A C$1.1 billion cannabis deal announced Monday helped to spark a broad rally in the broader marijuana sector to start the second quarter, even if shares of Origin House fell Monday as news broke of its acquisition by Chicago-based Cresco Labs Inc.

The ETFMG Alternative Harvest exchange-traded fund MJ, +0.71%  rose 0.9% in afternoon trade, with 24 of 34 components trading higher. The ETF had soared 46% in the first quarter, the largest quarterly gain since inception in December 2015.

The cannabis industry is breaking out, but if market estimates are accurate, there will be plenty of growth for years to come.

Last year, five million Canadians purchased more than $6 billion in cannabis, equating to an annual spend of more than $1,000 per person. Emerging legalization across the U.S. is providing a long-term growth driver to this impressive start.

The U.S. market is expected to hit $80 billion by 2030. Adding international opportunities magnifies the market size even further.

One stock that we have continued to cheer on through corrections and ranges, with a firm belief in eventual leadership status and success, is OrganiGram Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS:OGRMF). This is the next logical choice behind APHA, ACB, and CGC when it comes to the big Canadian production plays in the cannabis patch. Shares of OGRMF just broke out to new all-time once again in March, and now we face the question of whether that breakout will hold. Our bias on this one remains intact. To further flesh out the story, the company just announced an update on its previously announced mandatory conversion of the Company’s 6.0% convertible unsecured debentures due January 31, 2020.

Cannabis-focused biotechs and Canadian marijuana producers ranked as the top performers among marijuana stocks in February. But it was a much different story in March. This month, U.S.-focused companies took center stage.

The three best marijuana stocks in March were Charlotte's Web Holdings (NASDAQOTH: CWBHF) , Origin House(NASDAQOTH: ORHOF) , and CV Sciences (NASDAQOTH: CVSI) . Here's why these stocks generated sizzling gains and whether or not any of the stocks are smart picks to buy now.

The Canadian cannabis market is starting to take shape, and so far, a pyramid of sorts has formed. At the top of the pyramid reside Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis. The two juggernauts share about 50% of the domestic market and are numbers two and one (respectively) in production capacity.

Lower on the pyramid, Hexo, Cronos Group, and Aphria are battling each other, and Hexo recently got a boost with its acquisition of Newstrike Brands.

Two thousand percent. That's what your return would have been if you bought Canopy Growth(NYSE:CGC) shares three years ago and held on to them. So far this year, the stock is up by 61%. With this kind of sizzling performance, it's no wonder that investors have taken quite an interest in Canopy Growth.

But there's more to the story for this Canadian marijuana producer than just its previous stock gains. If you're looking to buy shares of Canopy Growth now, here are five things you should know first.

Canada's recreational marijuana market and European medical cannabis markets tend to be the top subjects of discussion for executives of the biggest marijuana producers. That makes sense, with nearly all of the revenue for the big marijuana companies being generated in Canada and in Europe.

Origin House (NASDAQOTH:ORHOF) and MariMed (NASDAQOTH:MRMD) rank as two of the hottest marijuana stocks on the market.

Over the last 12 months, both stocks have come close to tripling.

So far in 2019, Origin House has emerged as the bigger winner by far. But which of these stocks is the better pick now? Here's how Origin House and MariMed stack up against each other.

The case for Origin House

Origin House has a saying: "Win California, win the world." That's actually not a bad strategy for a marijuana business.

After emerging from nowhere, the legal cannabis market is bombarding investors with groundbreaking news on a daily basis, making it one of the most exciting sectors to invest in. How does one stand out in an increasingly crowded environment? Perhaps new players should take a cue from the products and services of these three radically different companies: Tilray (NASDAQ: TLRY), GW Pharma (NASDAQ: GWPH) and Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE: IIPR).

Despite legalization revenue drivers, CannTrust Q4 results disappoint