With recreational cannabis sales slated to begin on Oct. 17, many Canadians are understandably still hazy when it comes to essential weed words like “sativa” and “CBD.” To help you navigate the lingo of the new legalized landscape, here’s an easy guide.

What’s the difference between ‘cannabis,’ ‘marijuana’ and ‘hemp’?

“Cannabis,” the word used in current government literature, refers to a genus of Asian flowering plants in the Cannabaceae family -- a family that also includes hops and hackberries -- that have been cultivated for millennia for their medicinal and psychoactive properties.

Consumer Staples

According to Investopedia, a consumer staple is defined thus:
"...Consumer staples are goods that people are unable or unwilling to cut out of their budgets regardless of their financial situation... People tend to demand consumer staples at a relatively constant level, regardless of their price."

Essentially, a consumer staple has low elasticity of demand (a change in price has very little effect on the demand for the product), is non-cyclical (demand is effected very little by the state of the economy) and is used by both the rich and the poor. Common consumer staples include food, alcohol, tobacco and now, cannabis.

A top official of the U.S. Customs Border Protection confirmed Wednesday that anyone working or investing in Canada’s cannabis industry will be treated as if they are an illegal drug trafficker.

Despite that Canada will have legal cannabis nationwide in a month, and that a majority of states have legalized cannabis to some extent, the plant remains illegal at the federal level. The U.S. government views foreigners working in the marijuana industry the same way they would someone working for an illegal drug cartel or as a dealer, regardless of their home nation’s laws.

Yet another major U.S. alcohol company is getting into the cannabis sector.

Breakthru Beverage, a multi-state wholesaler that was formed via the 2015 merger of Chicago-based Wirtz Beverage Group and New York’s Charmer Sunbelt Group, has agreed to invest $9.2 million in CannTrust, a Canadian marijuana maker.

In a press release, the two companies announced a letter of intent that will make Breakthru the exclusive distributor of CannTrust’s recreational marijuana products throughout Canada.

CHICAGO—Deputy commissioner Bill Daly says the NHL does not expect to change its rules on marijuana with the legalization of cannabis in Canada coming on Oct. 17.

Daly said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday that the move won’t affect the NHL/NHLPA drug-testing policy.

Sometimes a first impression doesn't tell the full story. That's the case for my opinion of a small marijuana stock that perhaps hasn't caught the attention of most investors -- CannaRoyalty (NASDAQOTH: CNNRF). 

You have probably read and heard a lot about the top marijuana stocks. For the most part, these are the stocks of Canadian marijuana growers like Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC). But U.S.-based marijuana businesses don't get nearly as much attention. I'll be the first to admit that I haven't focused on some of these stocks of U.S. companies as much as I have on the Canadian stocks.

When Canada's marijuana legalization bill received 

This is what you’ve all been waiting for — here are the top 10 marijuana stocks on the TSX, ordered from smallest to largest. Supreme Cannabis Company (TSXV:FIRE) Mostly due to growing its share count by roughly 60% from a year ago, Supreme had about $80 million in cash as of March 31. Supreme’s biggest news items for the summer months have been its supply agreements with the liquor boards of B.C., Alberta, and Manitoba. Emerald Health Therapeutics (TSXV:EMH) As of March 31, Emerald had cash and cash equivalents of just under $90 million. The company trades at around three…

This is what you’ve all been waiting for — here are the top 10 marijuana stocks on the TSX, ordered from smallest to largest.

While we know the exact date marijuana will become legal in Canada — Oct. 17 — the American timeline remains hazy.

It's possible to imagine a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House in the not-too-distant-future repealing pot's prohibition under the Controlled Substances Act and officially delegating the matter to the states. It's equally conceivable, however, to imagine a prolonged era of Republican rule preserving the status quo. Perhaps, as evidence of marijuana's harm accumulates, a bipartisan consensus will emerge to double down on outlawing the drug in some new and creative way.

More than 30,000 people cross the U.S.-Canadian border in Blaine, Washington, every day. For most, it's a trouble-free experience but for some Canadian business people, that seems to be changing. 

Sam Znaimer is a Vancouver, Canada-based venture capitalist who has been investing in everything from tech to telecommunications for more than 30 years. Recently, he put more than $100,000 into legal American cannabis companies. In May, when he attempted to drive across the border, he was flagged for a secondary inspection and questioned for four hours.