These are exciting times for marijuana stock investors. For the first time in history, a developed country stands on the verge of legalizing recreational marijuana. By this coming summer, in either August or September, it appears likely that adults aged 18 and over in Canada will be able to legally purchase cannabis from licensed dispensaries. In doing so, Canada will be opening the door to an additional $5 billion in annual sales, if not more.

The Canada Cannabis Council's mission is to act as the industry's voice in the development, growth and integrity of the regulated cannabis industry and the "responsible use of cannabis for medical and non-medical purposes".

The Cannabis Canada Association (CCA), Canadian Medical Cannabis Council (CMCC), as well as Canopy Growth Corp., have joined together to create a single national industry association for the sector, to be called the Cannabis Canada Council (“Cannabis Canada” or “C3”).

To govern the unified organization, the general membership has elected the following individuals to the Board of Directors:

Canopy Health Innovations ("Canopy Health" or "CHI"), the partly-owned biopharmaceutical research and development affiliate of Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) ("Canopy Growth"), today announced that it has, alone or with its subsidiary Canopy Animal Health or through its joint-venture Beckley Canopy Therapeutics, filed eight provisional US patents pertaining to the delivery and application of cannabis and cannabinoid-based therapeutics in certain indications. Specifically, the eight patent applications relate to the following:

What a difference a year or so makes.

Right now, as we speak, criminal cases are wending their way through Canada’s court system for individuals who were caught running “dial-a-dope” businesses. In case you’ve not run into that term before, it’s people who run a phone service to sell drugs. You dial, place an order, set up a meeting, hand over the money and get the goods.

If it’s a police officer on the other end of the line instead of a regular customer, the handover might end up with the seller in jail.

Now, with the changes in cannabis laws, it looks like our provincial liquor monopoly is getting into the dial-a-dope business as well, but you’ll be dialing this dealer on the internet, and delivery will be even more convenient.

As U.S. and Canadian government policies toward marijuana grow more divergent amid Canada's push for legalization, their stock exchanges have seen a flurry of cross-listing activity from companies eager to snap up investment capital and carve out dominant positions in a growing global market.

Marijuana producers that operate in U.S. states where pot is legal are prevented from public listings in their home country because the drug is prohibited at the federal level, so they turn their focus north for a legal avenue to raise public capital.

Cronos Group Inc. (TSXV:CRON)(NASDAQ:CRON) and MedReleaf Corp. (TSX:LEAF) wouldn’t exactly be considered “start-ups” with market capitalizations of $1.55 billion and $1.95 billion, respectively, heading into Friday’s trading. But it probably would be fair to put these two licensed growers in the “up-and-comer” category when you compare them against the likes of Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX:WEED), with a market capitalization of $6 billion, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB), currently valued at $4.9 billion, or Aphria Inc. (TSX:APH), trailing behind at $2.3 billion. There’s still a lot that has yet to unfold between now and legalization day, not to mention what will inevitably be an…

Some boards hope the province will step in to provide more clarity on the issue.

With the prospect of legalized cannabis looming in Ontario, condominium boards throughout the GTA are rushing to figure out how to respond to a law that will permit residents to grow up to four plants inside their homes. 

"We don't want to set up a system where anyone can just grow four plants and then it becomes a problem of overpopulation across units," said Tim Gordanier, a condo board president.

There's about 240 units inside Gordanier's Corktown building. Like many homeowners in the city who share walls and common areas, Gordanier is concerned about how indoor cultivation could affect a building's structure and value.

Some Canadian marijuana sector companies are getting pushback against their marketing efforts from social media platforms and government officials as legalization of recreational pot looms and regulations are not yet final.

Lift & Co, which hosts industry events and offers cannabis education, has had its YouTube account suspended and Facebook ad account deactivated, with both companies citing a policy violation.

Lift CEO Matei Olaru said he believes its accounts were targeted in connection with the U.S. tech giants’ policies barring promotion of the sale of illegal, prescription or recreational drugs, even though medical marijuana is legal in Canada and recreational pot will soon follow suit.

The Hydropothecary Corporation ("Hydropothecary" or the "Company") (TSX Venture:THCX) is pleased to sponsor the second anniversary Women Grow Toronto event, featuring Arlene Dickinson of CBC's Dragons' Den fame.

The marijuana landscape looks much different on this 420 day compared to 20 years ago.

April 20, 1998. It was only 20 years ago. But for the marijuana industry, it seems like ancient history. 

Every year, marijuana advocates celebrate cannabis culture on "420 day." Back in 1998, though, the celebration was much more countercultural than it will be today. In the world of 2018, marijuana isn't just more accepted. It's now a big (and legal) business. 

Just how much has changed between the 420 day of 20 years ago compared to now? A lot.

20 years ago