VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 17, 2017 / Some of the biggest marijuana stocks in the U.S. have seen 1,000 percent gains over the past couple of years, and now it is Canada's turn - where no one's even looking.

Here, the minting of millionaires is going to be huge. Not only is medical marijuana already legalized across the country, but the Canadian government is preparing to introduce legislation in April 2017, fully legalizing the recreational use of cannabis by July 1st 2018.

Canadian small-cap Invictus MD (TSX: IMH.V; OTC PINK: IVITF) - the FIRST licensed medical marijuana company to pay a dividend to shareholders - is set to make huge additional gains.

Here's why:

- Legal cannabis is sweeping the nation

- The cannabis market is BIGGER than the combined sales of beer, wine and spirits.

- Canadian cannabis stocks won't be cheap for long

- Canada's first Marijuana ETF will soon launch... bringing even more attention to the sector

And there's no province-by-province uncertainty in Canada - medical marijuana is federally legal, and in mid-April, the government is planning to put through its bill to legalize recreational use by next summer, so the urgency for investors is mounting.

You need to prepare now... before this happens.

It's an industry Deloitte estimates could be worth $22.6 billion annually - again, this is far more than the combined sales of beer, wine and spirits.

Right out of the gate, Invictus MD, one of only 41 licensed producers, has demonstrated that it will lead the way. The company managed to raise CAD$12 million in only 6 hours in its latest offering, meaning it is cashed up and already generates dividends for shareholders.

Here are 5 Reasons to keep a close eye on Invictus MD (TSX: IMH.V; OTC PINK: IVITF) -'Canada's Cannabis Company':

#1 Nothing Beats Marijuana Stocks Right Now

Nothing moves a product out of the dustbin like legalization - and even better when it's federal. Marijuana stocks have skyrocketed over the past year, with the seven largest 'green giants' soaring on the philosophy of a brand new world.

The shares of the medical marijuana producers more than tripled last year.

- AXIM Biotechnologies (NASDAQOTH:AXIM): exploded 1,720 percent

- Corbus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CRBP) was up 431 percent

- Aphria (NASDAQOTH:APHQF) grew 381 percent

- Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQOTH:ACBFF) was up 299 percent

- Canopy Growth Corp. (NASDAQOTH:TWMJF) up 259 percent

- Medical Marijuana (NASDAQOTH:MJNA) up 254 percent

- GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:GWPH) was up 64 percent

The smart money is investing too. Tribeca Investment Partners, a boutique fund manager, used bets on marijuana companies to help generate a 145 percent return over the year, according to Fortune magazine and Bloomberg. Nearly US$20 million of its investment gains in 2016 came from marijuana stocks, including Aurora Cannabis and Canopy Growth.

Things are about to explode even further with the launch of the first marijuana exchange-traded fund (ETF) in Canada, giving diverse exposure to this tantalizing sector. The Horizons Medical Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (TSX:HMMJ) will launch on the 4th of April on the Toronto Stock Exchange with 11 Canadian-listed stocks and four U.S.-listed stocks.

The frenzy surrounding Canada's marijuana market is palpable, and will be even more frenzied with the looming recreational legalization bill.

This puts Invictus, which already has a license to produce, directly on the front line of a multi-billion-dollar market that promises massive new demand and very tight supply.

#2 The Right Acquisitions at the Right Time

Invictus MD (TSX: IMH.V; OTC PINK: IVITF)—has an impressive head start on a market set to explode, with multiple projects in its Canadian investment pipeline. And it's all about acquisitions.

The company's dream team targets small- and mid-size companies with significant growth potential and directs their strategies towards profitability.

Recently, they've made some game-changing acquisitions at just the right time on the Canadian marijuana market: In total, these acquisitions were negotiated at a combined CAD$52 million, which is far less than the valuation of Invictus MD peers. In short; They are "cornering" the market at a low entry point.

The company owns over 33 percent in AB Laboratories Inc., which received its cultivation license last October. The catalysts here are mounting, with the sales license expected in Q2. This facility is already licensed for 100 kilograms and has a capacity for 1,000 kilograms, with active expansion plans underway.

Story continues