Two years ago, Canadian cannabis companies were racing to scoop up international assets, from swaths of fertile land in southern Africa to cultivation licences in Jamaica and everything in between.

Now, with fears of a cash crunch looming over the industry, some of the same producers who spent tens of millions to build an international presence have started dialling back, putting projects on hold or divesting of their foreign operations altogether.

And it’s a trend that some pot analysts expect will only intensify over the next 12 months.

As cannabis legalization spreads across the North American continent, industry insiders and pot stock investors alike look to diversify their portfolios in the global marijuana trade.

With Canada on track to become the first G7 nation to legalize both recreational and medical cannabis nationally, overcrowding in the market is becoming an issue for stakeholders on all sides. It’s the reason why cannabis companies are starting to look for more opportunities internationally. These are the top four marijuana stocks with international expansion plans:

International treaties, Health Canada ban on imports restrict supply from abroad.

Licensed cannabis producers are ramping up production to get ready for legalization of marijuana in Canada this year, but are also bracing for demand to far outstrip supply because of restrictions on imports.

Health Canada forbids licensed producers, which will be the only authorized sellers of marijuana to provincial governments, from importing any cannabis for sale, regardless of whether the purchase is for medical or recreational purposes.

The only cannabis imports that the department allows are those classified as genetic material for licensed dealers that conduct research and testing.

It’s become a cliche to mention how we are all connected on this earth and that our world continues to get smaller thanks to technology, but it’s the truth, and the cannabis industry is no different. On one hand, cannabis reform movements were very insular, especially in the United States as arguments supporting legalization that appeal to voters in Oregon and California may not be as successful in other states. Also, federal law has (mostly) kept cannabis businesses stuck within state borders. However, political movements have momentum and success has bred success across the globe. On the business side, Canada broke down international barriers and there’s no looking back.

Demand from Canada’s burgeoning cannabis industry is helping fuel an emerging new industry in Africa: the cultivation of marijuana as an official export crop.

Lesotho and Zimbabwe have become the first African countries to legalize the growing of marijuana for medicinal and scientific uses and both are eagerly exploring potential deals with Canadian investors.

In one of the first Canadian cannabis deals with an African country, Ontario-based Supreme Cannabis Co. Inc. has invested $10-million in a Lesotho company, with the aim of exporting high-quality cannabis oils to Canada and other markets.

Last week, a Zimbabwean newspaper reported that Canadian investors are scouting for 10,000 hectares of land for marijuana farming in the Mashonaland region of the country.

Ever wonder how many people in the world consume cannabis? Well, if you're one of them, then you're in the company of 182 million, 999 thousand, 999 others.

LGC Capital Ltd. (CVE:QBA), a marijuana stock, moved sharply higher after announcing a new 50/50 Joint Venture to grow cannabis in southern Africa.

LGC Capital Ltd. (TSXV: QBA), a new marijuana stock, surged 57% to $0.055 on Monday after announcing that it has entered into a strategic alliance with AfriAg (Pty) Ltd to create a new 50/50 Joint Venture to grow and distribute medical and recreational cannabis products in the southern African region for export to regulated and certified end users around the world.

Tunisia's parliament voted on Tuesday to ease the country's harsh law on drugs, in a move that could see offenders like youths caught smoking marijuana escape jail terms.

The North African country has faced mounting calls from rights groups and civil society to reform the law.

Tuesday's vote comes after the National Security Council headed by President Beji Caid Essebsi announced measures in March to limit the number of drug-users sent to prison.

The South African parliament has listened to a motion to legalize the cultivation and usage of cannabis sativa or marijuana.

South Africa is set to legalize the cultivation and use of marijuana, known locally as “dagga,” as early as April 2017, making it the first African nation to permit its usage for medical purposes, reports Afkinsider.

History of the Bill

In 2014, Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, a South African MP elected on the platform of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), moved a motion in parliament calling for the legalization of marijuana for medical usage.