For Marijuana Stocks U.S., Watch the News 

When it comes to marijuana stocks in the U.S., of course you need to be watching the markets to stay abreast of what’s happening in terms of stock prices. But something that can have an equal impact on shares is political news.

While this applies in one form or another to most products in the U.S., it is perhaps most pronounced in the marijuana market, and for good reason. After all, in many states, the drug is still totally illegal, and the majority of states still don’t allow pot as a legal recreational substance. And this makes U.S. political news of particular importance.

This week the OFF3R Celebrities That Invest Series looks at American West Coast rapper, Snoop Dogg.

Glance Technolgies Inc. has announced that it has received the second payment for the $1,000,000 licence agreement with Cannapay Financial Inc. which provides services to legal marijuana dispensaries.

"Cannapay Financial is building a mobile payment solution for the cannabis industry designed to operate legally within multiple jurisdictions," says Penny Green, President and COO, Glance. "Glance Technologies intends to enable Cannapay to achieve its goal of becoming the leading provider of mobile payment solutions to the cannabis industry worldwide."

The small Leland Avenue commercial corridor in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley neighborhood has two nail salons, two dry cleaners, three convenience stores and a couple of Chinese bakeries.

Warren Buffett is well known as the most successful investor of all time. Buffett spent his formative years under the tutelage of Benjamin Graham, who is known today as the “father of value investing.”

Graham had seven criteria when considering a stock for purchase. Let’s review them and see whether or not Aphria Inc.(TSX:APH) passes the test.

An ex-chief of the Seminole Tribe, with a legendary history of wrangling regulators as he pioneered the casino industry on tribal lands, plans to help other Native American groups grow and sell tax-free marijuana in states where it’s legal.

James Billie, a Vietnam veteran has launched a finance firm called MCW to provide financing and legal counsel to other tribes to help them produce marijuana on their lands, in accordance with state law.

“Wherever it’s legal, that’s where we’re going, where the other Native Americans are,” said Billie, in an interview with CNNMoney.

As the number of Canadians who are prescribed medical marijuana grows and the federal government looks at a new legislative framework for its legalization and regulation, what does this mean for the workplace?

The federal government has announced plans to legalize marijuana with a target date of July 1, 2018. However, the possession of marijuana (cannabis) is still illegal in Canada under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, although it’s permitted for individuals with a medical prescription.

To keep pace with these changes, update your company’s alcohol and drug policies.

Take a black-market business that relies on cash. Move the business out of the shadows by giving it government oversight. Hire new regulators to keep watch on the business, all without any experience regulating a brand-new industry.

Recent cases in Colorado and Washington are the first known instances of current or former cannabis regulators being accused of having improper dealings with the industry. The two recreational marijuana states are the nation’s oldest, approving legal marijuana in defiance of federal law in 2012.

A legal cannabis movement is sweeping the United States and currently, 29 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana and eight states have legalized recreational marijuana.

Although recent studies have shown that cannabis has medical benefits, the DEA and FDA still have it classified as a Schedule I substance. The Schedule I category is reserved for substances that have the highest potential for abuse, that have no accepted medical use and even under medical supervision cannot be used safely.