Just to be clear, the retail price of marijuana in Canada remains stable for now.

Now underway in full force in Canada, the legalization experiment has drawn attention from around the world. Canada is the first G7 country — and only the second country in the world — to legalize cannabis at the federal level. Absent accurate data to capture what consumers actually paid for their weed pre-legalization (it was illegal, after all), the government has made pricing and taxing decisions largely on the basis of what other regions of the U.S. and other Western nations have done in terms of medical and recreational marijuana pricing given the length of time many of these places have had to gather data.

It was mid-summer, less than three months before Canada legalized recreational marijuana, and Vic Neufeld had a problem.

The chief executive officer of Aphria Inc. had just hired 50 people to work in the pot producer’s greenhouse in Leamington, Ontario and by the end of the first week all but eight had quit.

“Those are really hot, humid months and working in a greenhouse, as much cooling and airflow as we can provide, is still pretty darn hot in July and August,” Neufeld said in a phone interview.

The cannabis industry has seen major changes in recent months, and that's prompted many investors to take a look at marijuana stocks for the first time. In particular, key events like the beginning of recreational cannabis sales in Canada have given the businesses that grow, process, and distribute marijuana a chance to prove themselves. Unfortunately, that hasn't gone as well as many had hoped, with numerous challenges preventing many companies from taking full advantage of the opportunity.

While Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis is hoping more permits will be granted well before that, it’s a possibility it could take that long before the current number of licensed pot shops grows beyond the current 65, said commission spokeswoman Kaleigh Miller.

“We could get a huge amount of supply in six months, or it could be 18 months — it’s a huge flux time,” she said.

“Hopefully in the middle of that time, we’ll see a more normalized industry and supply … it’s out of our hands.”

Cannabis shortages remain in the wake of changes to the province’s supply system, said the AGLC and marijuana retailers.

You might be surprised that Cronos Group (NASDAQ:CRON)is the best-performing marijuana stock of all time. It's also one of the biggest winners among healthcare stocks of the 21st century -- at least so far. 

Is time running out for Aphria Inc. (TSX:APHA)(NYSE:APHA)?

Up until now, investors are not totally convinced that the stock is one of the most promising in the sector.

Canada’s third-largest marijuana producer has plugged in all the loopholes.

The preparations leading to the adult-use marijuana legalization should have given the company the competitive advantage it richly deserves. Also, the takeoff and payback shouldn’t take forever given the size and magnitude of Aphria’s aggressive acquisitions. The script has been rewritten, as the market reveals.

When it comes to cannabis companies, size matters. There are both big and small marijuana growers, but the truth is, economies of scale come easier to big companies.

That’s why savvy investors should keep a close eye on rapidly growing, medicinal-cannabis producer Asterion Cannabis Inc., a private company eyeing to list in the United States, Canada and Australia next year.

Asterion made investors sit up when it recently announced plans to construct the world's largest purpose-built greenhouse cannabis production facility in Queensland, Australia, after a non-brokered private placement of up to C$5 million.

Chromadex (NASDAQ:CDXC) and Cronos Group (NASDAQ:CRON) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, dividends, earnings and institutional ownership.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Chromadex and Cronos Group’s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

After a record-breaking year with more than 17,000 unique public votes, the top three cannabis products of 2018 are:
- Top Sativa Flower: OG Kush (CannTrust) -
- Top Hybrid Flower: Blueberry Kush (CannTrust) -
- Top Indica Flower: Bakerstreet (Tweed) -

- 7Acres wins Brand of the Year, CannTrust wins Licensed Producer of the Year and Canna Farms wins Top Lift & Co. Reviewed Licensed Producer of the Year –

- Bruce Linton honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award, and Rosy Mondin wins first-ever Woman in Weed – Trailblazer award –

Since legalization in mid-October, pot stocks have been consolidating, and the streets have seen some panic. And yet, most investors seem to have forgotten that pot stocks are still sitting on significant one-year gains. Over the past year, the Canadian Marijuana Index has risen 42%. This is a great return, especially when one considers overall market weakness.

For those who entered these stocks at their peaks, I understand your skepticism. It also highlights the dangers of momentum investing and ignoring fundamentals. However, the recent downturn is normal and healthy for sectors in their infancy.