Canadians spent $1.6 billion on legal weed in 2018, more than double the amount that was spent on solely medical cannabis in 2017, according to a new report.

The State of Legal Marijuana Market, released Tuesday by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, found that despite pushing legalization back from the summer until October, Canada still managed to increase its spending on legal weed from $755 million to $1.6 billion, making it the number three legal weed market in the world. According to Statistics Canada, Canadians spent $5.7 billion on weed in 2017, the vast majority of which came from black market.

The marijuana industry absolutely transformed before our eyes in 2018. After decades of being a taboo topic, legal weed became a legitimate business model with the passage of the Cannabis Act in Canada. Although it'll take some time for the industry to get up to speed, the legal Canadian pot market could be generating in excess of $5 billion in sales within a few years.

The same could be said for the U.S. market, even though marijuana remains illegal at the federal level. With 32 states having legalized weed in some capacity, 10 of which allow adult-use pot, the dollars are starting to roll in.

It turns out if you’re interested in starting a career in the cannabis industry after graduation, you can jump on a path at many schools that’ll help you land a suitable position in the industry while giving you valuable experience. If you live in Canada or the U.S., there are various major cities that offer cannabis courses and programs.

Keep reading to find out where you can study cannabis and get legitimate college credit for it.

Marijuana stock prices are on fire again, and Canopy Growth (TSX:WEED)(NYSE:CGC) is leading the way.

Let’s take a look at Canada’s leading cannabis stock to see if it deserves to be on your buy listright now.

Major surge

Canopy Growth is up 40% to start 2019, as bargain hunters seek to capitalize on the meltdown that hit the marijuana sector through the end of last year. Investors who had the courage to step in at the December low are all smiles, and those who missed the rally are trying to decide if more upside is on the way.

The marijuana market has undoubtedly seen a massive boom over the course of the past few years. One of the major benefits of this has been the changing of legislation across the board in places like Canada and various states throughout the U.S. Although it is still federally legal in the U.S. and many places around the world, the new market has opened up a large amount of opportunity for those looking to research the substance.

One of the issues with lacking laws to allow marijuana’s use is the fact that it makes it extremely difficult to study. For a drug with so much potential to treat everything from cancer to insomnia, one would think that research would be one of the priorities.

Beleave Inc. (CSE: BE) (OTCQX: BLEVF) ("Beleave" or the "Company") is excited to announce its wholly-owned subsidiary Beleave Kannabis Corp. has been authorized by Health Canada to sell cannabis oil products effective January 11, 2019. After reviewing the application and supporting documentation, Health Canada granted an amended licence with modified conditions allowing for the sale of cannabis oil under the Cannabis Regulations.

 Province Brands of Canada — the Canadian company developing the world's first beers brewed from the cannabis plant — today announced it signed a Letter of Intent with the Canadian Hemp Farmers Alliance (CHFA), establishing CHFA as a supplier of hemp stalks to Province Brands. The agreement secures favourable pricing for Province Brands to acquire hemp stalks, stems and roots.

Canopy CEO focuses on stabilizing stock volatility with institutional investors

Licensed producer Tilray Inc. has teamed up with the U.S. company behind brands such as Juicy Couture, Aeropostale and Nine West to develop and sell co-branded consumer cannabis products globally, with items expected to hit U.S. and Canadian shelves within the next year.

The Nanaimo, B.C.-based company announced Tuesday the long-term revenue sharing agreement with Authentic Brands Group, to whom Tilray will initially pay US$100 million in cash and stock, or up to $250 million depending on certain milestones.

Tilray will receive up to 49 per cent of the net revenue from these products bearing names from ABG's portfolio of more than 50 brands, with a guaranteed minimum payment of up to US$10 million annually for 10 years.

After its first marijuana-centred course exceeded enrolment expectations, Red River College held its first job fair for those interested in joining the marijuana industry.

Three cannabis retailers were at Monday's job fair, offering information and even job applications. Among them was Garden Variety, which is hiring about 60 positions in Winnipeg for its new stores, set to open in the coming months. 

The fair, organized as part of the school's Indigenous education strategy, focused on providing students with an opportunity to apply for entry-level positions in the industry. The school also had information about its courses and bursaries available.