Archives: CannabisNewsWire

May 8, 2019 15:20:31

Michigan has been struggling to get a handle on the illegal cannabis market and their latest action has seen them instruct medical marijuana provisioning centers to stop accepting cannabis grown by caregivers and instead only accept supplies from growers licensed by the state.

LARA (Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) also says that caregiver growers can start selling cannabis to the licensed growers and processors, but the caregiver growers will have to meet the cost of testing their cannabis before the licensed processors and growers can accept it.

Rejecting the cannabis grown by caregivers is just another twist in the regulatory chaos as the state struggles to move from a largely informal industry to a regulated one. Their efforts in this direction have been met by legal challenges initiated by the unlicensed cannabis businesses which the regulators wanted to close.

Judge Stephen Borrello of the Court of Claims has variously described what the regulators are doing as “freakish or whimsical.” The Judge has so far made several rulings against LARA, the most recent being one in which unlicensed dispensaries can continue operating for 60 days after LARA has rejected their application for a license.

During that court session, the judge gave the regulators the liberty to decide whether caregiver growers could continue supplying medical cannabis to dispensaries. The regulators promptly acted on that and issued their guidelines barring caregiver growers from taking their cannabis to dispensaries.

This action by LARA has stirred what is an already sour relationship between the “corporate cultivators” and the caregiver cannabis growers. The caregiver growers see the large corporate cultivators as being only interested in making profit at the expense of patients while the big growers see caregiver growers as people who supply cannabis of questionable quality to undercut their profits.

Those accusations have some basis, because some of the cannabis from caregiver growers has tested positive for mold, E-coli, Salmonella and other contaminants. Nonetheless, consumers prefer the cannabis from caregiver growers because it is more affordable and is in tune with the needs of patients.

Critics of the action taken by LARA now say that the caregiver growers are simply going to start supplying the unlicensed sellers, to the detriment of the legal cannabis industry since these products will not have to undergo the costly testing processes required in the regulated market.

Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) hope that the regulators take well-considered decisions so that the medical cannabis industry in Michigan can finally stabilize.

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Surging Vape Market Propels Smart Brands Growth

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May 8, 2019 08:00:43

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The growth of vaping has led to the emergence of a new sector.

Vaping is tied to the tobacco and cannabis industries but has become popular as a healthier delivery system for both products.
Investment and mergers are fueling the industry’s expansion.
Working smarter in the competitive market may be savvy strategy.

Many companies are jockeying for position in this new space. Interestingly, some of the more successful companies may not necessarily be the big players but those that work smart with what they have. Among these smaller smart companies is VPR Brands LP (OTC: VPRB) (VPRB Profile), which has used innovative products and marketing tactics to expand its customer base. At the opposite end of the spectrum is Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO), a tobacco giant that has invested heavily in vaping. Greenlane Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: GNLN) works on the distribution side and has impressive reach, supplying nearly 10,000 stores and two major online outlets. KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: KSHB) has moved successfully from packaging into cannabis. Thanks to cannabis-based medicines such as those created by GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH), vaping may even develop…

About CannabisNewsWire

CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) CannabisNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where news, content and information converge.

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Full-Spectrum Seed-to-Sale Model, Quality Branding Key to Cannabis Success

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May 8, 2019 08:00:18

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Last year was a year of maturation for the cannabis market.

California’s growing pains are a recipe for success for handful of savvy operators
Brands, consistency and scalability likely deciding factors for many companies
Projected global market size an open-and-shut case for scaling up NA sector

The market growth resulted from retailers in nine legal adult-use states being pushed beyond the sector’s historically core demographics, targeting fast-growing new segments such as women, with an emphasis on elements such as wellness and clearly labeled/low-dose alternatives. That trend was reinforced with CBD breaking out into the mainstream, as industrial hemp became legal throughout the United States, and cannabis companies looked for ways to stand out from the crowd. Some companies were more successful at this than others, with TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (XETR: TH8) (TCAN Profile) making huge strides recently to expand the upper-end procurement part of the business, as well as flesh-out its footprint of branded offerings. Other moves have been made by comparable sector players such as Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED), DionyMed Brands Inc. (OTCQB: DYMEF) (CSE: DYME), Cresco Labs Inc. (OTCQX: CRLBF) (CSE: CL) and CannaRoyalty Corp. (OTCQX: ORHOF) (CSE: OH), which are pursuing similarly comprehensive approaches to the sector that run the gamut from…

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420 with CNW – Two Cannabis Bills to be Voted on by Congressional Committee this Week

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May 8, 2019 03:20:32

Two bills dealing with access to medical marijuana by veterans are slated to be voted on by a congressional committee today (Wednesday, May 8). This vote comes barely a week after the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee of Health conducted a hearing on the bills.

One of the bills up for a vote has to do with allowing VA doctors to prescribe medical marijuana. This bill also seeks to codify into law an existing policy which protects the VA benefits of veterans who use medical cannabis in accordance with state law.

The second bill that will be voted on seeks to compel the VA department to conduct research about the medicinal effects of cannabis for the common conditions which veterans suffer from. These include post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.

A third bill which isn’t going to be voted on focused on allowing VA doctors to recommend medical cannabis for veterans who can be helped by the substance. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Earl Blumenaeuer, will not be voted on because its contents are already included in another bill that has been scheduled for a vote.

The broader bill also includes a clause which stops VA doctors from making medical records that state that a veteran suffers from “substance abuse disorder” if that individual uses cannabis in a state where marijuana is legal.

Another clause which was added to that bill asks the VA secretary to generate new diagnostic codes tailored to cannabis use.

Advocates have urged the Veterans’ Affairs committee to take action now so that veterans no longer have to go underground to access medical cannabis to relieve their symptoms. The advocates added that medical marijuana is here to stay, so there is no point in continuing to think along prohibitionist lines.

These bills to be voted upon mark yet another step in the push to reform federal marijuana laws. In March, another House committee passed a bill which intends to protect banks from federal prosecution resulting from the banks’ dealings with state-legal marijuana companies.

These bills being fronted in different House committees are in line with the “blueprint” designed by Rep. Blumenaeuer last year. In that blueprint, the congressman urged different committees to push through marijuana law reforms that fall in the ambit of their committees so that at the end of that process, the overall federal marijuana policy will have been overhauled.

Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) hope that the bills are passed by the House committee and the entire Congress so that the men and women who have served this nation in the armed forces access medical marijuana in their time of need.

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420 with CNW – Oregon Legislators Discuss Exporting Marijuana Surplus

May 7, 2019

May 7, 2019 15:20:38

The production of marijuana in Oregon is so high that the Oregon Liquor Commission estimates that the available inventory can address the supply needs of the state for nearly 7 years if demand remains at the current level. This overproduction has prompted lawmakers to consider exporting the excess cannabis to other jurisdictions where recreational marijuana is legal.

Senate Bill 582 is a preemptive step aimed at getting Oregon ready to move fast once the federal government relaxes its marijuana laws. Currently, marijuana is a schedule 1 controlled substance which cannot cross state lines.

Cannabis law reform at the federal level is expected to take one of two forms in the foreseeable future. First, the States Act which is before Congress seeks to get federal recognition that states have a right to make and implement their own marijuana laws without interference from the feds.

Alternatively, a statement by the Justice Department to the effect that the transfer of marijuana between states wouldn’t be a “priority for law enforcement” at the federal level can be interpreted to mean that states which have legalized marijuana can trade the substance between themselves.

Mike Getlin, a cannabis law reform advocate, says that should marijuana trade between states become a reality and Oregon isn’t poised to jump right in from the very onset, then a delay of even six months would be sufficient to knock the state out of contention as a major player in the interstate cannabis trade. Such an eventuality would flip the oversupply in Oregon from an asset to a major problem which can cripple the state’s cannabis industry.

SB 582 has provisions which would allow the Governor of Oregon to negotiate arrangements through which Oregon’s surplus marijuana can be sold to states where more supply is needed. The bill stipulates that only states where recreational marijuana is legal are eligible for an export and sale arrangement with Oregon.

Casey Houlihan, the head of the Oregon Cannabis Retailers Association, testified before the senate committee and revealed that the excess cannabis in Oregon will find its way to other states one way or the other, so it is better for mechanisms to be put in place so that the export can be done in a regulated way that brings revenue to state coffers.

Some of the cannabis companies that testified before the senate committee revealed that they had reduced their workforce by up to 80 percent because of the drop in marijuana prices due to oversupply within Oregon.

Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) and Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) look forward to a viable solution that can save the cannabis industry in Oregon from collapsing due to excess production.

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420 with CNW – New Hampshire Senate Okays Medical Marijuana Home Cultivation

May 7, 2019

May 7, 2019 03:20:11

House Bill 364, a proposed law that seeks to allow patients taking medical cannabis to grow marijuana at home, has been approved by the senate in New Hampshire. The vote was close, but the bill sailed through 14-10.

Under the proposed legislation, patients who have been enrolled on the medical marijuana program of the state can have 12 medical marijuana seedlings, 3 young plants and 3 mature plants for their own use.

Currently, New Hampshire has 7,000 registered patients in the medical cannabis program. These patients have been compelled to get all their medical marijuana from just four Alternative Treatment Centers operating in the state.

The small number of retail outlets has resulted in high medical cannabis product prices, and many patients who cannot afford those products have resorted to using prescription opioids and other potentially harmful alternatives since medical marijuana isn’t covered by most insurance companies.

Activists have welcomed the bill saying that it will give patients a viable alternative to the expensive medical marijuana available at Alternative Treatment Centers.

There was resistance to the bill in the senate, and several changes were made in order to accommodate the concerns of the dissenting voices. For example, the bill initially had a provision which would allow a medical cannabis patient to gift marijuana to another patient who is registered to use medical cannabis in the state.

This provision was removed because there were concerns that such gifting would open the way to medical marijuana getting to the wrong people, such as criminal gangs selling marijuana on the black market.

