While we know the exact date marijuana will become legal in Canada — Oct. 17 — the American timeline remains hazy.

It's possible to imagine a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House in the not-too-distant-future repealing pot's prohibition under the Controlled Substances Act and officially delegating the matter to the states. It's equally conceivable, however, to imagine a prolonged era of Republican rule preserving the status quo. Perhaps, as evidence of marijuana's harm accumulates, a bipartisan consensus will emerge to double down on outlawing the drug in some new and creative way.

Canadian cannabis producers are moving full speed ahead to open their own marijuana shops in Ontario amid anticipation that the provincial government will soon allow private stores to sell recreational cannabis when it is legalized in October.

Several major cannabis companies told BNN Bloomberg that efforts are already underway to secure locations for privately-run retail stores, with a formal framework expected to be announced by Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative Ontario government next week.

“We wait to see what the government announces but from what we’re hearing, this doesn’t surprise us but delights us,” said Cam Battley, chief corporate officer at Aurora Cannabis Inc., in a phone interview with BNN Bloomberg.

On October 16, 2018, the federal government is expected to legalize the use of marijuana. While Bill C-45  is a federal law, each province will have to decide how cannabis will be sold, used, policed and how abuse of marijuana will be punished.

Rosy Mondin is the CEO at the British Columbia-based Quadron Cannatech Corporation, which develops and provides a range of cannabis extraction and processing solutions. She is also highly active in a number of cannabis industry associations and advocacy groups, writes Nick Hilden.

"Too many Canadian have been punished by way of criminal charges or been thrown in jail for possessing, consuming, gifting, or selling cannabis (even in small amounts)," Mondin told Civilized. She says the continued over policing of the cannabis space is one of her biggest frustrations with the industry.

The Ontario government is turning to private retailers to sell marijuana in stores come October, shifting policy dramatically less than three months before Canada legalizes recreational use.

Provincial Finance Minister Vic Fedeli and Attorney-General Caroline Mulroney are expected to make an announcement as early as next week outlining in broad strokes the province’s plan to scrap the existing public retail model and allow the private sector to own and operate bricks-and-mortar cannabis shops, according to a senior source in the Ontario government who would only speak on condition of not being named. The person added that the government will still control the wholesale and distribution of the product to the stores and manage online sales.

British Columbia craft cannabis growers fear that federal and municipal regulations will damage the sector, reduce choice and kill a significant economic opportunity.

The well-established but unregulated sector faces new challenges as marijuana is legalized.

Craft growers aren’t even allowed to apply for the right to sell pot to legal outlets until mid-October, while large commercial producers have already signed supply contracts.

The growers are also dealing with new restrictions on agricultural land use and underdeveloped — or hostile — municipal zoning regulations.

Shares of a number of cannabis plays have been suffering over the past few weeks, with Aurora Cannabis Inc (OTCMKTS:ACBFF) perhaps chief among them. Given the growth rate on display here, and the company’s powerful strides to consolidate market share and diversify revenue streams through strategic action over the past 5 months, this pullback may end up representing a valuable opportunity by the time we head into the fall and Canadian recreational legalization.

Testing and research laboratories across Canada are preparing for the October 17th legalization of cannabis, expecting a boom in business once recreational cannabis is finally made legal.

Eight months after being shut out of Ohio’s cannabis cultivation regime, the billionaire family behind American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. is developing a second marijuana play, this time focused on dispensary chains and cannabidiol-infused beauty products.

The retail-centred Green Growth Brands Ltd. is backed by Columbus, Ohio’s Schottenstein family, whose interests include shoe-seller DSW, Inc. and a significant stake in the Albertsons supermarket chain.

Will that be Black Widow CBD, Super Skunk or Skywalker Kush No. 1?

The names of the pot products on offer after recreational cannabis becomes legal across Canada Oct. 17 will be as intriguing as they are inscrutable.

And with sparse packaging information and little producer advertising to guide you — the legalization law restricts them both severely — how’s the newbie Dude supposed to know which to choose? Welcome to the world of online “trip advisers.”

Yes, as with seemingly any perplexity out there, the internet will provide a wealth of combustibles advice for baffled consumers on websites that employ connoisseur expertise and crowdsourced consensus to help guide you to your desired high.