2 Overlooked Segments of Marijuana Industry Could Skyrocket

Marijuana Industry Growth

When people think of marijuana, they typically think of the classic rolled joint that has been a pop culture staple for decades. But when it comes to the marijuana industry, the growing popularity and legality of the drug has fueled an explosion in how one can enjoy pot and for what purposes. As a result, the industry has expanded far beyond just the recreational marijuana market.

Investors, therefore, shouldn’t overlook segments of the pot industry that, while they don’t receive the same amount of attention as the recreational business, have huge potential for growth in the coming years.

While there are several marijuana industry segments we could focus on today, I’ve decided to narrow it down to specific areas of marijuana that I predict will see massive growth in the coming years. These are areas that I believe are among some of the most overlooked by the everyday investor.

Overlooked Segment #1: Medical Marijuana Growth

The first segment I’d like to tackle is medical marijuana.

I know a lot of you are thinking, “Doesn’t this market segment receive a lot of attention already?” But, frankly, you’d be surprised about how few investors are considering medical pot.

The fact is that many consider it to be old news now that recreational marijuana is gaining steam around the globe. With so much of the oxygen being sucked up by the legalization of recreational pot, many forget the origins of the industry: medical marijuana stocks.

On top of all that, medical marijuana remains the industry’s best hope to gain a foothold worldwide in the fastest way possible.

After all, it’s an easier sell in puritan nations when marijuana is a medicine rather than a substance needed solely for a good time. As such, many countries are likely to pass medical marijuana legalization far before recreational pot. In fact, many already have done so.

The U.S. is a prime example: only 11 states and D.C. sell recreational marijuana, but 33 states, including D.C., permit medical pot.

The U.S., in fact, may lead the charge for recreational marijuana legalization by first legalizing medical marijuana. A very typical process that we’ve seen played out across the world.

Several presidential candidates have actually argued for total marijuana legalization—and their victory might actually speed the process along—but, for all intents and purposes, the global marijuana trade will likely be led by medical marijuana before recreational pot.

One medical marijuana stock to watch is GW Pharmaceuticals PLC-ADR (NASDAQ:GWPH). GWPH stock operates much like a pharma stock, but the company’s flagship drug is a cannabis-derived medicine that’s gaining popularity on a global scale.

The company’s “Epidiolex” medication (sometimes spelled “Epidyolex”) was the first cannabis-derived drug approved in the U.S. for prescription by doctors.

Now the drug is set to enter the European market, with European Union (EU) officials recently approving the use of the drug in 28 countries to treat seizures in patients with two rare, severe forms of childhood-onset epilepsy.

“We’ll be launching these countries over the next year or two and there’s a market of 500 million people in Europe and we’re very excited,” said GW CEO Justin Gover.  (Source: “GW Pharma to launch first CBD-based epilepsy drug in Europe ‘over the next year or two,’ CEO says,” CNBC, September 24, 2019.)

The future is therefore quite bright for GWPH stock—and many other marijuana stocks seeking to capitalize on the growing acceptance of medical marijuana.

Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com

Overlooked Segment #2: Marijuana Vaping

On to the next overlooked segment of the marijuana industry: marijuana vaping.

Vaping in general has taken the West by storm, quickly becoming a very popular way for consumers to ingest inhalants.

In fact, vape sales were among the fastest-growing segments in the marijuana industry in 2018 and much of 2019.  (Source: “Chart: Marijuana vape sales rebounding in some key markets – for now,” Marijuana Business Daily, October 1, 2019.)

That makes marijuana vaping a very exciting segment of the market and, should any particular pot stock get involved in it, investors would be wise to take note.

Now, there is an important caveat about marijuana vaping: health.

Sales in 2019 came to a halt following a number of health concerns being revealed that have led some states to institute vape sale bans. Not to mention the negative PR that has consumers steering away from marijuana vaping.

The fact is that vaping still has several potential health concerns that could very well derail its rapid rise if they were to be validated. If, for instance, it’s proven that marijuana vaping is bad for one’s health, then I anticipate that this segment of the market will flatline.

This decline had already taken place in several major marijuana markets in the U.S., with a steady decline in vape sales since the first health issues were reported, according to Headset Inc., a data and analytics company focused on the cannabis industry.

That makes this marijuana market segment more volatile and vulnerable.

But the kicker here is that many of those health problems were attributed to black market sellers. As such, if the marijuana industry is able to prove conclusively that vaping is not hazardous to one’s health, then I anticipate that marijuana vape sales will once again roar back to life.

Analyst Take

Investors who are able to see the growing segments of the marijuana market and strategically invest accordingly will no doubt see massive gains as the market continues to expand.

One of the keys to outwitting the market is to find the less-talked about segments of growing industries like pot and get in early, so that when the rest of the market catches up, you’re there to reap the vast rewards.

That’s the case when it comes to both medical marijuana and marijuana vaping. While both carry a degree of risk, there’s ultimately profit in them for companies willing to take that on. Investors who get in on the ground floor of said companies are just as likely to see major boosts to their portfolios.