Despite the changes, some senators, such as Sen. James Gray, are still adamant that legalizing home grows isn’t a good move. He said that the state has a rigorous system in place to make sure that the licensed cultivators only supply their products to the state-approved retailers. Allowing home grows creates a regulatory nightmare because it will be hard to monitor the plants grown by each patient who chooses to grow medical marijuana, Gray added.

Now that the bill has received senate approval, it now heads back to the House of Representatives where it had initially been approved and sent to the senate. The bill is coming back to the House so that the lawmakers there can consider the changes made by senate.

If the lawmakers in the House of Representatives pass the bill in its current form, then it will be sent to the desk of Gov. Sununu for a final decision on whether it becomes law.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) and Therma Bright Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) sympathize with the patients and call upon the authorities to pass the bill quickly so that those who cannot afford the medical cannabis in Alternative Treatment Centers can grow their own.

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420 with CNW – Illinois Unveils Bill to Legalize Recreational Cannabis

May 6, 2019

May 6, 2019 15:20:58

A draft law through which Illinois will legalize recreational marijuana has been unveiled. The bill has some ambitious provisions, while others appear to have been borrowed from other states where marijuana is now legal for adult use.

One of the most noticeable provisions of the draft law is one that sets up a low-interest loan program worth $20million. Under this program, people from disadvantaged communities, such as African Americans, would borrow the money and set up cannabis businesses so that social equity can be promoted in the industry.

Another eye-catching provision in the law which was unveiled on Saturday (May 4) states that large-scale cultivators wouldn’t initially be licensed to operate within the state. Rather, small (“craft”) growers would be given priority at least for the first 12 months, and then larger players would be considered thereafter.

This emphasis on small growers is intended to spread the opportunities in the recreational cannabis sector to as many local players as possible.

The lawmakers also seem to have learnt a lot from California where local authorities have made it difficult for residents to access recreational cannabis by banning the operation of marijuana retail businesses in their jurisdictions. The draft bill in Illinois has a provision allowing local authorities to ban retail outlets within their areas for only the first 12 months.

Thereafter, any ban in a municipality can only be enforced once the voters in that jurisdiction approve the ban through a referendum. This is a great proposal because it puts the fate of recreational marijuana in municipalities in the hands of voters, rather than in the hands of a few municipal council members who may have divergent views from those of the people they represent.

The proposed law also has provisions on the likely taxes which will be levied on recreational marijuana products. For example, the lawmakers propose that customers will pay a 10 percent tax on cannabis products whose THC content is less than 35 percent while the products with a THC content that is higher than 35 percent will attract a 25 percent sales tax.

Entities that want to grow cannabis in the state will pay a permit fee of $100,000 while those who want to operate retail businesses will fork out $30,000 for a permit. Applicants from minority communities would pay lower permit fees so that the barriers to entry are reduced.

Debate on the bill is already heating up between proponents and those opposed to marijuana legalization. The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) and The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF) hope that logic will prevail during these debates and the best law will be enacted for the people of Illinois.

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CannabisNewsBreaks – MjLink.com Inc. Announces CannabisNewsWire as Official Newswire Sponsor of MjMicro Conference

May 6, 2019

May 6, 2019 10:23:38

MjLink.com Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Social Life Networks Inc. (OTCQB: WDLF), this morning announced that CannabisNewsWire (“CNW”) will serve as the official newswire sponsor for its MjMicro Conference, which is billed as ‘The next level in cannabis investment’. The MjMicro Conference will take place at the Westin Grand Central in New York City on June 25, 2019.

“We are very pleased that CannabisNewsWire will be our official newswire and media sponsor,” MjLink President George Jage said in the news release. “The momentum of the cannabis movement has created huge opportunities for investors and public companies alike. CNW’s impressive ability to raise the visibility of the cannabis industry and its many players will provide an invaluable service to our conference goers, presenters and sponsors.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/1syVA

About MjLink.com Inc.

Social Life Network, a cloud-based social media and social network technology company based in Denver, Colorado, announced on September 25, 2018, the Company had spun its cannabis technology division out of the parent company and incorporated MjLink.com Inc., a Delaware Corporation, as its wholly owned subsidiary. MjLink operates as a multinational cannabis technology and media organization with two separate social networks: WeedLife.com, a consumer-to-consumer network and MjLink.com, a business-to-business social network. On April 4th of this year, the president of MjLink, George Jage, announced the launch of a new division of the company that is focused on providing the industry with best-in-class Financial, B2B and B2C cannabis centric events that complement their global social networks. For more information about Social Life Network and to download the MjLink Investor Deck, visit www.Social-Life-Network.com

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420 with CNW – Las Vegas City Council Votes to Allow Marijuana Lounges

May 6, 2019

May 6, 2019 03:20:01

On Wednesday (May 1), the Las Vegas City Council voted 4-1 in favor of a proposed ordinance that would see cannabis consumption lounges licensed to operate within the city. This means that the first consumption lounges could open by the end of this year.

Las Vegas becomes the first city in Nevada to pass regulations allowing cannabis consumption venues to open.

Carolyn Goodman, the mayor of Las Vegas, abstained from voting due to a possible conflict of interest. She had earlier revealed that one of her family members works in the cannabis industry.

According to the ordinance passed, cannabis retailers and dispensaries will be free to apply for a special use license which will allow them to open a cannabis lounge. Once the permit is granted, the licensed business can sell cannabis and allow the buyers to consume marijuana on the premises.

The consumption lounge permit will come with a number of conditions. First, such a lounge should not be located within 1,000 feet from a school or a casino. Additionally, each cannabis lounge must have a system to control smoke so that marijuana smoke doesn’t escape to the exterior of the consumption facility.

Another condition in the ordinance states that no one will be allowed to smoke cannabis outside the consumption lounge. Cannabis lounge operators are also barred from allowing alcohol within the consumption lounge.

The ordinance didn’t pass without some opposition. Casino operators were particularly concerned that licensing cannabis consumption lounges would increase the intoxication issues that casinos have to deal with since someone may use cannabis in a lounge and head to a casino where he or she can consume alcohol.

The restriction of the proximity of cannabis lounges to casinos may have been aimed at addressing the concerns raised by the casino owners, but only time will tell how effective that measure will be.

For now, only businesses with a license to dispense cannabis will be eligible to apply for a marijuana lounge permit. Other interested businesses will have to wait for at least 12 months before they can qualify for the permit.

Sproutly Canada Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) and SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) applaud Las Vegas for taking the lead in allowing marijuana lounges in the state of Nevada. This step will solve a longstanding dilemma people have had because they could buy marijuana but didn’t have anywhere they could consume it outside their homes. The economy is therefore likely to benefit now that Las Vegas has decided to allow lounges to open.

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420 with CNW – 3 Things We Get Wrong When We Look at Cannabis as We Do Alcohol

May 3, 2019

May 3, 2019 15:20:08

As more states move to legalize cannabis in the U.S., there is a tendency to think about marijuana in the same light as alcohol, and this sets up people to make a number of mistakes. Below are three things that you are likely to get wrong when you look at cannabis through the same lens as you think about alcohol.

Expecting Quick Results from Consuming Marijuana Edibles

When you take alcohol, it is fairly easy to know when you are approaching your limit and are now crossing into the realm of intoxication.

When some people consume cannabis edibles for the first time, they make the mistake of thinking that the products will produce immediate effects in a way that is similar to the timeline within which alcohol produces its effects.

What you may not know is that while alcohol can be absorbed by the stomach lining, cannabis edibles have to be digested and absorbed in the small intestine before you can notice the effects of the edible.

Consequently, it is possible to consume more than is needed to generate the effects that you want just because what you ate took long to kick in.

Expecting THC Concentration to Match Intoxication Levels

For decades, scientific data has existed showing that when someone’s blood alcohol level exceeds a certain concentration, then that person will be impaired. For this reason, courts have always upheld the charges against those found to be driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Many law enforcement agencies are taking the same view when determining driving while under the influence of marijuana. What these agencies don’t seem to appreciate is the fact that marijuana acts differently from alcohol.

It is therefore not possible for one to claim that someone was under the influence just because their blood had more THC than is stipulated as the legal limit.

Prosecutors are therefore likely to face a hard time from defense attorneys who bring into question the science behind the THC limits upon which intoxication is presumed.

Expecting Marijuana to Have the Same Effect

The effects of alcohol are fairly uniform across the different types. For example, someone who takes a certain number of glasses of wine is expected to be affected in a certain way. Similarly, one can predict how a given number of pints of beer will affect an individual.

However, the same cannot be said of cannabis due to the varying combinations and concentration of the components available in a given plant or strain. For example, the terpenes that give cannabis strains their flavor and taste can influence the effect of consuming that cannabis.

It is therefore erroneous to make generalizations about the effects of cannabis because it is hard to predict how the different cannabis products will react once consumed.

Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) and Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) call for cannabis to be studied thoroughly so that the plant isn’t judged based on misconceptions borrowed from what is known about other substances.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) Aims to Capture Part of the Cannabis-infused Beverages Market via Recent Joint Venture

May 3, 2019

May 3, 2019 13:00:18

Related Editorial
Projections for the cannabis markets are staggering, yet there’s evidence that the lofty estimates may be understated.

Cannabis projections often fall far short of actual sales growth.
Cannabis-infused beverages looks to be next area of explosive upside.
Beverage and cannabis companies striking deals to gain market access.
New technologies could snag significant market share.

Once viewed as wild conjecture for the future of cannabis markets, forecasts in 2015 fell severely short of actuality. At that time, consensus was that Canada could reach CA$2.8 billion in legal sales by 2020. Sage prognosticators now say that the market may exceed CA$7 billion in 2019. Catering to the tastes of market demographics, intense interest is now focused on the cannabis-infused beverages market. Not even legal in Canada until this fall, the infused beverage market is already pegged to reach a mind-boggling CA$4.4 billion within five years.

