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Long line ups to buy marijuana in California and a new ETF sent Canadian pot stocks roaring into the new year.

THC BioMed International Ltd. surged 70 per cent intraday and CannaRoyalty Corp. jumped 27 per cent at 2:38 p.m. in Toronto on Tuesday, pushing the BI Canada Cannabis Competitive Peers Index up 13 per cent to a record, extending a run that’s seen it almost triple since November.

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While few Canadian companies have direct exposure to the U.S. pot market — and may run afoul of the country’s main stock exchange operator if they do so — brisk buying stateside might be a sign of things to come when Canada legalizes the drug by July, Beacon Securities Ltd. analyst Vahan Ajamian said.

“We believe the news of long lines and shortages helped foreshadow what we may see in Canada this summer and significantly heightened investor sentiment across the sector,” Ajamian said by email.