TRST Top pick for 2019The biggest gains over the past couple of years have been made in the Canadian market. Stocks such as Canopy Growth, Aphria, and Aurora have delivered up to 3000% gains for investors in the past 24 months alone! We believe that 2018 has been the Year of Canada. With legalisation having taken effect on the 17th of October, the real gains in the Canadian LP stocks have already been built in and made. But Canada will only account for 12% of all Cannabis Sales in 2019, according to BDS Analytics. That, however, is where the puck is. The big gains will be made where the puck is going.These are 5 marijuana stocks that we believe could have significant upside in 2019. Our thesis is that the big money will be made in the USA in the coming 12 to 24 months. Why? Well, for a number of reasons. First off, in this case, size does matter. The US market is arguably the biggest potential market in the world. The marijuana floodgates are bursting wide open In 2017 marijuana sales in the United States at the retail level soared by roughly 30%, reaching $6.56 billion on the back of continued growth in existing recreational cannabis markets. At the same time, the fledgling medical marijuana programs in states such as Illinois, Nevada and New York posted impressive growth during the year. Being 10x the size of Canada, means that the gains to be made in the near term are going to dwarf the kind of gains that have been made in Canadian Marijuana stocks in the past 24 months. Secondly, the winds of change are blowing strongly through the political landscape. In April of this year, President Trump gave his support to Senator Gardner of Colorado that Cannabis companies operating under legal environments in states that have passed respective legislation would be protected from Department of Justice intervention and/or prosecution. In addition to this, Marijuanas cousin, Hemp, is also going through a radical policy change via The Farm Bill of 2018 (which was recently passed in the Senate and the House and is currently on its way to Trumps desk). The Bill would legalise hemp for industrial use, and open up a $22 billion market by 2025. Considering the 2018 market is valued at $418 million, one can clearly see the growth potential. So, looking to 2019, herewith our top picks for the year. Four are from the US and one from Canada. We still believe Canada holds tremendous value, and should not be overlooked, particularly with the real legalisation of edibles and extracts coming later in the year. Our Canadian play is perfectly poised to really take advantage of that. Lets start with our US plays. MedMen (CSE: MMEN) MedMen is, without doubt, one of the top contenders to dominate the highly fragmented US market. MedMen, one of the first US companies to list on the Canadian Stock Exchange,is a vertically integrated US, Multi-State Operator (MSO) with a strong focus on the retail market and the operation of its stores and dispensaries. Given that Cannabis is still illegal at the Federal level, and hence cannabis cannot be transported across State Lines, MedMen is vertically-integrated in every State it operates in.It is particularly strong in its home state of California, with high profile stores in Beverly Hills and other prime locations in and around Los Angeles. What we love about MedMen is their retail focus. We strongly believe this is where the real margins will be made in the longer term and they are primed to take advantage. Origin House (OTC:ORHOF) Origin House (formerly known as CannaRoyalty), is a North American cannabis consumer product company currently focused on building a leading distribution business inCalifornia, currently the worlds largest regulated cannabis market. By building a world-class logistics platform and supporting contract manufacturing assets, the Company intends to support the growth of new and established cannabis brands. Origin House has developed a diversified portfolio of assets within the cannabis sector, including research, infrastructure, and intellectual property to support their existing brands, partner products, and distribution networks. We are extremely bullish on them and believe they offer huge upside as they continue to expand their US operations. KushCo (OTC:KSHB) KushCo (formerly known as Kush Bottles) is a dynamic sales platform that provides unique products and services for both businesses and consumers in the cannabis industry. Founded in 2010 as a packaging and supplies company for dispensaries and growers, KushCo has sold more than a billion units and now regularly services more than 5,000 legally operated medical and adult-use dispensaries, growers, and producers across North America, South America, and Europe. The Company has facilities in the three largest U.S. cannabis markets and a local sales presence in every major U.S. cannabis market. An ancillary play (in other words they dont touch the plant) they have the opportunity of supplyingboththe legal and black market with their packaging products. We believe KushCo to be the best ancillary play in the current market. A strong management team, solid execution track record, and servicing a booming, captive audience, we really like their story. CV Sciences (OTC:CVSI) Our final US play operates in the booming Hemp industry. CV Sciences,operates through two segments, Specialty Pharmaceuticals, and Consumer Products. The company focuses on developing and commercialising prescription drugs utilising synthetic cannabidiol (CBD) as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Its initial drug candidate is CVSI-007 that combines CBD and nicotine for the treatment of smokeless tobacco use and addiction. The company also engages in the development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of consumer products containing Hemp-based CBD under the PlusCBD Oil name in various market sectors, including nutraceutical, beauty care, specialty foods, and vape. A well-run business with great management, and a solid track record, they are one of the best placed to take advantage of the massive Hemp market currently opening up across the US. The Farm Bill of 2018 will have a direct impact on the future performance of CV Sciences. Their stock price has been hyperbolic in the past couple of months, with gains of over 600%. We first put this company on our readers radar in April 2018 and added to the portfolio in May. The stock has since consolidated at current levels and we believe it to have great upside. CannTrust (OTC:TRST) Our Canadian play, and one of our favourite pot stocks. With a production capacity of just over 100,000kg of flower per annum, international growth, and distribution, and supply agreements that cover the Western Provinces of Canada, CannTrust is very, very well positioned for growth. This is over and above the fact that they have the industry-leading percentage of oil revenues (60% of their revenue) and a global patent on a zero taste, zero calorie, THC/CBD soluble that is purpose-built to work with the beverage companies. We have spoken before at just how big we think the beverage market will be. CannTrust was founded for the sole purpose of delivering standardised, pharmaceutical grade, medicinal cannabis to the global market. And theyve done just that.The best part is that this stock is extremely undervalued against its peers and has significant upside. We are very bullish on them and think they are superbly placed for recreational sales, as well as being a prime candidate for a possible Big Pharma acquisition play. And there you have it.Our 5 top picks for 2019. While nothing is for certain in this industry, we believe these stocks are moving where the puck will be. Lets hope it gets there. And they told you money doesnt grow on trees.