Joining the ranks of the majors to meet this titanic demand, Sproutly Canada Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (SRUTF Profile) announced a joint venture with Moosehead Breweries, the largest and oldest independent beer company in Canada. Cannabis colossus Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) announced a research partnership into infused beverages and is bringing in executives with backgrounds in the beverage industry. The maker of Corona and Modelo beer increased its stake in Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) to 38%, spurring speculation of cannabis-infused beverages to come. HEXO Corp. (NYSE American: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO) entered a joint venture with Molson Coors Canada to produce CBD-infused beverages. And New Age Beverages Corp. (NASDAQ: NBEV) is anticipated to begin roll out of Marley+CBD-infused drinks in four targeted U.S. states.

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/vSRx2

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/y9shU

About Sproutly Canada Inc.

Sproutly Canada’s core mission is to become the leading supplier to the cannabis beverage and edibles market. The company’s Toronto-based, ACMPR-licensed facility was built to cultivate pharmaceutical-grade cannabis to supply a technological breakthrough in producing and formulating the first natural, truly water-soluble cannabis solution. Its water-soluble ingredients and bionatural oils will deliver revolutionary brands to international markets that are clamoring for well-defined commercial products. Sproutly’s business focus is to execute on partnerships with local and globally established consumer brands to leverage its existing customer bases, further expand brand loyalty, assist with marketing and support distribution networks to deliver this scientific breakthrough with speed and efficiency worldwide. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Sproutly.ca.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SRUTF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/SRUTF

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420 with CNW – Moosehead Teams up With Sproutly Canada to Produce Cannabis Beverages

May 3, 2019

May 3, 2019 03:20:10

Moosehead Breweries Ltd, one of the largest breweries in Canada, has announced that it plans to form a joint venture with Sproutly Canada, Inc. in order to make cannabis-infused drinks. The drinks will be introduced on the Canadian market by the end of this year.

Andrew Oland, the CEO of Moosehead Breweries Ltd, said that the company wants to enter the cannabis beverages space as soon as the federal government in Canada releases rules to regulate cannabis edibles in the country.

As a leader in the beer industry, Moosehead is convinced that the company is well placed to be a major player in the cannabis drinks sector.

Once the joint venture is finalized, Mathew Oland will be its head. Mathew Oland is a former Vice President of Moosehead Breweries and in that role, he superintended the supply chain infrastructure of the brewery. While at the joint venture, Mathew Oland will oversee Research and Development (R&D), procurement and distribution as well as the operations of the new entity. A name for the joint venture hasn’t yet been agreed upon. The financial aspects of the joint venture are also yet to be finalized.

Keith Dolo, the CEO of Sproutly Canada, revealed that the joint venture will be given exclusive rights to use Sproutly Canada’s technology for five years, which can be extended for two more years.

Dolo added that working with Moosehead will expedite the process of getting the drinks developed to the market in a sector that is expected to be highly competitive.

To get an idea about how tough the competition is likely to get, consider the fact that Canopy Growth and Constellation Brands are finalizing a bottling line for cannabis beverages. Another cannabis company, Hexo Corp. also teamed up with Molson Coors Brewing Company to make marijuana-infused drinks. Other small players have also expressed their interest in entering the cannabis drinks market.

However, the drinks made using Sproutly Canada’s technology may have an edge in the industry since this technology shortens the time within which a person can feel the effect of the drink he or she has consumed.

Just for comparison purposes, the cannabis drinks available in California take more than an hour to kick in and the effects wear off between 4-8 hours later. In contrast, Sproutly’s technology results in a cannabis drink whose effects are felt within five minutes and those effects wear off in less than two hours. No prizes for guessing which product stands a higher chance of being a hit in the market!

Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) and Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) congratulate Sproutly Canada, Inc. and Moosehead Breweries Ltd upon their desire to form a joint venture so that Canadians can have an increased number of options to select from when they want a cannabis beverage.

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420 with CNW – Confident Cannabis Raises $12M for Nationwide Expansion

May 2, 2019

May 2, 2019 15:20:22

Confident Cannabis, a cannabis wholesale platform, has raised $12m to bring its total capitalization to more than $18m from their inception. The new funding is intended to enable the company to expand its operations into new territories across the country.

The Series A funding round was led by Poseidon Asset Management, a cannabis venture capital fund based in San Francisco. Other entities that invested more funds in Confident Cannabis include Y Combinator, Bullpen Capital, FJLabs as well as Greenfield Global and Base Ventures.

Confident Cannabis focuses on empowering all verticals within the cannabis industry so that all players, including cultivators and finally customers of cannabis end-products can know what is available in the industry, who makes it and what that specific product is made from. Confident Cannabis’ platform makes all this information available in real time, and the data they provide is verified by independent labs.

Last year in October, Confident Cannabis launched its platform, Wholesale, in Oregon. This meant that, for the first time, all players in the cannabis industry could interact with each other without having any fears about the authenticity or quality of the products showcased on the platform. The doubts were removed because Wholesale availed lab test results from licensed testing facilities.

Morgan Paxhia and Emily Paxhia, the two cofounders of Poseidon Asset Management, revealed that they decided to invest in Confident Cannabis after watching it closely from 2015 and seeing how far Confident Cannabis has come.

Emily Paxhia added that they were intrigued when all labs they encountered raved about how good the software provided by Confident Cannabis was. This was unexpected, because testing facilities rarely sing the praises of the software powering their systems. Poseidon Asset Management was hooked, and their participation in the Series A funding round is testament to their confidence in the future of Confident Cannabis.

Currently, more than 40 percent of all the marijuana which is produced legally within the U.S. passes through the lab testing platform run by Confident Cannabis. The expansion of their operations into more markets will avail that inventory of cannabis to more wholesalers, retailers and consumers.

All the entities that participated in this funding round praised Confident Cannabis for helping to increase compliance within the marijuana industry by providing solutions which address the current and future needs of the industry.

Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTCQB: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) wish Confident Cannabis all the best because what they are doing helps all other players in the industry.

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420 with CNW – Marijuana Investor Donates Millions to Harvard and MIT for Cannabis Research

May 2, 2019

May 2, 2019 03:20:25

Charles R. Broderick, a cannabis investor, has donated $9 million to his alma mater (Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology-MIT) so that the two institutions can conduct research into the health effects of cannabis.

The two academic institutions described the donation that they had received as the largest ever private funding into marijuana research.

Speaking about his donation, Broderick said that the absence of sufficient scientific research on cannabis has allowed some players in the industry to make claims that may be hard to verify. He added that since prohibitionist laws are collapsing around the world, the time has come to study the plant so that people have accurate information rather than having to rely on old science or anecdotal evidence.

One of the areas that will be focused on during the research funded by Broderick is the psychological and cognitive effects of marijuana.

Charles R. Broderick has been investing in the cannabis industry since 2015. He got his feet wet in Canada and then later expanded his interests into the U.S. marijuana industry.

The investor reveals that Harvard was initially reluctant to accept his donation due to Broderick’s involvement in the cannabis industry. However, his offer was accepted after brain chemical researchers at the university were excited by the opportunity.

MIT and Harvard insist that the findings of the research will not be influenced in any way by the interests of the donor. The institutions vowed that they would release their findings to the public regardless of whether the findings indicate that marijuana is harmful or helpful.

Meanwhile, interest in cannabis research is growing in academic circles. Additionally, the boom in marijuana industry jobs has prompted many universities to start offering some form of cannabis courses.

For example, Colorado State University offers students a minor in the legal, social, health and political impact of cannabis. Harvard, Ohio State University and the University of Denver all offer courses on marijuana law and policy.

The jobs that students expect to get after taking those cannabis courses vary in accordance with the range of products and services created by the cannabis industry. These include the medical uses of cannabis, the manufacture of fabrics from hemp, the processing of cannabis-infused foods and beverages, making of recreational cannabis products, etc.

Currently, recreational marijuana is legal in 10 states and more are queuing to join that list. Medical cannabis is permitted in 33 states across the U.S. For this reason, MustGrow Biologics Corp. and Nabis Holdings (CSE: NAB) (OTC: INNPF) (FRA: 71P) welcome the donation made by Broderick since the research done will make more information available about cannabis so that the excuse of insufficient research used by detractors will be no more.

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420 with CNW – Trump Administration Opposed to Medical Cannabis for Military Veterans

May 1, 2019

May 1, 2019 15:20:05

The Department of Veterans Affairs has voiced its opposition to three bills that are intended to protect the VA benefits of veterans who use medical cannabis in states where it is legal, allow VA doctors to prescribe medical cannabis in states where it is legal and also expand research into the medical potential of cannabis.

The VA officials were speaking during a congressional hearing on Tuesday (April 30). For example, Keita Franklin (suicide prevention national director in the VA department) was of the view that the bill compelling the VA department to conduct research on the medical benefits and risks of cannabis was “too ambitious and risky” because a large number of human subjects would be involved.

Franklin also cited the guidance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration to the effect that VA medical personnel aren’t allowed to prescribe medical marijuana in states where medical marijuana is legal.

Furthermore, the VA officials explained that they are also opposed to the bill which seeks to protect the VA benefits of veterans who consume medical cannabis in states where it is legal because the department already has a policy to that effect.

However, the sponsor of the bill insisted that the policy referred to isn’t sufficient since another administration can decide to reverse it. The best option is to write those protections into law, the lawmakers argued.

Several military veterans’ advocacy groups were also represented and expressed strong support for all the bills. The groups included Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

The strongest support among these advocacy groups was directed towards the bill seeking for more research into the therapeutic effects of marijuana.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars was however concerned that the VA wouldn’t be able to avail medical cannabis at its health facilities even if a policy shift occurred to permit doctors to prescribe medical marijuana. For this reason, the group wasn’t in support of the bill that intends to allow VA doctors to prescribe cannabis.

Some lawmakers were frustrated by the continuous stonewalling exhibited by the VA each time marijuana is up for discussion. The lawmakers suggested that it may be necessary to push for cannabis rescheduling since any bill that is passed will need the approval of the DEA, and the same response (rejection) will be given.

