Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has spent $20,000 on campaigns to counter the negative health effects of cannabis legalization, particularly on youth — a drop in the bucket compared to other cities.

The federal government promised millions in education funding to go along with legalization, with commitments already worth $4.1M to organizations in the city of Toronto. 

None of that federal money has made its way to Ottawa, however. 

"We will be exploring provincial and federal funding opportunities," wrote OPH spokesperson Robyn Muzik in an email.

"We will be submitting our public health budget to the city and province in the new year," 

The marijuana industry has put on a show for pot enthusiasts and investors this year. The highlight, as you can imagine, was the legalization of recreational cannabis on Oct. 17 in Canada. In a few years, after the industry has had time to expand its capacity and lay the foundation for its sales channels, $5 billion or more in added annual sales may be possible. But for as impressive as the cannabis industry has been so far, all eyes are now turning to what 2019 might hold for pot stocks. While it's impossible to tell what'll happen with any certainty, investors will likely be waiting on the edge of their seats for one beverage giant to choose a cannabis partner.

Cannabis company Newstrike Brands Ltd. has struck a deal to create co-branded edibles with specialty foods company Neal Brothers Inc., best known for its chips and salsa.

Newstrike will own 60 per cent and Neal Brothers will own 40 per cent of a joint venture that will manufacture, distribute, market and sell cannabis-infused products.

It will also acquire a minority interest in Neal Brothers and receive advisory services from Peter and Chris Neal under the conditional deal, which subject to regulatory and other approvals.

The joint venture partners will develop edible cannabis products at Newstrike's licensed operation in the Niagara community of Lincoln, Ont.

The broad pullback in the equity markets is finally giving investors a chance to pick up some industry-leading stocks at much lower prices than we saw earlier in the year. Let’s take a look at Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY)and Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY)(NYSE:RY) to see if one might be an interesting buy for your portfolio.

The medical and recreational use of marijuana is increasing globally, and its effects on drivers can — like alcohol — be devastating, as the drug influences the cognitive abilities of drivers, as much as alcohol does.

Concerns over high valuations and cannabis supply shortages have caused pullback in Canadian cannabis stocks over the past month. The big players such as Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX:WEED), Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB) and Aphria Inc. (TSX:APHA) have declined -4.1%, -2.5% and -15.8%, respectively.

Marijuana, long snuck on to college and university campuses for use in bongs and joints, is now being grown legally at several academic institutions across the country.

Eight academic institutions have obtained licences from Health Canada to cultivate cannabis for scientific purposes, allowing them to closely study the drug that was legalized for recreational use in October.

Some received special licences a few months before legalization and will be moving to licences with fewer restrictions in the future. The University of Guelph is one of them. Max Jones, an assistant professor in the department of agriculture, received cannabis plants several weeks ago after the school was granted a license in September.

Buds

Cannabis stocks rebounded today, with a slew of green across Canada and US markets. 

CV Sciences Inc (OTCMKTS:CVSI) was one of the best performers, rising a blistering 27.4% to US$4.52. The Henderson, Nevada-based life-science company develops cannabidiol‐based pharmaceuticals and consumer products. 

On October 17, 2018, Canada became the first G7 nation to fully legalize recreational cannabis. Cue the speculators. 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. Meanwhile, the unknowns are impacting everything from share prices to government policies. As jurisdictions in the U.S. and around the world ponder changing their own cannabis laws, they’re watching to see how the numbers shake down in Canada.

Now that cannabis has been legalized in Canada, we need to shift our conversation from the theoretical to reality. At CAA South Central Ontario, what we're focused on, day in and day out, is how to keep our roads and road users safe.

We recently commissioned a study conducted by Ipsos that found Ontario drivers are concerned that the legalization of cannabis may impact their safety behind the wheel. Sixty-eight per cent believe there will be more cannabis-impaired drivers on the road following the legalization. In fact, the study revealed that 1.9 million Ontarians have driven under the influence of cannabis. Among current cannabis users, over half feel that they drive worse than a sober driver when under the influence of cannabis.