The Canadian government is rapidly speeding up the issuance of cultivation licenses to marijuana producers across the country, in a move that aims to address growing concerns of a supply crunch in the legal weed market come July 1, 2018. 

The Department of Health announced the winners of 12 grower/processor permits as part of Pennsylvania's nascent medical marijuana industry.

John Collins, director of the state's Office of Medical Marijuana, said the department received 457 applications in total, including 177 prospective grower/processors and 280 for dispensaries.

The 12 grower/processor permit awardees are included below:

It's easy to buy pot in Colorado –– but not that easy. Federal law still prohibits mailing marijuana, and that was one of the red flags when two online marijuana retailers claiming to mail their products to purchasers were reported as scams to the Better Business Bureau of Denver.

Collaboration will begin immediately in New York State with additional states to follow.

The firm aims to start research and production of cannabis oils immediately, it said.

Progress at WeedMD Inc (CVE:WMD) just keeps rolling on..

Today, the group said it had received a supplemental licence from Health Canada to produce medical cannabis oils - an important market.

"This is an important milestone in our path and commitment to providing physicians and their patients with alternative, more convenient and dose-controlled consumption methods," said Bruce Dawson-Scully, chief executive.

Tradiv's online marketplace for wholesale marijuana connects growers and retailers on a transparent platform, replacing the industry's gray-market pot brokers and backroom deals.

Somewhere between Somalia and Yemen in 2012, Aeron Sullivan, a Marine captain of the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, was aboard the U.S.S. New Orleans thinking about the war on drugs.

His battalion floated around North Africa to stop Somali pirates from running drugs to terrorist groups like al Qaeda and ISIS. The "Big Easy" would spot the pirates, detain them, and seize the assets, mostly opium and munitions. With cooperation from regional governments, the pirates would be sent to prison and the drugs would be destroyed.

An illegal pot shop on Bank Street recently had a sale on peanut butter cookies. The cannabis-laced sweets  were $5, a third of the regular price of $15.

“For this price, you can’t go wrong,” said a customer snapping up 10 of them. “Might as well stock up.”

The store had traditional dried weed for sale in glass jars, but half the display cases were filled with cookies, gummy candies shaped like teddy bears, tea, cannabis concentrates and vape pens loaded with cannabis oil.

It’s a reflection of a broad shift among marijuana users away from smoking.

In cannabis cutting-edge Colorado, dried weed makes up a steadily shrinking proportion of sales. And edible products like chocolate bars, candy and lemonade are taking a growing bite out of the market.

A big issue involving medical marijuana has emerged in the past year: Many people prefer using marijuana for their condition rather than opioids.

Former NFL and NBA players have come forward to say that both leagues should allow players to at least try marijuana for pain management, given the known issues with opioid use and the ongoing overdose epidemic.

Numerous studies are underway around the world to learn of the potential health benefits of using marijuana, including for pain management.

It had been about a year since retailers in Washington state began selling recreational marijuana when Ryan Porter, a vet of the automotive technology industry, saw his opportunity.

He had been consulting for another cannabis startup and saw the need for an automated system that could help marijuana dispensaries manage and track their inventory. Taking the lessons he learned building digital products for AutoNation, Porter launched Grassworks Digital.

“Our core product is Simple Marijuana Menu, which integrates with clients’ point of sale systems, automates inventory updates, and allows consumers to order online,” he said. “Our mission is to be at the forefront of cannabis retail technology.”

Taking advantage of an impending boom in industrial space for marijuana growers — notably class-B and class-C warehouses — isn’t as simple as just snatching up properties and signing up tenants.

Does the growing legalization of recreational and medical marijuana represent a pot of gold for industrial real estate? It could, experts say, but only if investors quickly and carefully pounce on opportunities.