After the most recent midterm elections it was clear that Americans preferred legalization over the continued prohibition of pot, which should bolster the case for the top marijuana penny stocks.

When residents in California voted for full recreational weed, it boded well not just for marijuana penny stocks, but for electoral momentum in other states and the midterms emphatically proved this point.

In conservative Utah and Missouri, voters approved medical cannabis. But Michigan stood above the rest, becoming the tenth state to legalize recreational marijuana. Significantly, it’s also the first Midwestern state to approve such an initiative.

One of Hamilton's premier craft beer brewers has its sights set on a new frontier: cannabis-infused drinks.

Collective Arts announced Monday that it plans to launch a line of cannabis and hemp-infused drinks in Canada and the U.S.

The group said in a statement the drinks will be sold under a sister company starting in late 2019, "pending anticipated government approvals for cannabis and hemp products."

What a difference a month makes. Following what was generally a rough 2018 for marijuana stocks, the industry collectively soared in January. The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF, a basket of about four dozen pot stocks with varied weightings, skyrocketed by more than 47% last month. That's incredible, no matter how you slice it.

Did someone say something about a correction in marijuana stocks? Although the fourth quarter of 2018 was a bit rough on cannabis investors, January likely turned that frown upside down, and instilled a high that pot stock shareholders have come to appreciate.

For the month of January, the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF, a basket of around four dozen cannabis and cannabis-related securities with varied weightings, gained 48.3%. I'll repeat that for you skimmers: The most widely followed and first publicly traded marijuana ETF gained almost 50% in just one month.

Drake vs. Kanye. Jay-Z vs. Lil Wayne. Snoop Dogg vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs?

There’s nothing personal about the latest beef involving a famous rapper. It’s just business.

TSN reported in 2016 that the Leafs would oppose Snoop’s attempt to trademark “Leafs by Snoop” for use in a line of cannabis and related products.

Now, according to a report in The Independent, lawyers representing the Leafs have issued a filing elaborating on their concerns, claiming that the “unusual spelling of Leafs could lead to confusion.”

Big Canadian marijuana stocks are hot. But are they too hot? Not according to Wall Street.

The biggest of them all, Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC), has enjoyed a great ride so far in 2018, with shares soaring nearly 80%. Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB) and Tilray(NASDAQ:TLRY) have been neck-and-neck for the No. 2 spot in terms of market cap. Aurora is up close to 40% year to date, while Tilray's share price is up around 10%.

The World Health Organization recommended the re-scheduling of cannabis and some of its main components, recognizing the plant’s medical potential and acknowledging the need for further research around it, only days after Israel approved a plan to export cannabis. On the markets front, Slang Worldwide Inc (CNSX: SLNG) started trading in Canada.

The cannabis market has begun 2019 with a big rally following a horrible Q4. The Global Cannabis Stock Index, managed by New Cannabis Ventures, gained over 44% in January after having dropped over 44% in the 4th quarter. With the bullish tone in the market, many investors are looking for new issues, specifically initial public offerings (IPOs), which we are seeing with increasing frequency as the capital markets have opened to cannabis companies.

It seems as if the ship has sailed for many top marijuana stocks. Canopy Growth. for example has seen its stock climb to the $70 range, only to plummet by half. Fast-forward to today and those shares are closing in on that $70 price tag yet again. That leaves those wanting to get into the marijuana industry in a pickle: which is the next Canopy Growth? And which stock should I not waste my time with? Today we’ll be looking at Aurora Cannabis Inc.  (TSX:ACB)(NYSE:ACB) and Aphria Inc.  (TSX:APHA)(NYSE:APHA) to see if you should double down, or dump it.

Marijuana stocks have seen some darker days as the end of last year showed some signs of bearish sentiment from various investors. The beginning of this new year, however, is characterized by a complete shift from this, allowing for companies to see bullish returns and move toward the future of the industry. With so many changes affecting the growth of the market such as legislation and the public opinion of the substance, many companies have become standouts amongst the market.