Editor's Note: This article is scattered with bits of interesting information, including:
- "Steve DeAngelo, co-founder and president of marijuana angel investor network The ArcView Group and Harborside Health Center, a major US medical marijuana dispensary, says Arcview brokered  $17 million in deals with 34 companies since launching in 2010." and
- "Legalising cannabis, as well as other drugs which have shown application in the medical, biotechnology and recreational space has both social and economic benefits. In fact, China’s potential to dominate the global cannabis market is often overlooked. More than half of the 600 relevant patents filed with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) with regards to cannabis are owned by Chinese firms."
With a wave of funding flowing into the cannabis business sector, amidst a growing wave of legalisation worldwide, are Asia-Pacific (APAC) economies and legislators missing out on the economic dividends, due to faulty assumptions on the part of legislators?
In 2014, US investors injected US$104.5 million in capital into the cannabis business (canna-business) space, acquiring stakes in cannabis and cannabis-related companies. According to the findings of New York-based research firm CB Insights,investment into the cannabis space peaked in Q4 2014,  growing at a rate of 941.5 percent when contrasted with the previous year.
Since Q1 2013, there’s been a surge in deal volume and investment capital being injected into the cannabis business space. Firms such as Leafline Labs and Aphria, both of which produce, supply and distribute medical marijuana, secured funding of $12.4 million and $6.2 million respectively. Meanwhile, Mediswipe, which deals in compassionate care technology, secured $1.1 million in funding.
