Altria, the multinational tobacco firm, has diversified into the cannabis sector with the acqusition of a 45% equity stake in Cronos Group for an aggregate investment of approximately USD $1.8 billion. Altria said the deal would leave it better positioned should cannabis become federally permitted in the US. Cronos Group is a vertically integrated cannabis company that operates the Canadian licensed producers Peace Naturals Project and Original BC, with a portfolio of brands which …