If there is one absolute certainty about human nature, the appeal of vice would have to be it. In all eras, in all cultures, and in all economic conditions, people persistently partake in indulgences that society is leery of. And, when barriers are placed in their way, they’ll go to great lengths to do so: the persistent popularity of dark web markets proves that much.

So-called vice industries — like beer, tobacco, and now marijuana — are among the few sectors that do not suffer major sales drops in recessions. It stands to reason that people seek an outlet for stress in bad times, so the relative lack of income elasticity in these industries makes sense.

A US$255 million deal to convert sugar into cannabis-chemicals is opening the door to an era of pot without plants.

Amyris Inc. already works with genetically modified yeast that excrete designer molecules to make sweeteners and skin-care products. Now it plans to use that fermentation technology to convert sugarcane syrup into the active ingredients found in marijuana, the California-based company said in a statement Tuesday. Those ingredients can be used in consumer products ranging from beverages to skin creams and deodorant.

Investors are clamoring for ways to get in on a popular, but risky, marijuana-investing craze. Despite the reality that pot is illegal under federal law, many states have legalized the substance and plenty of marijuana ETFs have cropped up as a result.

For recreational use, Oregon, Massachusetts, California and a few more states allow marijuana use. Yet, the majority of U.S. states have medical marijuana legislation in the pipeline. Presently, with the legal disconnect between federal and state law regarding marijuana use, investing directly in U.S. marijuana ETFs and stocks is risky and replete with scams and fraud.

Canada’s minister for the Cannabis Act said Wednesday there is plenty of pot to go around. According to an official report, supply increased for the third consecutive month and represented far more inventory than the country is projected to sell in the coming months.

“Building on our considerable experience with medical cannabis, and with 147 Health Canada licensed producers, the data is clear: there remains sufficient supply to meet and exceed existing demand,” read the report.

Cannabis reform is quickly sweeping across the U.S.

Ten states and Washington, DC have now legalized marijuana for recreational use.

In addition, a total of 33 states have legalized it for medicinal use.

Now, it appears more states are jumping on the cannabis bandwagon, including West Virginia, New Mexico, Minnesota, Wyoming, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Connecticut.

However, that's just one key catalyst for the future growth of cannabis.

A Vancouver company, BlockStrain, is using a trending technology solution to tackle some of the cannabis industry’s biggest issues.

From cryptocurrencies to crowdsourced data storage, blockchain seems to be one of the most widely discussed innovations out of the software space lately. Many believe the new technology could be the answer to issues plaguing the nascent legal cannabis market—a system already rife with supply bottlenecks, product recalls, and dodgy testing standards.

Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) formed Canopy Rivers (NASDAQOTH:CNPOF) for the sole purpose of identifying and investing in cannabis companies that could wind up working with Canopy Growth someday. To deliver on that goal, Canopy Rivers announced plans on Feb. 4 to raise $85 million from investors, including $30 million from Canopy Growth.

Users of medical marijuana products made by licensed producer Zenabis products will soon have another purchasing option.

As part of its growth strategy, Zenabis will supply Shoppers Drug Mart with dried cannabis buds and eventually cannabis oil and other products to sell online. 

Current pharmaceutical regulations prohibit pharmacies from selling medical cannabis in brick and mortar stores, but Zenabis chief revenue officer David Lluncor said the trust medical marijuana customers have in pharmacies means there will be plenty of demand for Shoppers' online offerings.

"From a medical perspective versus a recreational perspective I think medical customers are going to go to what they know and what they trust," Lluncor said.

With optimism returning to the stock markets and a growing sense that U.S. marijuana laws are headed for an overhaul, many of Canada's largest cannabis companies have seen their share price soar since the start of the year.

The Canadian Marijuana Index, which tracks 20 large, publicly-traded cannabis firms, was trading at 723.74 at 1 p.m. ET on Monday, just about 60 per cent higher than its closing level on Dec. 31, 2018. However, that is still below a peak of 858.19 that it hit last October, days before legalization.

From October to December of last year, the index lost about half its value amid a stock market rout. As a fledgling industry, cannabis tends to see larger fluctuations in stock prices than you would see in more established industries.

Little illustrates the mania for cannabis investments better than the unprecedented demand over the stock symbol POT, but new recommendations from the World Health Organization suggest some of that frenzy may not be unwarranted.

Tiny Vancouver-based cannabis company Weekend Unlimited Inc. saw its stock gain as much as 148 per cent Friday after winning out over 40 other companies in the first-ever lottery for a stock ticker held by Canadian exchanges. Weekend Unlimited, which previously traded under YOLO, short for “you only live once,” wasn’t exactly lacking a memorable ticker.

In a weird twist, the YOLO symbol may find new life in another pot-related security, as the AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF has filed to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under YOLO.