We've all seen so many investment fads come and go.
It's almost mind-boggling to think back on them, partly for the "what were we thinking?" aspect, partly for how much financial news we've read and mostly forgotten about.
There were the day traders before the internet was everywhere. Some of them may have held on until the quantitative traders set up shop next to the exchanges and started front-running trades at light speed (quite literally).
Social media IPOs, BRIC, Asian Tigers, Y2K, etc. And of course, there is the fantastic example of the couple months when "Crypto Genius" James Altucher's hair confused us to no end as his omnipresent online ads appeared and disappeared almost overnight.
All of these things were fresh and new, and quite frankly so novel that it was hard to see anything but blue sky.
But the promises vanished, or too many people piled in, or they just couldn't mature into money-making ventures.
I'm afraid that some people are starting to see medical marijuana the same way, but I'm going to keep beating the drum for it. Here's why...
We're at the point where medical marijuana is widely accepted. 31 states now have some form of it. About two-thirds of Americans can access it with qualifying conditions.
Back in 2010, a Pew Research poll showed that 73% of American voters backed medical marijuana, including 80% of Democrats, 76% of independents, and 61% of Republicans.
Support for it is now up to 93%, with voters supporting a bill protecting states with legal medical or recreational marijuana from federal prosecution by 74%, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll.
I've written about how the FDA just approved the first marijuana-derived treatment, which will ultimately break the Federal government classifying marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance.
I've written about how vets want it along with their doctors. And how banks are stepping in to provide critical services.
Hell, even bipartisan bills - remember those? - are pending to make sure the Feds either stay out of states that legalize it, or outright remove all barriers.
So the novelty has worn off. This trend has been going for some time, and it just doesn't have that new car smell anymore, so to speak.
Investors who see the potential but are starting to see medical marijuana as old news are going to miss out on some of the biggest profits to come.
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I've also written about how we've been looking at the medical marijuana sector the wrong way.
In fact, a lot of the medical marijuana products out there don't even come from marijuana. They're increasingly using cannabidiol from hemp.
The companies that are paving the way have no interest in people getting high. In fact, they're actively avoiding it.
They're finding that the most promising applications of medical marijuana are the compounds, of which there are well over 100, that provide no euphoric effect at all.
And they're using a high-tech approach that is new to the industry. These are no longer marijuana companies.
They are pharmaceutical companies making rapid progress with some of the most promising compounds medical researchers have found in decades.
Its CEO has been on the front line of the world's most cutting-edge drug makers for over 25 years.
The Chief Medical Officer used to be the medical director for a $12 billion French biopharma company.
The Chief Scientific Officer spent 20 years in drug discovery and development and has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed papers.
It isn't even getting its marijuana-derived compounds from marijuana plants. It is using a process called biosynthesis to grow and isolate the most promising compounds with little waste and high efficiency.
This isn't the kind of medical marijuana company we saw even a couple years ago. It is a budding pharmaceutical powerhouse with an all-star management team.
And medical marijuana isn't one of those fads that loses its novelty and peters out. It is rapidly evolving into something far different, and far greater, than we could have anticipated.
Companies like this one are why I'm going to keep beating on this drum. This is just getting started.
Take care,
Adam English
Adam's editorial talents and analysis drew the attention of senior editors at Outsider Club, which he joined in mid-2012. While he has acquired years of hands-on experience in the editorial room by working side by side with ex-brokers, options floor traders, and financial advisors, he is acutely aware of the challenges faced by retail investors after starting at the ground floor in the financial publishing field. For more on Adam, check out his editor's page.