There’s little doubt the rise of Canada’s newest sector was the story of the year in 2018.

We finally found out what a world with legalized marijuana would be like last year, and for the most part, it’s exactly the same as before — at least from a day-to-day life perspective. Things are far different from an investment point of view, however, with Canada’s marijuana sector evolving from a bit sector nobody really took seriously to a place that has attracted massive amounts of capital.

Whether you’re an experienced pot investor or just a rookie entering the space for the first time, here are three massive trends that appear poised to impact the sector in 2019.

The marijuana industry absolutely transformed before our eyes in 2018. After decades of being a taboo topic, legal weed became a legitimate business model with the passage of the Cannabis Act in Canada. Although it'll take some time for the industry to get up to speed, the legal Canadian pot market could be generating in excess of $5 billion in sales within a few years.

The same could be said for the U.S. market, even though marijuana remains illegal at the federal level. With 32 states having legalized weed in some capacity, 10 of which allow adult-use pot, the dollars are starting to roll in.

It turns out if you’re interested in starting a career in the cannabis industry after graduation, you can jump on a path at many schools that’ll help you land a suitable position in the industry while giving you valuable experience. If you live in Canada or the U.S., there are various major cities that offer cannabis courses and programs.

Keep reading to find out where you can study cannabis and get legitimate college credit for it.

Marijuana stock prices are on fire again, and Canopy Growth (TSX:WEED)(NYSE:CGC) is leading the way.

Let’s take a look at Canada’s leading cannabis stock to see if it deserves to be on your buy listright now.

Major surge

Canopy Growth is up 40% to start 2019, as bargain hunters seek to capitalize on the meltdown that hit the marijuana sector through the end of last year. Investors who had the courage to step in at the December low are all smiles, and those who missed the rally are trying to decide if more upside is on the way.

Beleave Inc. (CSE: BE) (OTCQX: BLEVF) ("Beleave" or the "Company") is excited to announce its wholly-owned subsidiary Beleave Kannabis Corp. has been authorized by Health Canada to sell cannabis oil products effective January 11, 2019. After reviewing the application and supporting documentation, Health Canada granted an amended licence with modified conditions allowing for the sale of cannabis oil under the Cannabis Regulations.

 Province Brands of Canada — the Canadian company developing the world's first beers brewed from the cannabis plant — today announced it signed a Letter of Intent with the Canadian Hemp Farmers Alliance (CHFA), establishing CHFA as a supplier of hemp stalks to Province Brands. The agreement secures favourable pricing for Province Brands to acquire hemp stalks, stems and roots.

Canopy CEO focuses on stabilizing stock volatility with institutional investors

Licensed producer Tilray Inc. has teamed up with the U.S. company behind brands such as Juicy Couture, Aeropostale and Nine West to develop and sell co-branded consumer cannabis products globally, with items expected to hit U.S. and Canadian shelves within the next year.

The Nanaimo, B.C.-based company announced Tuesday the long-term revenue sharing agreement with Authentic Brands Group, to whom Tilray will initially pay US$100 million in cash and stock, or up to $250 million depending on certain milestones.

Tilray will receive up to 49 per cent of the net revenue from these products bearing names from ABG's portfolio of more than 50 brands, with a guaranteed minimum payment of up to US$10 million annually for 10 years.

Aphria (TSX:APHA)(NYSE:APHA) had a tumultuous end of the week. In an unexpected move, the company decided to part ways with CEO Vic Neufeld and co-founder Cole Cacciavillani. The news was first announced on Thursday, January 10, on the evening before Aphria was supposed to release its second-quarter earnings results.

A promise you might see a lot on the Motley Fool and other financial advice websites is, “This is the next Amazon.”

Well, for Shopify (TSX:SHOP)(NYSE:SHOP), that might just be true.

Honestly, the stock is a powerhouse, even in this volatile market. In fact, let’s just take a quick look at how much you could have made over the past few years if you had purchased this stock already: