Marijuana stocks have built out a new niche in the stock market and unlike past years, this niche isn't just for those looking for high-risk trades. The expansion of cannabis legalization across North America doesn't solely include Canada. Many states in the US now have some sort of legalized marijuana laws in place. Most recently, medicinal marijuana patients in New Jersey could soon be able to purchase more medicine, from a greater number of licensed dispensaries, at the recommendation of a wider pool of healthcare professionals, and possibly for lower cost, thanks to legislation that advanced Monday.

The medicinal marijuana bill was one of several cannabis-related proposals to advance Monday. Lawmakers in a joint meeting of the Assembly appropriations and Senate budget committees voted in favor of the medical cannabis bills late in the day. The lawmakers also heard hours of testimony before passing a controversial measure to legalize recreational marijuana use among adults.

''Marijuana literally kept Jake's last months tolerable,'' his father, Mike Honig, told the Senate health committee, the first panel to approve the measure. Honig was flanked by members of his family and Assemblywoman Joann Downey (D-Ocean), who has advocated for the family's cause. ''Cancer took Jake's life, but marijuana kept his smile,'' he added.

Companies like Premier Health Group, Inc. PHGRF, +1.10%(cse:PHGI), Canopy Growth CGC, +0.03% (WEED), AphriaAPHA, -4.21% and Aurora Cannabis ACB, +0.18% have begun to attract attention as popularity grows.

Premier Health Group, Inc. PHGRF, +1.10% (cse:PHGI) announced an update on its plan to expand the scope of practice within its primary care clinics to include cannabis.

Premier Health Group, Inc. PHGRF, +1.10% (cse:PHGI) has engaged discussions with Licensed Producers under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulation, other licensed medical cannabis companies and government officials in order to establish a framework for both patient and physician education.

''With over 110,000 active patients in our clinic ecosystem, it is important that we provide them with the best possible information that allows them to make informed decisions about their personal and family's health. Providing our family physicians with the appropriate tools and knowledge to prescribe cannabis or with the ability to refer patients to a specialist within our clinics is a key outcome of this initiative,'' said Dr. Essam Hamza, CEO of Premier.

The Canadian medical cannabis clinic market is estimated to be worth approximately $2.35 billion by 2025. With this in mind, the company said that it expects to provide additional updates on acquisitions in Q4-18 and Q1-19.

"Cannabis clinics fit in perfectly with our existing Telemedicine services and comprehensive app plans. The patient will not only be able to see their family doctor with our app but also connect with their Cannabis clinic healthcare worker, the education nurse and eventually even the pharmacy or LP that is providing the prescription. This team-based and encompassing approach will provide the best and most convenient care for our patients," said Dr. Hamza in a previous release.

Premier Health Group, Inc. PHGRF, +1.10% (cse:PHGI) is focused on developing innovative health care approaches that combine human skill based expertise with emerging technologies and will set the gold standard for services in locations of interest worldwide. HealthVue, Premier Health's subsidiary, is focused on developing proprietary technology to deliver quality healthcare through the combination of connected primary care clinics with telemedicine and artificial intelligence.

Canopy Growth CGC, +0.03% (WEED) saw its shares climb to highs of $34.64 on Monday following the announcement of the company closing its previously announced acquisition of the assets of ebbu, Inc.

Canopy Growth announced this morning that it has completed four federally legal shipments of cannabis to the United States to pursue advanced R&D work with Battelle, a nonprofit research and development organization. Battelle and Canopy Growth will work together to advance knowledge surrounding cannabis in support of medical research and novel product development.

''As more states, including Ohio, approve the use of medical cannabis to help individuals with certain illnesses, we believe that Battelle will be able to apply our rigorous and independent research and analysis to advance knowledge and improve safety in what is essentially uncharted territory,'' said Battelle President and CEO Lou Von Thaer. ''We're pleased to work with Canopy Growth, a respected global leader in this emerging market.''

Aphria Inc. APHA, -4.21% saw its shares trade higher during premarket hours on Tuesday. The company recently announced its proposed acquisition of CC Pharma GmbH, a leading distributor of pharmaceutical products to more than 13,000 pharmacies in Germany.

The transaction, when closed, will strengthen the Company's end-to-end medical cannabis operations and infrastructure in Germany, a key market inAphria's international expansion. It is anticipated that the transaction will close in January 2019.

"This acquisition strengthens our foothold in Germany, one of the most highly sought-after medical cannabis markets in the world," said Vic Neufeld, CEO of Aphria. "CC Pharma is cash-flow positive and has significant experience with regulatory requirements and international logistics. It will be a strong addition to Aphria's presence in Germany, providing deeper access to the important pharmacist channel and advancing our ambitious global growth strategy."

The company offers sativa, indica, and hybrid medical marijuana products, as well as cannabis oils. It also provides support services in the form of medical consultations, group therapies, and rehabilitation to veteran and first responders.

Aurora Cannabis ACB, +0.18% announced this morning that the company has received an export request, has secured the required export permit and has now completed its first shipment of medical cannabis products to the Czech Republic, making this the 21st country in which the company operates.

The company recently announced the completion of the previously announced plan of arrangement pursuant to which Aurora has acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of ICC for $1.95 per share (payable in common shares of Aurora reflecting an aggregate purchase price of approximately $290 million. ICC is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aurora.

According to Aurora, the acquisition of ICC establishes Aurora as the industry leader in Latin American, a region which encompasses more than 650 million people from across Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

Completion of the Arrangement follows receipt of approval of the Arrangement from the Instituto de Regulación y Control del Cannabis, the Uruguayan regulatory authority overseeing the regulation and control of cannabis in Uruguay.

"This transaction combines two pioneering cannabis companies with fully aligned international growth ambitions, immediately positioning Aurora as the market leader in Latin America, an area with well over 650 million people," said Terry Booth, CEO of Aurora.