, Rescheduling Prospects Remain Uncertain
The recent federal funding bill redefining hemp has also lost a provision that would have allowed doctors at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recommend medical cannabis to veterans in states where it’s legal. Meaning countless veterans looking for relief, whether for chronic pain, PTSD, sleepless nights, or the whole grim catalog, are still shut out from accessing state-legal medical cannabis through the VA.
Separately, the federal push to reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act is still stuck in limbo. A White House spokesperson recently confirmed the review is “ongoing,” which is Washington-speak for don’t hold your breath.
Social Lounges and Changing Laws in Massachusetts
On the state front, regulation and culture continue to evolve, particularly in Massachusetts, where regulators are racing to finalize rules for social consumption lounges (“pot lounges”) after years of delays. As of December 2025, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) has scheduled a final vote for December 11 on licensing frameworks for on-site cannabis consumption venues.
If approved, this would open the door for lounges, cafés, rooftop venues attached to dispensaries, hospitality style spots (yoga/yoga-studio style venues, theaters, event spaces), and even temporary consumption events, bringing recreational cannabis use closer to how alcohol is socially consumed.
At the same time, Massachusetts lawmakers continue to tweak other elements of the state’s cannabis laws. A recently approved Senate bill raises the adult possession limit of cannabis from 1 ounce to 2 ounces, loosens vertical integration requirements for medical operators, and loosens some of the restrictions around out-of-state medical card holders.
Market Moves: Cannabis Stocks This Week
Cronos Group (CRON) held steady around two dollars and eighty-nine cents, benefiting from its international focus and relative independence from the volatile U.S. recreational market. Aurora Cannabis (ACB), trading near four dollars and sixty-nine cents, drew investor attention with strong growth in its international medical cannabis business, highlighting a pivot toward more regulated and stable markets.
Tilray Brands (TLRY), at approximately eight dollars and three cents, experienced volatility as federal restrictions on hemp-derived products fueled uncertainty, while Canopy Growth (CGC), near one dollar and fifteen cents, continues to face sector-wide challenges despite restructuring and a focus on medical and international operations.
Overall, investors are favoring cannabis companies with diversified operations and international or medical market exposure, while firms dependent on U.S. recreational or hemp-derived products face heightened regulatory risk and volatility.