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) and Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) can’t wait for the day when the debate on medical marijuana will focus on facts and the needs of the intended beneficiaries rather than on politics.

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Next Stage Cannabis Stocks in the Spotlight

May 1, 2019

May 1, 2019 08:00:41

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Projections for the cannabis markets are staggering, yet there’s evidence that the lofty estimates may be understated.

Cannabis projections often fall far short of actual sales growth.
Cannabis-infused beverages looks to be next area of explosive upside.
Beverage and cannabis companies striking deals to gain market access.
New technologies could snag significant market share.

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CNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

420 with CNW – Canadian Addiction Experts Advocate for Improved Access to Cannabis

May 1, 2019

May 1, 2019 03:20:50

While many of the reported benefits of cannabis are backed by scientific evidence, others haven’t yet been subjected to scientific scrutiny. However, cannabis’ role in helping to combat addiction problems has received overwhelming support from addition specialists in Canada.

These addiction experts are asking the authorities to take steps and improve access to legal cannabis so that those who are most at risk of addiction to stronger substances can use medical marijuana to reduce their dependence or avoid getting hooked in the first place.

Of particular concern is Vancouver in British Columbia. Back in 2015, the authorities in Vancouver created an exclusion zone covering Downtown’s Eastside.

The intention of the authorities was to prevent medical cannabis dispensaries from being opened in that area with the largest population of addicts in the city.

In short, the city was admitting that there was a drug problem in that area and they felt that quarantining the problem would, in some obscure way, stamp it out.

The city seems to have been guided more by political rather than medical arguments in making that decision, and the addiction problem hasn’t shown any sign of abating since 2015 when the cannabis exclusion zone was created.

Dr. Keith Ahamad, working with the British Columbia Centres on Substance Abuse as a clinical researcher, says the exclusion zone doesn’t make any sense from a public health point of view.

Dr. Ahamad adds that marijuana is less harmful than other addictive substances, such as fentanyl. He therefore advocates for greater access to medical marijuana as a way to reduce the harm caused by addiction to those other drugs.

Other experts, such as Dr. Michael John Milloy, support Ahamad’s view and say that from their research, people who use cannabis on a daily basis are less likely to inject or overdose on other addictive drugs.

Dr. Milloy goes further and explains that cannabis can help addicts to have a better quality of life because it allows them to sleep.

The addiction experts acknowledge that while it doesn’t sound proper to make people switch from one addictive substance to another potentially addictive one, this step makes sense because cannabis is by far less harmful when compared to the other street drugs.

In this case, harm reduction (through the use of cannabis) is a more attainable target than trying to get addicts to quit using street drugs. Making cannabis more accessible through brick and mortar outlets and online retailers can be a first step to facilitating this switch.

Hemptown USA and Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) hope that the voices of the addiction experts will be heard and changes made so that the addiction problem can be tamed in Canada.

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420 with CNW – Massachusetts Regulators Vote on Cannabis Home Delivery

April 30, 2019

April 30, 2019 15:20:23

Marijuana regulators have reached an agreement about plans to allow the home delivery of marijuana products within the state. A vote of 4-1 was passed by the Cannabis Control Commission.

If the plan gets final approval from the commission by the end of May, the delivery of cannabis products within the state would mainly be done by people from the communities that suffered the most during the War on Drugs.

The rules pave the way for people from those disadvantaged communities to have an expedited entry into the legal cannabis industry. Under the regulatory policies, home delivery licenses would exclusively be given to people from communities which were disproportionately targeted during the enforcement of prohibitionist marijuana laws.

The program will run for 24 months after which the regulators will assess its performance before deciding whether to extend it or open the space for all who are interested to apply for licenses.

Companies that are granted home delivery licenses will be free to work for as many cannabis retailers as they can take on, but the delivery vehicles will be obliged to return to the retailer any cannabis products which aren’t sold by the end of the day.

The law by which recreational marijuana was legalized in the state stipulated that a diversity program must be implemented in order to give more people a chance to benefit from the legal marijuana industry.

The home delivery system is therefore seen as one of the ways through which broader participation in the industry can be facilitated.

Regulators hope that the target population will take advantage of the exclusivity period in order to participate in the cannabis industry because the requirements for one to get a home delivery license aren’t as stringent as those for one who wants to get a marijuana cultivation or processing license.

For example, it is harder to access the capital needed to set up a processing plant, but one can find it easier to get funds to establish a cannabis home delivery business.

Kay Doyle, one of the members of the Cannabis Control Commission, expressed concerns that the desired results may not be realized within the initial 24 months, so it was a good thing to include a provision stating that once those months elapse, a review would be conducted before a decision is made regarding the future of the empowerment program.

Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and Golden Developing Solutions Inc. (OTC: DVLP) look forward to the time when the social equity and empowerment programs bring the people targeted into the mainstream marijuana industry.

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420 with CNW – Canada Preparing to Approve Second Cannabis Roadside Test Kit

April 30, 2019

April 30, 2019 03:20:23

The Canadian government is close to approving a second cannabis test set for use by law enforcement officers who suspect that a driver may be impaired by marijuana. The kit uses a sample of saliva to test for the presence of THC in the body of an individual flagged down for possible marijuana impairment.

The Department of Justice had earlier issued an order on April 20 to add the three pieces of equipment made by Abbot to the equipment that the police can use to get preliminary results when they suspect that someone is driving while impaired after consuming marijuana.

The three pieces of “SoToxa” equipment are used together during roadside cannabis testing. The first component is used to collect a saliva sample, the second component holds that sample while the third tests the saliva collected for THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana).

According to the Department of Justice in Canada, a positive test result would give a strong indication that the driver had recently used marijuana.

The law enforcement officer can then take the next step in the process, which is to arrest the driver and take a blood sample so that comprehensive drugs testing can be done before the person is charged.

The company which makes the SoToxa equipment claims that their test kit is easier to use and produces results faster than any other roadside test kit currently available on the market.

The SoToxa and other similar products have been introduced on the Canadian market after the country passed a law on impaired driving at the same time as the passing of the law which legalized recreational cannabis in Canada.

Currently, the fate of the SoToxa test kit may be in the hands of the public since the government has opened a 30-day window within which members of the public can review the equipment and provide feedback about its usefulness.

The kit will be approved once the feedback from the public is considered no serious defects are unearthed.

However, the issue of testing drivers for impaired driving still seems to be shrouded in controversy. For example, a commission in Michigan recently recommended that no THC limit should be indicated as the threshold to determine that someone is impaired. Several reasons were given, such as there being no scientific data to establish what concentration of THC in the blood results in impairment.

One would therefore be prompted to wonder upon what basis the Canadian government came up with a THC limit for one to be guilty of driving under the influence of marijuana.

Global Payout Inc. (OTC: GOHE) and Geyser Brands Inc. (TSX.V: GYSR) hope that the roadside tests will catch truly impaired drivers rather than those whose bodies still contain cannabis metabolites long after the person used marijuana.

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420 with CNW – Mexico Set to Legalize Recreational Marijuana by October

April 29, 2019

April 29, 2019 15:20:46

When Mexico legalized medical marijuana in June 2017, few ever imagined that the country would legalize marijuana for adult-use a couple of years later. Drug cartels have so much influence in the country that one would be led to believe that those cartels would never allow any policy that threatens their illicit business to be passed. However, the tide has turned and according to reports coming from across the border, a legal framework for the legalization of recreational cannabis will be in place by October this year.

If that plan comes to pass, Mexico will be the third country in the world to commercialize recreational marijuana after Uruguay paved the way and Canada followed suit on October 17, 2018.

The legalization of adult-use marijuana now seems to be a logical step if you consider a number of factors.

First, the hand of the legislators has been forced by the judiciary after the Supreme Court made its fifth ruling to the effect that criminalizing recreational marijuana for adults was unconstitutional.

According to Mexican law, once the Supreme Court makes five similar rulings on a matter, then all courts are obliged to take the same position on that issue. This, in effect, means that the Supreme Court indirectly “legalized” recreational marijuana and it is now up to the lawmakers to pass a law to regulate recreational marijuana in the country.

Additionally, the Supreme Court gave the government an October 2019 deadline by which an appropriate law should have been passed to regulate recreational cannabis.

Opinion polls also indicate that an overwhelming 80 percent of all Mexicans favor cannabis legalization. This is a huge tide to ignore!

The lawmakers in Mexico now plan to use their legislative recess (May 1 to August 31) to draft a law to operationalize the ruling of the highest court in the land.

Once the recess ends, the legislators will have approximately one month to debate and pass the law so that the deadline given by the Supreme Court isn’t missed.

If the bill is enacted, Mexico is likely to be a force to reckon with in the cannabis industry. Currently, Canada is seen as the dominant force, but Mexico may upstage it given the huge population difference between the two countries. Canada has approximately 37 million people while Mexico has approximately 130 million people.

The Mexican population offers a huge market for recreational cannabis, and that market will be an irresistible magnet to foreign cannabis companies eager to get a slice of that pie.

Generation Alpha Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL) and Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) hope that the legalization of marijuana in Mexico will mark the turning point for the suffering that has been visited upon the people by drug cartels in the country.

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420 with CNW – SOL Global Expands into Michigan Cannabis Industry with $150M Acquisition

April 29, 2019

April 29, 2019 03:20:16

On April 23, 2019, SOL Global, one of the leading medical cannabis companies in Florida, signed a binding letter of intent with Merida Capital Partners to acquire MCP Wellness, Inc., a subsidiary of Merida Capital.

The acquisition is worth $150 million, and it will see SOL Global take over the Michigan firm which is just about to acquire two licenses to cultivate cannabis as well as a license to process the cannabis and three more to dispense medical cannabis.

Additionally, MCP Wellness, Inc. has plans to establish nine provisioning (dispensing) centers by August this year if the municipalities approve their plans in time.

