At the dawn of marijuana legalization in Canadian, longtime Toronto marijuana advocate Neev Tapiero saw an opportunity to expand his reach within the industry. Being at the forefront of significant cannabis-related firsts in Toronto (Tapiero is the founder of both the city’s first compassion club Cannabis As Living Medicine (CALM) and the Toronto Global Marijuana March) he could foreshadow that legalization would bring new business opportunities, especially within the tourism sector. And with that, the 23-year cannabis veteran launched Canadian Kush Tours.

Aurora Cannabis' (NYSE:ACB) growing cannabis empire spans five continents. The company operates in two dozen countries. But the U.S. isn't one of them.

The problem with Aurora's lack of a U.S. presence is straightforward. Currently, nearly 80% of the world's total legal marijuana sales are made in the United States.

That amount will decline as the Canadian adult-use recreational marijuana market and international medical cannabis markets pick up steam, but the U.S. is likely to dominate global marijuana sales for a long time to come.

You won't find too many hotter marijuana stocks right now than HEXO (NYSEMKT:HEXO) and The Green Organic Dutchman (NASDAQOTH:TGODF). HEXO has skyrocketed a whopping 125% so far this year, while The Green Organic Dutchman (TGOD) has soared nearly 80%.

But which of these stocks is the better pick for investors over the long run? Here's what you need to know about HEXO and TGOD.

Canopy Growth plants stake in Germany with $343M acquisition of synthesized cannabis maker 

Canopy Growth is moving further into Europe after signing a $342.9 million deal to buy C3 Cannabinoid Compound, a German company that specializes in cannabinoid-based medical therapies used by European physicians. The company’s main medicinal offering is dronabinol, a compound with standardized concentrations of THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis.

Canadian lawmakers have been batting around the idea of creating another cross border trade deal with the U.S. But this deal wouldn’t be for steel or wheat or cars. It would be for marijuana—that is at some point in the future, if Washington DC lawmakers ever get around to ending 80 years of federal prohibition.

The issue stems from Canada’s supply and demand problem. Demand for legal marijuana has been high since Canada became the first G7 country to legalize cannabis, but the supply has been falling short.

Meanwhile, an export deal could be a godsend in U.S. states such as Oregon, where they say they’re sitting on about a six-year supply of cannabis flower.

A chain of marijuana shops across Saskatchewan has been purchased by one of Canada's largest pot companies.

On Thursday, Fire & Flower announced it is buying Prairie Sky Cannabis — owner of the Jimmy's Cannabis Shop chain of retail stores — for $13 million. The deal includes the company's four locations in Battleford, Estevan, Martensville and Moosomin.

"We're excited to make this move in Saskatchewan," said Nathan Mison, vice-president of government and stakeholder relations for Fire & Flower.

"We look forward to opportunities to continue to make moves to show the government our commitment to the province."

As competition in the industry continues to rise, there’s a very real risk that Aurora Cannabis Inc  (TSX:ACB)(NYSE:ACB) will not be one of the top pot stocks anymore. Long seen as the main rival of Canopy Growth Corp (TSX:WEED)(NYSE:CGC), Aurora is doing very little to justify that position.

With U.S. cannabis companies starting to show significant sales growth south of the border and Canopy Growth already making moves to expand there as well, Aurora could see tougher times ahead.

 Aurora Cannabis is one of only two major Canadian cannabis companies with a market value of more than $1.5 billion that has yet to ink a partnership or investment deal with a major U.S. company, but that’s because a rich American advised executives not to do it.

After recreational marijuana was legalized in Canada last year, licensed producers in the country have been busy seeking international opportunities to utilize their existing infrastructure and distribution knowledge. 

To that end, The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD; US OTCMCKTS: TGODF) just announced a second Jamaican retail store will open on May 4, 2019 in tourist destination Montego Bay. 

Israel-based medical cannabis company InterCureLtd., chaired by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, announced in a Wednesday filing to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange a cannabis growing agreement with an unnamed Canadian company.

Under the agreement, the two will form a new company that will grow medical cannabis in an indoor facility in Canada.

InterCure subsidiary Canndoc will own 51% of the new company and contribute its cannabis growing experience, while the Canadian company will hold 49% and invest the resources needed to set up the facility and distribute the output.

In an interview with Calcalist, Canndoc CEO Roei Zerahia said the agreement will enable the company to quickly achieve sales in the Canadian market, without relying on export from Israel.