Smoking pot is not the gasp-inducing, hardcore past time it was once considered to be. Weed for medicinal use has been legalized in Canada since 2001, and they are on their way to legalizing recreational use. In the US, 29 states permit medicinal marijuana, and nine say it’s okay to light up without a prescription. A Gallup poll from last year revealed that 64 percent of Americans support legalization, and the numbers are only going up. Everyone from the republican grandmother next door to the most popular college professor has dabbled in the stuff, and celebrities are no different. Here are 11 celebrities who have proclaimed their support of the hemp plant, some might surprise you:

The number of major players in Canada's weed industry continues to expand.

The legal weed industry is now less than a week away from a monumental vote in Canada. The country's Senate is slated to vote on bill C-45 (officially the Cannabis Act) on June 7, with passage of the bill seen as likely. Soon thereafter, adult-use marijuana could become legal throughout the country, making Canada the first developed country in the world to allow adults to purchase cannabis legally.

Khiron life Science, a Canadian integrated agro-pharmaceutical cannabis production company that manages its core operations in Colombia, announced on May 30 that it is strategically positioned to penetrate the medical cannabis market in Mexico by being the main sponsor of the CannaMéxico World Summit.

This conference, which is taking place on Wednesday, May 30 and Thursday, May 31 at the San Cristobal Center in Guanajuato, Mexico, is led by former Mexican President Vicente Fox Quesada, an ardent supporter of cannabis for medical use as an alternative treatment method for a wide range of medical conditions.

Ontario-based licensed cannabis producer INDIVA Ltd. has been busy preparing for recreational cannabis legalization in Canada later this year.  INDIVA Ltd. is a small to mid-cap licensed cannabis producer with production and processing facilities in London, Ontario. The company is publicly traded on the TSXv under the symbol NDVA.

It would appear as though Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX:WEED) stock has begun to take off again, which should have investors asking themselves, “Exactly how high can it go this time?”

Following a “cooling off” period that extended through the first four months of 2018, Canopy Growth stock has once again continued its ascent, up at one point just shy of 44% over the first three weeks or so of May, giving back some those gains since then, but it’s still up a very respectable 32% since April 30.

The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF (TSE:HMMJ) is being met with stiff resistance, threatening the near-term upside potential of the cannabis sector. The weakness comes in lead-up to a key third reading vote on Bill C-45 (Cannabis Act) on June 7, which is widely expected to pass. We explore further.

Even cannabis-toking neighbours can be a concern for potential buyers, Montreal broker Eleni Akrivos says.

If you’re one of the one in 10 Quebecers who has enjoyed a toke on a joint or a bite of a “special” brownie lately, you’re probably looking forward to the day when you can do it legally. You might even be hoping to grow a plant or two. But if you are also selling your home, or planning to, you might want to think carefully about when, where and how you enjoy your weed.

A 3-month consultation will be required before private or government stores and lounges can be opened.

Nunavummiut will not be able to grow cannabis in their homes, if the territory's Cannabis Act passes into law as it is currently proposed.

Bill 7 was introduced to the Legislative Assembly for a first reading on May 24. Next week, it is expected to receive a second reading — at which point it is likely the Minister of Finance, David Akeeagok, will speak to the bill.

The bill will likely then pass to a standing committee for further review.

The Cannabis Act was drafted based on what the territorial government heard during community consultations, according to Dan Carlson, assistant deputy minister for the Department of Finance.

As Canada’s Cannabis Act nears its final reading in the Senate, the last-minute fussing over its contents is heating up. This week, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology recommended amendments to the Cannabis Act that would empower provinces to ban home cultivation and establish mandatory THC limits on all cannabis products sold in the country.

The Standing Committee also rejected a number of amendments, some by a small margin, including a proposed nationwide ban on home cultivation.

The proposed amendments will be considered by the full Senate, which will vote in favour of or against the bill on June 7.

There are more than 260,000 medical cannabis patients in Canada alone. And in an effort to help connect industry leaders, medical disruptors and tech innovators the Business of Cannabis held their inaugural Medical Cannabis Week in Toronto last week. Here are five things we learned from MCW, writes Blaine Pearson.

1. Do Not Underestimate the Passion of Patients and Practitioners