Ergonomics and the associated employer requirements to maintain safe workplaces, especially in industries where repetitive motion injuries are common, are at the forefront of modern claim prevention. However, the legal cannabis industry could be especially vulnerable.

As a legalization shift sweeps the nation, responsible cannabis growers in California are uniquely positioned to lead the way, while others either comply or face hefty penalties.

Many cannabis companies have fallen out of favor over the past few months amid growing financial losses and other issues. However, there are a few businesses out there that are not only doing surprisingly well for themselves, but remain just as promising for investors as they were before this coronavirus pandemic began.

If you're looking to invest in a handful of high-quality cannabis stocks but aren't sure where to look, here are three companies that you should seriously consider adding to your portfolio in 2020.

Why The Second Quarter of This Year Could be a Game Changer For Canadian Pot Stocks

From a revenue and cash flow standpoint, 2020 has been a banner year for the Canadian cannabis industry and we believe that the industry is reaching an inflection point.

Based on the monthly revenue numbers that are reported by Health Canada, consumers are purchasing considerably more cannabis from legal operators in 2020 when compared to 2019. Although the size of the Canadian cannabis market has more than doubled in less than one-year, public cannabis companies have been under considerable pressure and this is a trend that our readers need to be aware of.

B.C. has has a difficult road to getting cannabis users interested in purchasing from legal retailers over their neighbourhood dealer, but a recent poll suggests that the province may finally be winning the battle over bud.

A Research Co. poll released earlier this month found that 51 per cent of B.C. respondents who have consumed cannabis in the past six months have bought all of their products from licensed retailers. That’s an 18-point increase from a similar survey conducted in October 2019.

About 20 per cent of the 800 respondents surveyed said that “most” or “some” of their cannabis was obtained at a licensed retailer, while 16 per cent admitted to purchasing only through illegal dealers or unlicensed retailers.

An initiative to fight anti-Black racism signed by hundreds of Canadian companies could make businesses put their money where their mouth is when talking about diversity.

Over 200 organization, including several cannabis giants, have signed the BlackNorth Initiative and publicly pledged to battle anti-Black racism this week. The initiative was created by The Canadian Council of Business Leaders Against Anti-Black Systemic Racism.

I was reviewing cannabis brand data recently— a chart that compares price against quantity sold. In a traditional industry, it would resemble a downward-sloping demand curve.

But cannabis is not a traditional industry.

Instead of finding a simple graph, I found a hodge-podge of plot points, almost randomized, with little rhyme or reason: young brands, old brands, successful brands, struggling brands—all thrown into the messy mix.

Jesse Bontecou, deputy director of industry group Oregon Retailers of Cannabis Association (ORCA), recalls how the group once tried to promote an event on Facebook.

It was in 2018 or early 2019, he recalls, and included the state’s top cannabis regulator giving a talk on cannabis policy. Facebook not only rejected the post, but also dinged the group with a warning, Bontecou said. ORCA is a trade association—“and yet we’ve had problems with Facebook,” he said. “It’s frustrating.”

He wonders at times if the association’s account will get suspended. “I’m even nervous talking to you about it,” he said.

It was already an assumption that Canada was going to have a booming, country-wide cannabis market through their legal industry, but now the numbers prove that that assumption is a reality. Retail sales reached $185.9 million Canadian dollars this past May, according to Statistics Canada. 

Cannabis legalization is picking up steam throughout the United States. The industry is already booming, and it’s set to grow over the next decade, prompting investors and entrepreneurs everywhere to jump on the bandwagon to try to cash in.

There will certainly be some impressive entrepreneurial and investment opportunities in the near future, but before you make any big financial decisions (or take any big business risks), there are some things you should know.

Regulations Can Be Messy