If all these plans go ahead as scheduled, SOL Global and Merida Capital Partners anticipate that the revenue of MCP Wellness, Inc. will exceed $61 million this year and grow to more than $121 million next calendar year (2020).

The acquisition of MCP Wellness, Inc. by SOL Global is expected to be concluded in May this year after the negotiation process, regulatory approval and other related requirements are met by both parties.

SOL Global owns a vertically integrated cannabis company in Florida called “3 Boys” through its subsidiary CannCure Investments Inc. SOL Global plans to fold MCP Wellness Inc. into 3 Boys and form a marijuana multi-state operator (MSO) called CannCure.

The letter of intent signed states that the purchase price of $150 million will not be fully paid in cash. Only $35 million will be paid in cash while the remaining $115 million will be in the form of equity in CannCure offered to Merida Capital Partners. This means that MCP will own a 42 percent stake in the new multi-state operator.

After the acquisition, the 110,000-square foot MCP Wellness Inc. cultivation facility in Michigan will be retrofitted so that CannCure can have added capacity to meet the rapidly growing demand for medical cannabis in Michigan.

Meanwhile, 3 Boys will also continue its own expansion drive within Florida. The company has already got the nod from the Office of Medical Marijuana and the Department of Health in Florida to start processing and provisioning medical marijuana products at their new facility in Indiantown, Florida.

SOL Global and Merida Capital Partners intend to spread their wings in other states as well. For example, SOL Global may soon finalize its plans to acquire a major cultivator and processer in California. Once that deal is concluded, SOL Global wants to take the multistate operator public on an exchange in Canada.

Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) and ChineseInvestors.com Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) congratulate SOL Global and Merida Capital upon the massive strides that they are taking to increase their footprint within the cannabis industry.

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420 with CNW – Cannabis Users Tend to Weigh Less, Study Finds

April 26, 2019

April 26, 2019 15:20:50

New research shows that people who use marijuana tend to weigh less than those who don’t. These findings run contrary to a common perception that cannabis users end up becoming obese.

The researchers took data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions and analyzed the BMI (body mass index) of 33,000 participants in the survey.

The analysis showed that out of all the cannabis users, 15 percent could be categorized as obese while the fraction of obese people among non-users of cannabis stood at 20 percent.

The data studied indicated that during the three-year period under scrutiny, all the participants registered an increase in weight. However, that increase was higher among those who didn’t use marijuana.

Granted, the weight difference between cannabis users and non-users was modest. For example, the difference was just two pounds for individuals weighing 200 pounds at the start of the research. However, that difference was observed throughout the study population.

These findings seem to suggest that people who use cannabis consistently have a lower likelihood of becoming obese over the years.

The lead author of the study, Assistant Professor Omayma Alshaarawy, wasn’t certain why those who use marijuana are less likely to become obese.

One of the possible reasons that he advances is that marijuana users may become more conscious about their eating habits due to the “munchies” associated with marijuana consumption. This behavioral factor can then explain why their weight stays in check.

Another possible reason that the researchers present is that marijuana may affect cells or receptors on cells to the extent that the tendency to gain weight is curbed. The researchers weren’t sure about the causative factor for this weight difference, so they called for more research to be done on the matter.

Alshaarawy was also quick to warn that their research should not be used as a reason for people to consume cannabis in order to manage their weight. He cautioned that the full extent of marijuana’s effects on the body hasn’t been understood yet, so people should use other methods of managing their weight instead of consuming cannabis as a weight-management technique.

For those who may be doubtful about the motivation of the researchers, remember that the study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, so there was no motivation to present marijuana in a favorable light.

Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE: CHM) (OTCQB: CHMJF) and Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) welcome the research which will help to dispel some of the misconceptions that have surrounded cannabis for long.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) Expanding its Footprint in the Booming Legal Marijuana Market

April 26, 2019

April 26, 2019 13:17:41

Related Editorial
The cannabis industry presents a rare opportunity to profit from spectacular growth in a virtually untapped market.

Legal marijuana market projected to reach $146.4 billion.
United States and Canada current epicenter of cannabis growth.
Brand recognition and retail reach imperative for market share.

Capturing market share and creating long-term success in this explosive market will require brand recognition and retail reach. Shortly after posting its tenth consecutive quarter of increased revenues, Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile) announced intentions to further expand its footprint with the acquisition of premier licensed cannabis retailer, City Cannabis Corp. A finalized accretive acquisition will add significant revenues to Wildflower, providing access to several valuable cannabis licenses in lucrative premium locations. Other companies in the sector are looking to grow in the market through other promising ways. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) recently acquired Natura Naturals Holdings, boosting capacity to supply cannabis products across Canada. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) bought hemp company AgriNextUSA to accelerate entry into key American jurisdictions. Medmen Enterprises Inc. (OTCQX: MMNFF) (CSE: MMEN) announced the purchase of two vertically integrated operations, which include retail locations and 25,000 square feet of cultivation and production capacity. And only two weeks ago, Curaleaf Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: CURLF) (CSE: CURA) completed the acquisition of Eureka to provide access to California’s wholesale market through a large greenhouse facility.

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/0UGrt

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/3kSyC

About Wildflower Brands

Wildflower Brands is headquartered in Vancouver and is dedicated to building reputable brands and quality products that incorporate the synergistic effects of plants and their extracts. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.WildflowerBrands.co.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to WLDFF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/WLDFF

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420 with CNW – Group Plans 2020 Ballot Measure to Legalize Recreational Cannabis in Montana

April 26, 2019

April 26, 2019 03:20:10

Coalition406, a new group in Montana, is planning to formulate a ballot measure so that residents can decide whether recreational marijuana should be legalized in the state during the 2020 elections.

In recent years, efforts to legalize adult-use marijuana have attracted growing support in the population. This support is buoyed by the increasing number of states that are either in the process or have already legalized recreational marijuana.

A poll conducted in February this year by researchers from the University of Montana found that 51 percent of all voters in the state support recreational cannabis legalization.

Coalition406 strongly believes that once recreational cannabis is legalized, thousands of people will be employed in the industry and the state will collect revenues that can help to fund education, healthcare and infrastructure projects.

Ted Dick, a campaign manager for Coalition406, announced that the group would sponsor a listening tour throughout the state in order to gather views from people regarding the plan to legalize recreational marijuana. “We want to hear from real Montanans,” he added.

Ted Dick isn’t new on the political landscape of Montana. Previously, he worked as the Executive Director of the Democratic Party in Montana. He therefore brings extensive experience in politics to this initiative to see recreational marijuana legalized.

If the initiative is to make its way onto the ballot in November 2020, at least 25,468 signatures of registered voters will have to be collected after the initiate gets the nod to proceed to the step of gathering signatures.

If the University of Montana poll is indicative of people’s current views in the state, Coalition406 will have to do a lot of work to convince more people to support the measure since the opinion poll shows that legalization currently enjoys a slim majority which can be swayed by those opposed to legalization.

Events in other states which have tried to legalize recreational marijuana also show that the objective is often easier to attain through a ballot than through legislative means.

For example, a law legalizing recreational marijuana was almost a foregone conclusion until voting on the bill was postponed after legislative leaders realized that not enough support existed in the New Jersey senate.

Similarly, the state budget was presented in New York State without including recreational marijuana, and that has cast doubt over plans to legalize recreational marijuana there during this legislative session.

Ballot measures therefore appear to be a better approach to take since the people are often ahead of their elected representatives in terms of voicing what they want. For this reason, VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) and Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) applaud Coalition406 for taking the initiative to involve voters directly in matters of legalizing recreational cannabis in Montana.

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420 with CNW – Epileptic Dogs Get Fewer Seizures When Given CBD Oil, Study Finds

April 25, 2019

April 25, 2019 15:20:45

A new study whose results were published in the journal Pet Behavior Science indicates that dogs with epilepsy have less frequent seizures if treated using CBD oil.

The study was small because it only followed three dogs over a period of two months while those dogs were treated with CBD oil. The research suggests that dogs respond to cannabis treatment in the same way that humans do.

The age and breed of the dogs studied varied. For example, one dog was a Labrador Retriever aged 3. This dog used to suffer an average of one epileptic seizure every month. A Papillion (aged 11) was also in the study. This particular dog suffered seizures every 2 or 3 months. The third dog was a Chihuahua aged 10. It usually suffered about two seizures every year.

During the study, the dogs were given CBD oil on an empty stomach twice each day. The findings released were based on the reports provided by the dog owners during the study period.

Two of those dog owners reported that their dogs improved during the time when they were given CBD oil. However, the owner of the Papillion reported that the dog didn’t exhibit any changes in its condition.

More specifically, the Labrador Retriever’s owner said that the dog barked less during the day and slept longer at night. The dog was also less excited when compared to other dogs that didn’t receive the CBD oil treatment. Overall, the owner was convinced that the dog improved after taking the CBD oil.

Similarly, the owner of the Chihuahua reported that the dog was less aggressive towards familiar people (the owner’s kids, for example) during the time when it was receiving CBD oil. The seizure-like behavior also reduced slightly during treatment.

The researchers revealed that it wasn’t clear whether CBD oil works in the same way to treat epilepsy in dogs as it does in humans. They opined that it is possible that by alleviating anxiety, CBD oil could reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures in both humans and dogs.

They called for more research to understand the neurobiological mechanisms through which CBD oil treatments triggered therapeutic effects.

There is a growing body of research showing that dogs can be treated effectively for various conditions using CBD oil. For example, one study last year found that CBD oil can trigger improvements in the symptoms of osteoarthritis in dogs.

Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) and TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) urge all dog owners to use these research findings as a basis to talk to vets about alternative treatments for their dogs instead of being restricted to the conventional treatments alone.

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Untapped Cannabis Market Offers Spectacular Growth Opportunities

April 25, 2019

April 25, 2019 08:00:12

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The explosive growth recently seen in the cannabis industry presents a rare chance for savvy companies to profit in a virtually untapped market.

