The government of Quebec has finalized their new cannabis legislation. With the new bill in place, Quebec residents can expect legal cannabis to be available by September, writes Calvin Hughes.

As cannabis legalization spreads across the North American continent, industry insiders and pot stock investors alike look to diversify their portfolios in the global marijuana trade.

With Canada on track to become the first G7 nation to legalize both recreational and medical cannabis nationally, overcrowding in the market is becoming an issue for stakeholders on all sides. It’s the reason why cannabis companies are starting to look for more opportunities internationally. These are the top four marijuana stocks with international expansion plans:

Beer brewed with marijuana, baking mixes concocted to bring out the unique flavours of cannabis oil and good, old-fashioned pot cookies: Canadian companies are creating them all, but it’s unclear when stores will legally be able to stock the edibles for recreational users. Instead, business owners have been getting creative to manufacture, refine and sell their products.

Ottawa has pledged that recreational marijuana will become legal sometime this year and the Senate recently approved the pot legalization bill. But the federal government has said the sale of edible cannabis products will not be legal immediately. That hasn’t stopped Canadian companies for entering the market.

Cannabis production is ramping up across Canada in preparation for recreational sales becoming legal. The House of Commons on June 18 voted 205-82 to accept an amended version of Canada’s Cannabis Act, which would legalize recreational cannabis use countrywide.

The bill now passes back to the Senate, where senators will vote on the new version of the bill – one that includes many of the amendments that the Senate voted on June 7 to approve, but not all of those amendments.

Members of the province’s veterinary community say it may not be the high life for some dogs when marijuana becomes legalized in Canada.

According to a news release from the Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association, there are concerns because pot can potentially be toxic to companion animals, especially dogs, who are far more sensitive to the effects of THC — which is found in hemp and marijuana plants — than people, and that can make recreational marijuana use dangerous to a canine companion.

The upcoming legalization of cannabis for adult use will close Canada’s near century-long prohibition on recreational cannabis and provide a new legal framework while building a safe foundation for a world-class cannabis economy.

Our country has developed a commendable system for a legal cannabis market. Canada will soon be a globally recognized leader of cannabis legalization, regulation and production and the first G7 country to legalize it for medical and recreational use.

The government’s approval of the Cannabis Act will set a promising industry into motion, generating opportunities for consumers, licensed producers (LPs), suppliers, employees and investors.

The federal point-man on pot, Bill Blair, says that if the legislation to legalize marijuana passes by the end of the week, the government will eye a September date to implement the new regime.

"Upon Royal Assent a decision will be made by the government as to a date of implementation," Blair said in an interview on CTV’s Question Period. "We're probably looking at a date of implementation somewhere towards the beginning of September, perhaps mid-September."

The Cannabis Act is currently in a temporary state of legislative limbo, after the House of Commons rose early Friday following a 12-hour voting marathon.

Beer brewed with marijuana, baking mixes concocted to bring out the unique flavours of cannabis oil and good, old-fashioned pot cookies: Canadian companies are creating them all, but it's unclear when stores will legally be able to stock the edibles for recreational users.

Instead, business owners have been getting creative to manufacture, refine and sell their products.

Ottawa has pledged that recreational marijuana will become legal sometime this year and the Senate recently approved the pot legalization bill. But the federal government has said the sale of edible cannabis products will not be legal immediately.

That hasn't stopped Canadian companies for entering the market.

With the legalization of cannabis likely only months away across Canada, some residents in Calgary’s Chinatown community voiced their displeasure on Saturday over the prospect of cannabis stores opening in their neighbourhood.

Hosted by the Calgary Chinese Union, the rally also included a petition that will be sent to the city.

“We want to keep the Chinatown clean, and healthy, and safe,” said Calgary Chinese Union Vice President Cynthia Shi.

A main sticking point is that they don’t think cannabis stores are a fit for Chinatown, and they feel they were not consulted enough.

In two years, Aurora Cannabis has gone from penny-stock company to a $5-billion darling on the TSX, thanks to a dizzying string of deals. But does CEO Terry Booth just talk a good game?

Cannabis entrepreneur Terry Booth wants to be the king of pot. Today, he is more like a Trumpian master of superlatives.

Ask him about the quality of marijuana his company produces and he’ll assure you it’s “the best bud without a doubt.” His cultivators? “The best growers in the world.” His executive team? “Better than anyone else’s.” Everything is the best or the biggest.