The executive director of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Dr James Hosepdales, is urging regional countries to “proceed with an abundance of caution” when it come to the decriminalisation of marijuana.

Hospedales, who spoke on a government radio programme “Working for you”, said there is much discussion on the decriminalisation issue and that there have been several times in history where populations and societies have gone very liberal with substances of abuse.

“The Americans are in the middle of a big opioid crisis and some many decades ago they had a huge problem with addiction and especially among white women,” he said.

Organic produce has come a long way from farmers in hemp clothes peddling ugly vegetables to the big business it is today, available in nearly every grocery store in North America.

It’s easy to see how it got that far. Consumers liked it and demanded it. And successful conventional produce grower-shippers found a way to grow and deliver high quality organic fruits and vegetables.

Even before the mainstreaming of organic produce, greenhouse produce went through a similar lifecycle. The North American consumer could get exotic greenhouse tomatoes or peppers from Holland grown under glass. It was high-quality and different than domestic field grown.

Investors may want to pay close attention to the ancillary cannabis industry.

The marijuana industry is growing by leaps and bounds, and over the past two-plus years, cannabis stocks have reflected this growth. In many instances, pot stocks are up more than 1,000% since the beginning of 2016.

Behind these enormous gains are some rapidly growing sales figures and a discernable shift in the public's opinion toward pot.

The buzz behind the green rush

Hundreds of activists and weed users gathered at Nathan Phillips Square for the 420 rally. We asked a few of them what they thought about marijuana legalization.

Last Friday marked the final 420 rally before cannabis legalization in Canada, and Toronto stoners made sure things went out with a bang. Pot enthusiasts of all ages filled Nathan Phillips Square with their energy and with smoke — a bold choice considering event organizers were unable to obtain a permit this year. Security guards and bicycle-mounted police officers dotted the square as well.

A doctor conducting a medical marijuana therapy program with area seniors says the stigma surrounding its use is loosening up.

Dr. Blake Pearson is working with residents at Trillium Villa to see if improvements can be made to their quality of life.

He told members of Sarnia’s Seaway Kiwanis club Tuesday that physicians are really starting to see the benefits with patients.

“It’s not the answer to everything, but there have been a few cases where there have been really good results in lowering their opioid doses and anti-psychotics with cannabis oils,” says Pearson.

However, Dr. Pearson is cautiously optimistic about recreational use.

Minister responsible says last year's election main reason why B.C. is behind other provinces.

Expect some long-awaited details from the province this week on how marijuana will be regulated when it becomes legal in July. 

Just not how much things will cost or where public stores will be. 

As legalization spreads, the cannabis industry is achieving a new level of maturity, with a wide range of products and support services. Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE) (GOHE Profile) is providing payment and consulting services for cannabis companies facing the unique challenges of their sector. Terra Tech Corp. (OTC: TRTC) has developed sustainable farming methods that lead to better yields and lower costs. Surna, Inc. (OTC: SRNA) specializes in providing components for growing facilities and advice on how to set them up.

The regulatory body that oversees medical cannabis in Canada says it’s open to the idea of distributing cannabis directly to patients through pharmacies, a move that could give the country’s MMJ market a boost by improving access.

But such a change would require buy-in from other key players beyond Health Canada.

The only legal channel patients have to purchase medical marijuana in Canada is directly from licensed producers/sellers via registered mail.

Canada’s sales regimen puts it at odds with other countries that regulate medical cannabis at a federal level and distribute MMJ directly via pharmacies.

While some industry executives hope for the requisite regulatory change as soon as this year, analysts say a more likely scenario would be 2019 or 2020.

Many food and beverage operators are wondering if cannabis edibles are a fad or are here to stay.

When it comes to identifying trends in the food and beverage industry, it’s not always easy to see the forest through the trees. Much of the time, certain types of products gain momentum, and then before you know it, they are everywhere.

Sometimes however, it’s very easy to see a movement coming at you like a distant tsunami. Such is the case with the imminent legalization of cannabis in Canada.

Majority of pot shops continue to operate outside the rules.

It's been nearly two years since the City of Vancouver ordered unlicensed dispensaries to shut down or face legal consequences and, while some have paid the $30,000 licensing fee, many more continue to operate outside the rules.

According to the city, there are just over 100 marijuana shops in Vancouver as of April 10.

Of those, roughly a third are not subject to enforcement — including 15 that have paid the licensing fee, as well as stores that have been issued a development permit but are still waiting for their licence.

The 77 others are operating outside city regulations and are subject to enforcement.