"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2019-05-15T15:00:13Z"
data-video-section="travel"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel-play/2019/05/15/pot-yoga-las-vegas-travel-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="pot yoga las vegas travel orig"
data-first-publish-slug="pot yoga las vegas travel orig"
data-video-tags="continents and regions,controlled substances,diet, nutrition and fitness,drug policy,drugs and society,exercise and fitness,health and medical,las vegas,leisure and lifestyle,marijuana,meditation and yoga,nevada,north america,society,southwestern united states,the americas,united states"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2014-03-11T01:13:58Z"
data-video-section="health"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2014/03/10/orig-brain-on-weed-sanjay-jr-jt.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="orig brain on weed sanjay jr jt"
data-first-publish-slug="orig brain on weed sanjay jr jt"
data-video-tags="brain science,controlled substances,drugs and society,health and medical,marijuana,sanjay gupta,medical fields and specialties,society"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-04-02T19:01:18Z"
data-video-section="health"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2017/08/21/synthetic-marijuana-health-sje-lon-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="synthetic marijuana health sje lon orig"
data-first-publish-slug="synthetic marijuana health sje lon orig"
data-video-tags="accidents, disasters and safety,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,chemical industry and chemicals,chemicals and environment,controlled substances,drug safety,drug safety, efficacy and availability,drugs and society,environment and natural resources,marijuana,pharmaceuticals and biotechnology,product safety,safety issues and practices,society,synthetic drugs,toxic and hazardous substances"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-04-19T21:01:15Z"
data-video-section="us"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/04/10/legal-marijuana-pot-weed-laws-zw-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="legal marijuana pot weed laws zw orig"
data-first-publish-slug="legal marijuana pot weed laws zw orig"
data-video-tags="controlled substances,crime, law enforcement and corrections,criminal law,decriminalization,drug policy,drugs and society,government and public administration,law and legal system,legislation,marijuana,marijuana legalization,political platforms and issues,politics,society,war on drugs,controlled substance laws"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2018-04-27T07:48:34Z"
data-video-section="health"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2018/04/26/seniors-medical-marijuana-cannabus-health-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="seniors medical marijuana cannabus health orig"
data-first-publish-slug="seniors medical marijuana cannabus health orig"
data-video-tags="alternative medicine,behavior and cognition,controlled substances,diseases and disorders,drugs and society,health and medical,marijuana,medical marijuana,science,sleep,sleep disorders,society"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-09-07T15:48:43Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/2017/09/07/weed-distributor-flow-kana-marijuana-cannabis-california-cnntech.cnnmoney"
data-branding-key="upstarts"
data-video-slug="weed distributor flow kana marijuana cannabis california cnntech"
data-first-publish-slug="weed distributor flow kana marijuana cannabis california cnntech"
data-video-tags="business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,california,company activities and management,controlled substances,crime, law enforcement and corrections,criminal law,decriminalization,drugs and society,environment and natural resources,environmentalism,land use planning,law and legal system,marijuana,north america,real estate,sales and selling,society,southwestern united states,sustainable development,transportation and warehousing,united states,warehouse storage"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2017-02-28T15:44:08Z"
data-video-section="politics"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/02/28/jeff-sessions-naag-remarks-medical-marijuana.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Jeff Sessions NAAG remarks medical marijuana"
data-first-publish-slug="Jeff Sessions NAAG remarks medical marijuana"
data-video-tags="business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,controlled substances,crime, law enforcement and corrections,criminal law,decriminalization,drugs and society,epidemics and outbreaks,health and medical,jeff sessions,law and legal system,marijuana,marijuana legalization,pharmaceutical industry,pharmaceuticals and biotechnology,pharmaceuticals and prescription drugs,political figures - us,prescription drug abuse,public health,society,substance abuse"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2016-11-02T20:01:06Z"
data-video-section="us"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/11/02/california-weed-vs-whiskey-sidner-pkg.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="california weed vs whiskey sidner pkg"
data-first-publish-slug="california weed vs whiskey sidner pkg"
data-video-tags="california,controlled substances,crime, law enforcement and corrections,criminal law,decriminalization,drugs and society,law and legal system,marijuana,marijuana legalization,north america,society,southwestern united states,united states,ballots,elections and campaigns,government and public administration,politics,voters and voting"
data-details="">
Altria hopes pot is the key to help it grow beyond its stagnant cigarette business.
Tobacco giant Altria is investing $1.8 billion in Canadian cannabis company Cronos Group. That will give Altria a 45% stake in the company, with an option for Altria to increase its stake to 55% over the next five years.
Reports of an Altria-Cronos deal first surfaced earlier this week. The decision by Altria to go ahead with an investment in Cronos shows that Altria is serious about investing in marijuana as a new growth area as sales of traditional cigarettes slow.
Altria’s stock has fallen nearly 25% this year and the company is expected to report revenue growth of only about 1% this year and in 2019.
“Investing in Cronos Group as our exclusive partner in the emerging global cannabis category represents an exciting new growth opportunity for Altria,” said Howard Willard, Altria’s CEO, in a statement.
Shares of Altria (MO) rose 2% in early trading Friday while Cronos (CRON) soared more than 30%.
“Altria is the ideal partner for Cronos Group, providing the resources and expertise we need to meaningfully accelerate our strategic growth,” said Cronos CEO Mike Gorenstein in a statement.
Gorenstein added that Cronos will use the investment from Altria to expand its distribution and infrastructure around the world and also boost its investments in research and development for new brands and products.
Cronos and other cannabis stocks have been thrust into the spotlight in the past few months following the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada in October, as well as legalized recreational and medical pot in several US states last month.
But Coke shot down the talk in October. CEO James Quincey said the company “doesn’t have any plans at this stage” to enter the CBD market.
Coke’s archrival Pepsi (PEP) hasn’t completely ruled out a move into cannabis. Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told analysts during its earnings call in October that “it’s fair to say we look at everything” in response to a question about cannabis.
The Canadian subsidiary of Molson Coors (TAP) has a joint venture with The Hydropothecary Corporation to produce cannabis-infused drinks for the Canadian market. Lagunitas, a beer brand owned by Heineken (HEINY), is selling a cannabis-infused sparkling water brand in California.
Investors seem to be betting that more deals could be coming. Shares of Canopy, Aurora, Tilray (TLRY) and Aphria (APHA) all surged Friday morning.