In case you missed it, marijuana stocks are unstoppable once again. After a lull early in the year, all but a very small handful of marijuana stocks surged by a double-digit percentage in August. Excitement over Canada's upcoming recreational cannabis legalization on Oct. 17, along with a flurry of recent deal-making, has pushed a number of brand-name pot stocks to new heights. 

The question is: What top marijuana stocks should you be watching this month?

But as the government well knows, what’s written on paper won’t add up to anything nearly so blissful. Though Oct. 17 looms as a cultural and legal sea change, cannabis will not shed its stigma overnight.

As the new law takes hold, few expect the vast black and grey markets that carried Canadian cannabis to this moment to vanish like so many puffs of smoke, surrendering lock, stock and barrel to Bay Street’s new publicly traded titans of factory-scale production.

The day weed becomes legal, activists and cannabis law experts say, marks the start of a prolonged, uncertain and potentially ugly battle for the shape and soul of the industry that emerges from the regulatory haze.

Canadian marijuana stocks appear to be really hitting their stride right now. Shares of HEXO Corp.(NASDAQOTH:HYYDF), formerly known as Hydropothecary, are up 65% so far in 2018. Organigram Holdings Inc. (NASDAQOTH:OGRMF) stock isn't too far behind, with a year-to-date gain of nearly 60%.

But which of these marijuana stocks is the better choice for investors now? Here's what you need to know about how HEXO and Organigram stack up against each other. 

There is no dearth of good news for marijuana producers these days. Look at the stock price of Canopy Growth  (TSX:WEED)(NYSE:CGC), the world’s largest cannabis company. It has almost doubled during the past three weeks, reflecting positive momentum that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

After such a massive rally, the biggest question for growth-seeking investors is whether they should buy marijuana stocks now or wait until these pot producers show some positive earnings. Let’s see if Canopy Growth stock is still a buy after surging more than 100% since August 14.

Deron Caplan’s brain has been hooked on pot for years.

And for the casual, infrequent marijuana user, it’s paid off in Canada’s first PhD in cannabis production.

Marijuana markets across the world are set to grow by dizzying levels over the next few years. But where in the world will the fastest growth be?

Fortunately, the cannabis industry analysts at Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics joined forces to answer this question (and plenty more) in the recently published book The State of Legal Marijuana Markets, 6th Edition. Arcview and BDS Analysts developed a cannabis market model that spanned the globe, estimating marijuana sales in 2017 and projecting what sales will be in 2022.

Marystown town council approved an application by Taylor Giovannini, co-founder and CEO of Oceanic Releaf, for a retail cannabis store.

The location at 209-213 Unit #2 Ville Marie Drive is the former home of Island Escape, also previously Brews and Views.

Giovannini addressed members of council during a regular meeting held on Tuesday, Sept. 4. Two days later, she told The Southern Gazette it was a very positive meeting.

“The purpose of me being there was to explain … how we plan to deliver the retail experience in Marystown,” said Giovannini.

She added that the retail location primary focus is on educating consumers about cannabis, cannabis use and just how to have conversations about cannabis usage.

The first marijuana exchange-traded fund has reached a milestone that has as much to do with surging pot stocks as it does with investor inflows.

TORONTO -- Ontario has signed supply agreements with six more licensed cannabis producers, bringing the total to 32, along with 10 accessories suppliers.

The deals were announced Wednesday by the Ontario Cannabis Store, which will be selling pot online starting on Oct. 17 when recreational marijuana use is legalized.

It is also establishing a wholesale distribution network to supply cannabis to legal private stores once legislative requirements are put in place.