Legal marijuana market projected to reach $146.4 billion.
United States and Canada current epicenter of cannabis growth.
Brand recognition and retail reach imperative for market share.

The cannabis bonanza has created a rare window of opportunity for companies that are able to capture market share and create long-term success. Brand recognition and retail reach look to be key to obtaining these lucrative rewards. Shortly after posting its tenth consecutive quarter of increased revenues, Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile) announced intentions to further expand its footprint with the acquisition of premier licensed cannabis retailer, City Cannabis Corp. A finalized accretive acquisition will add significant revenues to Wildflower, providing access to several valuable cannabis licenses in lucrative premium locations. Other companies in the sector are also looking to grow in the market through a variety of promising ways. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) announced it has entered into a binding letter agreement with Hempco Food and Fiber Inc. to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Hempco not already owned by Aurora. Green Thumb Industries Inc. (OTCQX: GTBIF) (CSE: GTII) has closed on the acquisition of Los Angeles-based For Success Holding Company, the creator of Beboe branded cannabis products. Acreage Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: ACRGF) (CSE: ACRG) announced that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement that grants Canopy Growth the right to acquire 100% of its shares. And as part of its strategy to become a multistate operator, Choom Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: CHOOF) (CSE: CHOO) (CHOOF Profile) has signed a letter of intent to purchase…

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420 with CNW – Texas Lawmakers to Vote on Cannabis Decriminalization This Week

April 25, 2019

April 25, 2019 03:20:45

About a month ago, the Texas House Jurisprudence Committee passed a bill that would make low-level cannabis possession a crime punishable by a fine rather than jail time. That bill is now before the House and it will be voted on this week (Thursday).

If the bill becomes law, anyone found in possession of an ounce or less of marijuana would pay a fine of $250. Such a crime would then become a Class C misdemeanor if one is caught more than twice.

Under the current law, anyone who is found with two ounces or less of marijuana can be fined a maximum of $2,000 as well as serve 180 days in jail. Whether one pays the fine or goes to jail, they remain with a permanent criminal record that can affect them for life.

While Texas is known for being conservative, there is growing consensus that cannabis laws need to be reformed, and that is why the decriminalization bill has bipartisan support. People want to see the meager public resources devoted to more serious crimes instead of using those resources to prosecute people for minor cannabis possession infractions.

This change of heart among conservative Texans has seen various bills get House Committee approval. The decriminalization bill is one of the three most notable cannabis reform bills.

The second bill that passed at committee level is a bill to legalize industrial hemp and its derivatives. This bill was passed on Tuesday this week. If it becomes law, hemp would no longer be a controlled substance in the state.

A third bill seeks to expand the medical marijuana program in the state. This bill got unanimous support when a vote was called last week. One of the changes introduced by this bill included adding more than a dozen health conditions to the list of medical marijuana qualifying conditions.

All these three bills were supported by the Republicans in those different committees. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has also promised to sign the bills once they reach his desk after getting legislative approval.

This piecemeal way of easing marijuana laws may eventually culminate in the legalization of recreational marijuana in Texas, although the Republican Party hasn’t explicitly stated that it supports legalization in the state.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS), Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) and the entire cannabis industry welcome the incremental cannabis policy reforms being instituted in Texas. Such an approach ensures that there will be minimal friction in implementing the changes needed for Texans to benefit fully from the cannabis industry.

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420 with CNW – West Virginia Looks for Financial Institution to Handle Medical Cannabis Money

April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019 15:20:40

The Treasurer’s Office in West Virginia plans to issue a request for proposals (RFP) by the end of next month (May 2019) inviting interested financial institutions to submit their proposals for handling the money generated by the state from the medical cannabis industry.

These funds will include license fees, fines, taxes and other revenues accruing from medical marijuana.

Earlier this year, the legislature passed a law to expand the scope of the types of financial institutions that could express interest in handling this money from medical marijuana. Credit unions and other non-traditional banking companies are now eligible to apply.

It should be noted that the traditional financial institutions, such as banks, have been reluctant to handle any marijuana money because they fear being caught in the middle of the divergent state and federal marijuana laws.

Currently, the RFP is being reviewed by a legal team and it will be released once the any legal kinks found are sorted.

Meanwhile, the Office of Medical Cannabis is moving ahead with its plans to get ready for implementing the medical marijuana program. They would like everything to be good to go so that once a financial institution is hired, the implementation plan can start being acted upon.

For example, the process of hiring staff (cannabis inspectors, for example) has already started and will be scaled up basing on how many entities express interest and are cleared to participate in the medical cannabis industry.

The Medical Cannabis Act, which was signed into law in 2017, provides for 10 medical cannabis cultivation licenses, 10 permits for medical cannabis processing and 30 permits for cannabis dispensing.

The law also stipulates that no single entity will be given a permit to grow or process cannabis, and another permit to dispense medical cannabis. However, companies can be both growers and processors.

The Medical Cannabis Advisory Board, the entity which spearheaded the preliminary work of establishing the medical cannabis program, visited several states in order to learn how best to design West Virginia’s program. While best practices where picked from different places, the final look of West Virginia’s medical marijuana program resembles the program established in Pennsylvania.

The original plan was to start accepting license applications on July 1, but it seems this deadline will not be met. The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF), The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) and the entire cannabis industry hopes that patients in West Virginia will not have to wait for an unnecessarily long time before they can access medical cannabis to ease their symptoms.

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420 with CNW – Maine Releases Recreational Marijuana Draft Rules

April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019 03:20:29

Ever since voters in Maine approved a ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016, the state had never formulated rules to regulate the commercialization of adult-use cannabis even if residents were allowed to grow a limited number of cannabis plants soon after the midterm vote that paved the way for recreational marijuana. Two years later, the state has released its draft rules indicating how the recreational market will be regulated.

The draft rules indicate that applicants will first have to obtain a conditional license from the state before getting the approval of the town or city where the applicants wish to operate their recreational marijuana businesses. Once the local authority approves, then the state will give the applicant a license that is valid for 12 months.

According to the draft rules, the state will take approximately 90 days before giving applicants the conditional license (the first step of the licensing process). During that time, the state will look into the criminal background of the applicant as well as any other needed checks before the applicant is given the conditional license.

However, the biggest hurdle that applicants may have to navigate is the different conditions that local authorities (towns and cities) will impose before one obtains their approval. Some local jurisdictions have already formulated their own recreational cannabis rules while others are holding out until the state releases their final rules. The local authorities will then analyze those state rules and decide whether recreational marijuana will be allowed within their jurisdictions or not.

The draft rules released by the state indicate that any local authority that doesn’t pass its own recreational marijuana rules will remain cannabis-free since their non-action will be deemed as a lack of interest in having recreational marijuana businesses within their jurisdiction.

It is also worth noting that the draft rules restrict the ownership of recreational cannabis businesses within Maine to residents of the state. Corporate veils to sidestep this requirement are strictly prohibited.

In fact, the rules state that from June 2021, only residents who have filed their tax returns in Maine for at least 4 years will be eligible for marijuana business licenses. The ballot measure that legalized recreational marijuana had stated that medical cannabis businesses would be given first priority when issuing recreational cannabis licenses.

However, that provision was changed legislatively so that the emphasis could be placed on being a resident of the state. This change was intended to ensure that Mainers benefited from this industry.

The draft rules go deeper into the specific conditions that one must fulfill in order to obtain a cultivation, product manufacturing and retail license. Rules governing product testing will be released later, and they will not need legislative approval.

The current draft rules are now open to public comment and the state hopes to start receiving applications later this year if the legislators can approve the draft rules before the summer break of the legislature commences.

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) and Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) hope that the long-awaited draft rules will be processed quickly so that Maine can enjoy the benefits of commercializing recreational cannabis.

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420 with CNW – Cannabis Legalization Not Linked to Increased Traffic Fatalities, Study Finds

April 23, 2019

April 23, 2019 15:20:48

According to a new study whose findings were released this month, there is no link between the legalization of marijuana and an increase in traffic deaths. This conclusion was arrived at by Andrew Young, a graduate student at Kansas State University after he analyzed traffic deaths data covering 23 years.

Young used two different statistical models to assess how the change in cannabis policy and laws in different states has impacted road safety.

The researcher concluded that the legalization of marijuana isn’t a significant predictor of fatalities on roads. This means that statistically, there is no proof that cannabis legalization leads to either an increase or decrease in the rate of traffic deaths. The data collected was analyzed based on every 100,000 miles traveled on the roads in the states studied.

For the states selected, the data of interest was taken from 5 years before cannabis was legalized either for medical or adult-use, and that data was compared to the data available on road fatalities in those same states after cannabis became legal. Controls (states where cannabis is illegal) were also included in the study. No trends emerged from the data analysis.

For example, the average number of traffic deaths in Arizona weren’t any different from the fatalities recorded in South Dakota and Wyoming where marijuana is illegal.

Similarly, traffic deaths started dropping in Washington just before medical marijuana was legalized, and they kept dropping long after legalization. Interestingly, traffic fatalities in Washington were lower than those in Virginia and Utah where cannabis remains prohibited.

Such concrete observations led the researcher to conclude that the recent rise in the rate of traffic deaths across the U.S. isn’t because marijuana has been legalized in more states in recent years.

The research findings also prove that policy makers who oppose cannabis legalization on the basis that traffic fatalities will increase have no justification to have such fears.

While this study hasn’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, some concerns have been raised about the small sample size of the states where cannabis is legal for recreational use. Can such a small number provide data that is representative of the whole country, they wonder.

Nonetheless, Young’s findings can be regarded as highly credible because they are no different from previous research that hasn’t found any link between marijuana legalization and spikes in road accident fatalities.

SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) and Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) are glad that independent scientific data is coming to light to dispel the myth that legalizing marijuana triggers a rise in traffic deaths.

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The Cannabis Bonanza Has Just Begun

April 23, 2019

April 23, 2019 08:00:07

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The cannabis industry presents a rare opportunity to profit from spectacular growth in a virtually untapped market.

