A recent research article questions just how big the Canadian legal market cannabis market will be, but like most others it really means just how large it could be! The report stated: "On October 17, 2018, Canada became the first G7 nation to fully legalize recreational cannabis. As a massive, formerly black market transforms into an above-board one, companies from around the globe in a range of disparate industries—agriculture, yes, but also tobacco, beer, software, and even fashion and design—aim to cash in. But no one knows exactly how large this market will be. Both immediately and in the coming years, attitudes about marijuana in Canada inevitably will change.

The marijuana industry is budding before our eyes, but blink and you might miss a big development.

Arguably the most fluid aspect of the cannabis industry has been the constant updating and reshuffling of marijuana production. Growers have been in a pretty steady escalation battle with one another for more than a year now. Even though Canadian market demand may only reach 1 million kilograms a year, with more than 40 countries worldwide having given the green light to medical pot, the sky is seemingly the limit for long-term weed demand.

Cannabis has become one of the most controversial topics on many countries' political agendas. Cannabis is still internationally illegal under regulatory statutes, but clinical trials and research have led countries to explore opportunities within the medical cannabis market. However, the recreational market is still widely being heavily enforced. Nonetheless, certain regions have moved to decriminalize, or even fully legalize, recreational cannabis use. Unlike marijuana, hemp's main component is CBD. While THC provides psychoactive effects to consumers, CBD does not induce psychoactive effects, but provide a therapeutic and relaxing effect akin to that of THC.

Cannabis retail has rapidly emerged as one of the most important components of the marijuana value chain. Not only do retail gatekeepers control one of the most intimate parts of the cannabis purchasing experience, but they do so at a premium — making cannabis retail a likely determinant of any marijuana company’s staying power.

In this article, we explore some of the leading cannabis retail brands in Canada.

Canopy Growth Corp. (WEED.TO 1.83%), the world’s biggest cannabis producer, wants to boost the market for medical marijuana in Europe. To lead the charge, it’s turned to an English countess who once drilled a hole in her head to get high.

At a country manor nicknamed “Brainblood Hall” where she’s experimented with hallucinogenic drugs, Amanda Feilding evokes the picture of eccentric English aristocracy. Yet the Countess of Wemyss and March is hardly a latter-day hippie waxing nostalgic for 1960s acid trips: She is a leading advocate for the use of psychedelic drugs in medicine, studies their effects on consciousness, and advises governments on policy.

CannTrust Holdings (NYSE:CTST) recently completed a greenhouse expansion that should boost its annual marijuana production to 50,000 kilos this year and another that's on track to increase its annualized production capacity to 100,000 kilos by the end of 2020.

Additionally, management disclosed Thursday it's signed a letter of intent to acquire 200 acres to grow cannabis outdoors as well. CannTrust thinks this acquisition can add at least 100,000 kilos of production next year, but that estimate could be too conservative. If so, CannTrust could be one of Canada's biggest marijuana growers in 2020. 

The marijuana industry has been quite heavily dominated by the companies that grow the substance over the course of the past several months. With so many investments going to the top of the industry, it begs the question as to why growers remain so highly coveted. One of the main reasons for this is that cannabis has become viewed upon as a commodity.

This means that even if a company has less than stellar financials, they could still have some value hiding in the large quantity of cannabis that they can produce. Often times, this can add a layer of comfort when looking to invest in a market that is quite volatile, to begin with.

With the legalization of marijuana last year, Canadian employers were thrown something of a curve ball. Maintaining the same high standards of health and safety in this new age of legalized cannabis means understanding the new legislative measures.

In their seventh article of the series, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services’ (WSPS) spoke to HRD Canada about the legal obligations employers have regarding marijuana in the workplace.

“Regardless of whether an organization is a commercial enterprise, a non-profit entity, a multi-national corporation or a small business, leaders have a legal and moral responsibility to provide a safe workplace,” explained Larry Masotti, Director of Strategic Relationships at WSPS.

Canadian cannabis stocks hit a high on October 15, 2018, after the late 2018 rally that was trigger by Constellation Brands’ (NYSE:STZ) $4B investment in Canopy Growth Corp (TSX:WEED).

Following the rally, cannabis stocks sold off and hit a bottom on December 21, 2018. We note that smaller cannabis names are generally more volatile due to their size and lack of liquidity.

However, when these names recover, they can experience even greater upside than some of their larger peers.

If you're looking to dip your feet into the cannabis investing swamp, you've probably considered the largest licensed producer in Canada, Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC). American investors leery about owning businesses with a direct hand in activities the federal government still considers illegal make Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE:SMG) another popular option. Which company has the best chance of crossing the hurdles in front of it? Here's what you need to know about the path to market-beating gains in front of both these marijuana stocks.