It's easy to think of Canopy Rivers (NASDAQOTH:CNPOF)as an extension of Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC). After all, Canopy Growth formed Canopy Rivers as a way to pursue investing opportunities in the cannabis industry that help (you guessed it) Canopy Growth.

But as of Sept. 20, Canopy Rivers obtained its own stock listing. The two companies might still be joined at the hip for the most part, but they present very different prospects for investors. Which is the better marijuana stock over the long run? Here's how the parent, Canopy Growth, stacks up against its child, Canopy Rivers.

GLG Life Tech (OTCMKTS:GLGLF) and Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends and valuation.

This table compares GLG Life Tech and Tilray’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Canada made history recently. October 17, 2018, is the date to remember as the moment when marijuana became legal. As the first G7 country to legalize recreational marijuana and the second country in the world, Canada sparked investors’ attention.

October 17, didn’t have a desirable effect on Cronos Group’s (TSX:CRON)(NASDAQ:CRON) stock price. In fact, Cronos took an over 40% plunge from an October 15th high of $15.20 to $8.99 on October 29. This had the effect of wiping out most of the 70% gains in August. The marijuana industry as a whole underwent a massive correction after the legalization date. Despite all of this, there are still indications of a bullish case for Cronos.

If voters in all four states approve their questions, 2018 will end with 32 medical marijuana states and 11 that allow cannabis for adults.

Political oddsmakers give cannabis reform advocates reason to be optimistic heading into the November 2018 election.

There is unprecedented support for marijuana legalization, and advocates say the midterm elections could mark the point of no return for a movement that has been gathering steam for years.

Two to one odds Feds will legalize by 2020 

Currently the online betting site lists 2 to 1 odds that recreational marijuana will be legalized federally before 2020.

Will Medical Marijuana be legalized federally before 2020?
Yes 2/1 (+200)

“This will be the next canola,” said Danny Fieldberg, who grows industrial hemp on his certified organic farm outside of Medicine Hat. “Once it gets going, there will be no stopping it.”

Like canola — which was selectively bred by a team of researchers in the 1970s and has grown to become a billion-dollar industry for Canada — industrial hemp is primarily grown in the three Prairie Provinces. Also like canola, hemp can be used to produce a cooking oil, as well as edible seeds, protein powders and more.

Most marijuana stocks took a beating in October. Once-high-flying Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY) plunged more than 30%, although it still claims the highest market cap among its peers. But not every marijuana stock experienced misery last month.

Shares of Origin House (NASDAQOTH:ORHOF), formerly known as CannaRoyalty, actually ended October up a little.

Which of these two marijuana stocks is the better pick for long-term investors? Here's how Tilray and Origin House stack up against each other.

When it comes to M&A deals in the cannabis sector, the currency of choice appears to be stock. BNN Bloomberg’s David George-Cosh reports that nearly 70 per cent of all marijuana takeover deals made this year have been conducted with just stock, according to figures obtained by Dealogic. That compares to about 17 per cent of all global M&A deals. When it comes to cash, it accounts for only 1 per cent of cannabis M&A compared to 54 per cent of global activity. Why? Cannabis companies have difficulty raising debt, making it hard to obtain capital, and CEOs are also taking advantage of skyrocketing valuations. 

Today we look at three Canadian cannabis stocks trading at low Enterprise Value to Funded Capacity ratios. Enterprise Value measures the market value of a firm’s operating assets and is calculated as market capitalization plus net debt. Funded Capacity refers to expected future production for which funding has been secured. Thus, looking at the Enterprise Value to Funded Capacity ratio provides us with a metric to help value cannabis companies. Lower ratios indicate a more attractive valuation for investors. The Canadian marijuana stocks we’ve weeded out are all significantly lower than the average ratio of $13/gram, according to the Eve & Co. investor presentation. Note: All metrics reflect closing prices as at October 30, 2018.

Now that the legal marijuana and global cannabis markets have exploded, a spotlight is shining bright on the cultivation and growing services segment of the industry, that includes Hydroponic systems and accessories. Hydroponically grown plants grow up to 50% faster and produce higher yields of better quality solution for growing plants in a nutrient-rich water base as opposed to soil. Leaders in the industry are aggressively marketing innovative equipment to cannabis cultivators, as well as opening storefronts across the country in legal states.

48North Cannabis Corp.(TSXV:NRTH), one of the Canadian cannabis stocks, Tuesday announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire privately-held Good & Green in an all-stock transaction valued at C$18 million. Good & Green is an organic cannabis company that operates from a 46,000 square foot indoor facility situated on five acres of land in Brantford, Ontario. Good & Green has also applied for a cultivation license for its 100-acre farm in southwest Ontario, which is capable of producing at least 40,000 kg of dried cannabis, with production anticipated by the early spring of 2019.