Legal marijuana market projected to reach $146.4 billion.
United States and Canada current epicenter of cannabis growth.
Brand recognition and retail reach imperative for market share.

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420 with CNW – Nevada Dragged to Court Over the Issuance of Marijuana Licenses

April 23, 2019

April 23, 2019 03:20:53

The growing discontent among companies that weren’t selected to receive one of the marijuana business licenses issued by the State of Nevada has grown to an extent of lawsuits being filed against the tax department.

A dozen companies have gone to court and want the state to be stopped from issuing more licenses until court decides whether the selection process was “capricious and violated the state constitution.”

A total of six lawsuits have been filed, all alleging that no one knows what criteria was used by the state when selecting the cannabis companies to grant a license and which applications to reject.

The hearings against the tax department largely stem from the second round of marijuana business licenses issued in December 2018.

The plaintiffs claim that the tax department arbitrarily selected 61 out of 462 applications for the expansion of the available businesses in the cannabis industry which is now approximately two years old in the state.

The 61 licenses were given for new laboratory, cultivation, manufacturing and dispensing facilities. The complainants also add that the process to award licenses worth millions of dollars in the cannabis industry ought to be transparent enough so that those who won know why they did and those who lost can believe that they lost fair and square.

The cases filed are set to start being heard in the course of this week. These cases come at a time when the state senate has passed a proposal to compel the tax department to release into the public domain cannabis taxpayer information that has up to now been regarded as confidential.

This proposal is now headed to Nevada’s Assembly for consideration. Once the proposal is enacted into law, the names of all the companies that applied for licenses, and all those that were selected would be released.

Gov. Steve Sisolak also agrees that something should be done about the grumbling against the licensing process, so he supports the measure making its way through the legislative process. The Governor came into office last year in November.

He has been calling for the creation of a regulatory body like the Nevada Casino and Gaming Board for the cannabis industry. To this end, he has set up an advisory panel to study and advise him about the best way to form a Cannabis Compliance Board.

The cannabis industry has been booming from 2017 when the first recreational sales were made. For example, recreational sales totaled $425 million in 2017, and this figure shot up to $884 million in the final six months of 2018.

Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) and Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) can only ask that the misunderstandings about the licensing process should be cleared quickly so that all efforts can be concentrated on serving the people of Nevada.

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420 with CNW – StatsCan Reveals that Cannabis Legalization Resulted in Canadian Weed Becoming More Expensive

April 22, 2019

April 22, 2019 15:20:37

Data released by Statistics Canada last week shows that after recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada on October 17, 2018, the price of legal marijuana increased by approximately 17 percent.

However, the Canadians who are buying pot from the licensed suppliers are paying about 57 percent more for the product when compared to those who are getting their weed from the black market.

Statistics Canada (StatsCan) arrived at these figures after collecting data from residents who were asked to volunteer information without any fear that they would be victimized for revealing their cannabis buying habits.

This creative approach helped StatsCan to get badly needed information about not just the legal cannabis market but most importantly the illegal market.

19,433 people volunteered information about their purchase of cannabis on the black market before recreational marijuana became legal in the country. The responses show that Canadians paid approximately $6.85 for each gram of cannabis on the black market.

After legalization, the average cost of a gram of marijuana increased to about $8.04. This is an increase of about 17.3 percent.

However, Statistics Canada cautions that their findings should not be wholly relied upon even if they cleaned the data and remained with only 936 responses from those that came in from the volunteers.

The Canadian official data collection agency says that the information could still suffer from statistical bias due to the limited number of responses and also because the responses were self-reported.

Smaller provinces and territories were particularly noted for the limited number of responses submitted. For example, just a handful of responses came in from Nunavut. In contrast, a disproportionately high number of responses were submitted from Quebec and Ontario.

Nevertheless, the data collected paints a believable picture of the Canadian marijuana industry. For example, the post-legalization average price of $8.04 for each gram of cannabis based on the data collected is a true reflection of the average cost of cannabis on the legal market and the black market combined.

Most importantly, the statistics show that the cannabis on the black market isn’t just more affordable, but its price is dropping fast. The data shows that the illegal weed cost $6.79 before marijuana legalization and it has now dropped to $6.37 a gram.

The data also shows that government-run marijuana retail stores were the most expensive with the average price being $10.73 for a gram of weed.

233 of the respondents admitted that they have continued to buy marijuana from the black market because the price of the legal stuff is too high for them. This provides some food for thought for the regulated marijuana market since the black market will continue to thrive if prices don’t reach affordable levels. U.S. states where recreational marijuana is legal can also learn from these findings and do some introspection about how to bring down the cost of cannabis on the regulated market.

Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) and Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) advise the cannabis industry to analyze the findings of Statistics Canada and use the information to make decisions that will take the legal cannabis industry forward.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD) Expands through Strategic Deals as Global Hemp Industry Surges

April 22, 2019

April 22, 2019 14:50:45

Related Editorial
Ever since the Farm Bill was signed into law, farmers across the United States have rushed into hemp cultivation, driving demand for the supplies needed to grow the crop necessary to meet surging CBD use.

Global hemp industry to reach $22 billion in 2022.
CBD market could increase 40 times in the next four years.
Hemp farming skyrockets to meet demand.
Serious squeeze on hydroponic and cultivation supply products.

Hemp is booming across the country, and nowhere more so than in Kentucky, where the applications to grow hemp are expected to increase fivefold, and acreage dedicated to growing the crop is set to more than triple this year. At the forefront of this explosive market growth, Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) recently inked a strategic supply contract with Hempistry Inc., a leading Kentucky-based cultivator of high CBD content hemp. Since passage of the farm bill, other major Canadian producers have also been making deals to expand hemp and CBD operations south of the border. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) announced the acquisition of a large hemp foods maker, and Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is making substantial investments in New York state. Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) temporarily withdrew from the U.S. market while fighting off a hostile takeover bid. And after a $1.8 billion investment from a U.S. tobacco giant, Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) is expanding globally with eyes to the U.S. markets in the future. Even the largest Canadian licensed producers are betting on hemp CBD, underscoring titanic market growth.

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About Sugarmade Inc.

Sugarmade Inc. is a product and brand marketing company investing in products and brands with disruptive potential. Sugarmade’s brands include Zenhydro.com, AthenaUnited.com, CarryOutSupplies.com and BudLife Cannabis Storage Solutions. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Sugarmade.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SGMD are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/SUGAR

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420 with CNW – Canadian Marijuana Consumers Unaware They Can Object to ID Scanning

April 22, 2019

April 22, 2019 03:20:05

Canadian law requires cannabis buyers to present a valid ID for verification before one buys recreational or medical cannabis. However, some retail stores are going a step further and scanning the IDs of their customers.

Such scanning isn’t provided for in the law, and the stores doing so are using that information for their own purposes. For example, some may use the collected data to track buyer behavior.

The danger in scanning cannabis buyers’ IDs is that there is still a lot of stigma attached to cannabis users. It would therefore be very damaging if the data collected by the marijuana retailers is accessed by hackers and leaked online.

Fears about unauthorized access to this data aren’t unfounded because some incidents have already come to light. For example, Canada Post revealed that there was a security breach in which the data of 4,500 cannabis buyers in Ontario was illegally accessed. This happened barely a fortnight after recreational weed became legal in Canada.

The personal data of cannabis buyers can also be used for other purposes, such as identity theft, by criminals who may decide to target the databases of the weed retailers.

The constant threat of being denied entry into the U.S. if you are found to be involved in the cannabis industry also hangs above Canadians. Having your ID scanned could allow U.S. immigration authorities to get proof that you buy and consume cannabis, something that could result in a lifetime entry ban.

It is such concerns that have prompted legal experts like Caryma Sa’d (a cannabis lawyer) to start the conversation about ID scanners in cannabis retail stores.

In response to the voices raised on this matter, one retail store in Toronto (PEI Cannabis) stopped using the scanners which they had reportedly been using “to check for fake IDs.”

Other stores claim that scanning one’s ID is optional, but they aren’t willing to assert that they notify their customers about their right to decline before the ID is scanned.

The onus may therefore be on each customer to take the necessary precaution of preventing their personal data from being collected and stored when such data collection doesn’t have any legal basis. Cannabis users in the U.S. would also be well advised to take the hint and protect their personal data more jealously, especially now when the federal government is still adamant that marijuana remain a Schedule 1 restricted substance.

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) and MustGrow Biologics Corp. call on the regulators to close any legal loopholes that may expose cannabis consumers to an invasion of their privacy.

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420 with CNW – American Cannabis Sales Expected to Double on 4/20

April 18, 2019

April 18, 2019 15:20:26

For the uninitiated, 4/20 in the marijuana industry can be equated to Fourth of July. The exact origin of that “holiday” isn’t known, but there is speculation that the day is named after the time of the day (4:20 p.m.) when a group of students would meet outside their high school in the 1970s to hunt for some legendary cannabis plants that had been abandoned. According to that myth, those students never found that marijuana crop, so they doggedly kept up their search.

On 4/20, sales of marijuana are expected to, at the very least, double at all retail facilities in the U.S. states where recreational cannabis is legal.

This projection is drawn from the data collected by Headset Inc. The statistics show that historically, 4/20 has been the busiest day for pot sellers. This is especially true when that date falls on a Friday.

According to Headset Inc., 4/20 last year saw a 111 percent jump in sales when the sales on that day were compared to the cannabis sales on four Fridays before that day and another four after the “holiday.” The data analyzed was taken from Washington State, Nevada, Colorado and California.

In comparison, beer sales registered a modest jump in the two weeks that included July 4. Only a 33 percent rise in sales was discovered when the number crunchers did the math. This shows that cannabis “holidays” draw a more enthusiastic weed buyer response when compared to the way beer consumers behave on July 4.

