Pre-rolls are now the leading cannabis product categoryCanada

As Canada’s legal cannabis market has matured and stabilized, producers and retailers have adjusted their product mix to meet the needs of every consumer and keep their brands at the top of the sales charts. But one category in particular has quietly and consistently separated itself from the rest due to its ready-to-use, convenient format: the humble pre-roll.

According to cannabis analytics firm Headset, which tracks four Canadian provincial markets, Pre-Rolls officially became Canada’s largest cannabis category in 2025, overtaking flower for the first time in the country’s legal market history. At CAD$1.43 billion in sales across 77.2 million units sold, this isn’t a trending product format worth watching; it’s the category worth building around.

From Runner-Up to Market Leader

Looking back three years, longtime product leader Flower held the top revenue spot at $1.42 billion versus Pre-Rolls at $1.25 billion. Today, those positions have flipped, and the gap continues to widen. Flower sales declined 3.7% in 2024 and another 1.6% in 2025, while Pre-Rolls posted consecutive growth of 7.6% in 2024 and 6.3% in 2025.

Pre-Rolls now command 34% of Canada’s total cannabis market, up from 31.3% just two years ago, adding nearly a full percentage point of market share each year in a maturing national market worth over $4.2 billion.

Unit sales reinforce this shift in consumer preference for pre-rolls. Canadians purchased more than 77 million pre-roll units in 2025, a 14% increase (9 million units) from two years prior. Consumers are trading in flower for pre-rolls because of the convenience, consistency, portability and price point, allowing consumers to test new brands and strains without breaking the bank.

Where the Growth Is Actually Coming From

Not all pre-rolls are created equal, and the market data makes consumer priorities clear.

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