Canadian stock exchanges have served as a hot spot for U.S. cannabis companies as they list their shares north of the border to better access capital markets.

The marijuana legalization trend is picking up steam now that Canada has fully legalized cannabis.

And we've got a stock price prediction that marijuana investors can't afford to miss as cannabis goes mainstream.

The cannabis industry is expected to jump from $10 billion in legal sales in 2017 to $24.5 billion by 2021.

The news for marijuana penny stocks can't get much better.

Over the last two weeks, national and state governments in North America have dealt a wave of final blows to marijuana prohibition, paving the way for full legalization – and tremendous profits.

On Oct. 31, Mexico's Supreme Court struck down the nation's marijuana prohibition law. Shortly afterwards, Mexico's incoming government announced plans to pursue full legalization.

Less than a week later, three American states took huge leaps toward full legalization during the midterm elections. Both Missouri and Utah voted to allow medical marijuana use, while Michigan voted for full recreational legalization.

That's not even mentioning Canada's nationwide legalization on Oct. 17.

During our last review of GrowGeneration Corp (OTCMKTS:GRWG) – which is available for readers here – we explored the hypothesis that the firm was on an expansionary strategy into the cannabis sector. Back then, their goal was to venture into medical marijuana and their strategy was mainly backed by the acquisition of one of the largest Michigan-based firms so as to boost their top line. The result for them was impressive as their venture into the segment indeed weighed in on their revenue base.

Cannabis stocks, already bolstered by wins in the midterm elections, got an added boost when anti-pot Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced his resignation Wednesday afternoon.

Exchange-traded funds that track marijuana stocks, including the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF in Toronto and the U.S.-listed ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF, jumped to fresh highs on the news, gaining as much as 9.1 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively.

Tilray Inc. posted the biggest increase, climbing as much as 34 percent -- the most since Sept. 19, when the stock almost doubled before giving back most of the gains in a wild ride for investors. Other cannabis-related stocks in both the U.S. and Canada also advanced.

With its youthful vibe and eclectic mix of culture, a small Massachusetts city seems a logical site for the nation's first legal recreational marijuana sales east of Colorado.

An existing medical marijuana dispensary in Northampton -- nestled in Massachusetts' scenic Pioneer Valley -- plans to open its doors within days to anyone 21 or older looking for products ranging from pre-rolled joints to cannabis-infused edibles, creams, lotions and cooking oils. A second store in the small town of Leicester could also open at or around the same time, while dozens of other retail applicants await final licensing approval from state regulators.

By now, we should all know that driving a motor vehicle with cannabis in your body could result in harsh legal penalties. But what about driving with cannabis in your car?

Now that cannabis is legal, adults are able to carry up to 30 grams of cannabis or its equivalent in public places. However, when it comes to your motor vehicle, there are a number of restrictions about how that should be done in order to properly comply with the law.

His net worth stands at close to $3.2 billion, according to Forbes. He became a legend at Goldman Sachs, helping build the firm's asset management business into a giant in the industry. He founded and ran one of the most successful hedge funds in the world. And now Leon Cooperman is investing his personal money in marijuana stocks.

Second Cup to start pot store conversions in Alberta

Second Cup provided some new details on its work to convert some of its stores to cannabis shops when the coffee chain reported third quarter results on Monday. The company says it is in the process of converting two Alberta stores to recreational cannabis dispensaries as part of its joint venture with National Access Cannabis.  Other locations in Ontario have been identified as possible conversions as well. Second Cup also announced a strategic review of its operations as it looks to “evolve” now that it has improved its balance sheet. . 

Most marijuana stocks took a beating in October. Once-high-flying Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY) plunged more than 30%, although it still claims the highest market cap among its peers. But not every marijuana stock experienced misery last month.

Shares of Origin House (NASDAQOTH:ORHOF), formerly known as CannaRoyalty, actually ended October up a little.

Which of these two marijuana stocks is the better pick for long-term investors? Here's how Tilray and Origin House stack up against each other.