Last week, marijuana stocks in Canada skyrocketed suddenly, despite evident indications that the government plans to go slow in its promise to legalize recreational marijuana use (scheduled for next Spring). The increases may have gotten a boost from pot legalization votes in four U.S. states, Colorado and Oregon. In Canada, marijuana comes under federal jurisdiction, unlike in the United States, where regulation is shared by the states and federal government.

Since 2000, Canadians have been allowed to possess and grow small amounts of pot for medical use. The government began licensing such companies as Canopy Growth in 2014 to grow mass amounts of marijuana to meet a growing demand from patients suffering from diseases that cause chronic pain, seizures and nerve problems. As reported in The Washington Post.