Another way to see it would be that the trajectory of cannabis sales is on a sharp rise while beer sales reached their peak long ago, so holidays cannot trigger major movements in the market.

As already indicated, last year’s 4/20 fell on a Friday, a day when cannabis consumers seem to visit retail outlets more. This year’s 4/20 will be on Saturday, so that brings even better news to recreational cannabis retailers since the “eve” of 4/20 will be a magnet to buyers and the “holiday” itself will also inspire cannabis consumers to spend on weed. Chances are therefore high that marijuana sales will be record-breaking during that long Easter weekend.

The cannabis crowd across the border in Canada will not enjoy the day as much as their American counterparts will. This is because any added demand for recreational cannabis in Canada will be dampened by the persistent supply shortages that have refused to go away since weed was legalized on October 17, 2018.

Queues will be longer on that day, especially in places like Toronto where retail facilities are limited. And unfortunately, not all who line up will leave a retail store with their first-choice cannabis product. Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) and Marijuana Company of America (OTCQB: MCOA) look forward to the day when there will be no more cannabis shortages in Canada so that the people there can access all the products that they want.

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CannabisNewsBreaks – CannabisNewsWire Recaps Cannabis Conference 2019, A Successful Event Featuring Industry’s Best and Brightest

April 18, 2019

April 18, 2019 10:02:25

Multifaceted financial news and publishing company CannabisNewsWire (“CNW”) this morning provided a recap of Cannabis Conference 2019, for which it served as a media sponsor and participating exhibitor for the event that took place April 1-3 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The conference, presented by leading industry publications Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary, offered invaluable networking opportunities with some of the cannabis industry’s best and brightest. “Throughout the three-day conference, we were privileged to interact with businesspeople representing virtually all sectors of the cannabis industry,” CNW Director of Analytics and Reporting Cami Cox said in the news release. “Quality conversations and meaningful exchanges were made possible thanks to the uniquely intimate atmosphere afforded by this high-caliber conference. We came away having enjoyed a highly rewarding experience and having cultivated many wonderful new relationships.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/4IBHz

About Cannabis Conference 2019

Cannabis Conference 2019, presented by Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary, will bring industry stakeholders together to engage the biggest opportunities and challenges facing the legal cannabis market. The three-day event will be held at Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., April 1-3, 2019. Cannabis Conference will expand the successes of previous events’ cultivation education and will include for the first time a dispensary track for retail businesses and employees. The conference will feature in-depth educational programming on cannabis cultivation and business operations, as well as the most informed industry perspectives on retail management and customer engagement. The Cannabis Conference exhibition hall will feature industry-leading technologies, solutions and services for the professional cannabis cultivator and retail businesses. For more information, visit www.CannabisConference.com.

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420 with CNW – First Medical Cannabis Greenhouse Opened in Sydney

April 18, 2019

April 18, 2019 03:20:05

Approximately one year ago, the Australian federal government changed its rules on marijuana and cleared the way for cannabis to be grown using taxpayer money. Those changes have seen the first government-run cannabis greenhouse opening in Sydney, New South Wales.

The plan is to start by growing limited amounts of cannabis for research purposes before commercial cultivation can begin.

Right now, the plants in the greenhouse will be studied on issues like humidity, fertilizers, temperature, lighting and other growing factors necessary to produce a crop whose attributes are uniform.

Once the facility can produce cannabis of the same medical quality, then patients will start buying either the plants themselves or their products.

For now, people suffering from cancer and epilepsy will be the first to get their hands on legal weed to help with their symptoms.

Adam Marshall, the Agriculture Minister in the New South Wales government, says that the overriding aim of the greenhouse is to document the conditions necessary to grow marijuana whose properties are consistent.

Dr. Phillip Wright, the chief scientist at this grow facility, says that the research phase of the project has taken long to start. Very little research has so far been done, he added.

There is a heavy security presence of local police and New South Wales drug squad detectives at the marijuana greenhouse in order to keep unauthorized people from accessing the facility.

This security detail is not far-fetched, because one cannot be sure to what lengths criminal gangs may go to lay their hands on the cannabis within the grow facility. Curious onlookers may also want to see legally grown marijuana since their only experience with this controversial plant has been when the authorities seize and destroy illegal supplies of cannabis. The heavy security presence can also therefore serve as a deterrent for onlookers trying to see what is taking place inside this historic greenhouse.

Patients may have to buckle up for a long wait because it is expected that the research work being done at the greenhouse in Sydney will last for several years. Samples are expected to be harvested and tested by the end of this year, but if Dr. Wright’s concerns are anything to go by, then the research process may drag on for longer than originally planned.

For the sake of the patients in Australia, Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) hope that the process can be expedited so that medical marijuana can be available on the market as soon as possible.

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420 with CNW – New Jersey Lawmakers Remain Undecided as Governor Sets Cannabis Legalization Deadline

April 17, 2019

April 17, 2019 15:20:21

Approximately a month ago, a vote in the New Jersey senate on a bill to legalize recreational cannabis was postponed after it was realized that the bill may not have enough support among the senators. Now Gov. Murphy has given the legislators up to the end of May to pass the bill or he would use his executive powers to expand the medical cannabis program.

Insiders say that the biggest sticking point is the matter of who qualifies to have their cannabis-related criminal record expunged.

The bill sets the marijuana possession limit at 5 pounds if someone is to have their criminal record erased. Some lawmakers are suffering from “sticker shock” at that number because they think that such a high limit will allow hardened drug dealers to benefit from this law.

However, supporters of the law say that the 5-pound marijuana possession limit is fair, and many of the people who qualify to have their records expunged have already served their jail sentences.

The supporters therefore say that it is hypocritical for New Jersey to collect money from recreational marijuana while continuing to “punish” those who were convicted for possessing the same marijuana that the state is collecting taxes from.

The advocates say ex-convicts should have a chance to rebuild their lives by getting jobs, buying homes and doing any other thing that other residents can easily do without being encumbered by a criminal past related to cannabis possession.

This now sets up the state for a classic catch-22 situation because the framers of the marijuana legalization bill may never convince other senators to support the bill if the limit remains at 5 pounds while some supporters will jump ship if the limit is lowered to accommodate what some Republicans and even Democrats are demanding.

It is believed that the bill needs 1-4 additional votes to pass. Those four votes are turning out to be a huge mountain to climb, yet the clock is ticking on the deadline set by the Governor who came to office having promised to legalize marijuana within his first year at the top.

If a vote doesn’t take place by end of May, then it may be pushed to December after new lawmakers are elected. For now, the Senate leader and other top leaders are scrambling to find a solution to the impasse so that the law can be passed as soon as possible.

The cannabis industry, including Global Payout Inc. (OTC: GOHE) and Golden Developing Solutions Inc. (OTC: DVLP), is holding its breath hoping that a solution is found quickly so that the intended beneficiaries of the law don’t have to wait for longer than is absolutely necessary.

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Hemp Boom Spawns Lucrative Deals

April 17, 2019

April 17, 2019 08:00:11

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Ever since the Farm Bill was signed into law, farmers across the United States have rushed into hemp cultivation, driving demand for the supplies needed to grow the crop necessary to meet surging CBD use.

Global hemp industry to reach $22 billion in 2022.
CBD market could increase 40 times in the next four years.
Hemp farming skyrockets to meet demand.
Serious squeeze on hydroponic and cultivation supply products.

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CNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

420 with CNW – Dutch Government Unveils Plan to Conduct Regulated Cannabis Market Experiment

April 17, 2019

April 17, 2019 03:20:53

The Netherlands has had a unique model in which marijuana is neither legal nor illegal yet it is sold in coffee shops. However, the cultivation of cannabis is illegal in the country, so the cannabis products consumed in the licensed coffee shops are obtained from illegal sources. The government wants to end this situation by conducting experiments in the regulated production of cannabis.

To this end, ten cultivators have been selected and each one of them is expected to grow between six and ten different varieties of marijuana. The THC content of that marijuana will be prominently indicated on the product label.

Additionally, about six or ten local authorities will be selected to participate in this experiment. The cannabis grown by the selected cultivators will be exclusively sold in the local authorities that are selected for the program.

This planned experiment was revealed last year when consultations about the program started. The experiment will last for four years, so a final decision on the matter is likely to be made by the government or cabinet that is elected once the current one runs its course.

Already, opposition to this experiment has emerged from different quarters. For example, the umbrella body of the local authorities in the Netherlands (the VNG) says that the government will have a hard time getting local authorities that are willing to participate in the experiment.

This is because those selected areas will have to commit, and ensure that no cannabis from illegal sources is sold within their jurisdictions during the experiment.

Furthermore, the local authorities near borders are also expected to prevent cannabis from being sold to non-residents of Holland to prevent what the government is calling “drug tourism.”

In response to this criticism, the government stated that it would introduce the legally-grown cannabis in phases so that the participating local authorities and coffee shops don’t get rushed into the program.

The Council of State, which is the highest advisory body to the Dutch government, also criticized the cannabis experiment saying that its scope was too small. Just ten local authorities cannot be based upon to get representative information about the whole country, they said.

Nevertheless, the government is pressing on with its plan to announce the ten local authorities that have been selected to participate in this program by the end of this year.

Perhaps this approach of experimenting before passing laws legalizing or outlawing recreational cannabis needs to be adopted by other jurisdictions, such as the U.S. federal government. Such a controlled experiment can bring reliable results instead of passing laws based on preconceived ideas about the perceived effects of recreational cannabis.

Generation Alpha Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL) and Global Consortium Inc. (OTC: GCGX) look forward to the results of the Dutch experiment since those findings will provide valuable lessons that jurisdictions elsewhere can learn from.

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420 with CNW – Canadian Army Veterans Switch to Cannabis Instead of Opioids

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019 15:20:51

Veterans Affairs Canada has revealed that marijuana use among veterans in the country has skyrocketed so much that $65 million was spent on weed for veterans last year. This rise in medical cannabis use not surprisingly coincides with a decline in the use of prescription opioids by the veterans.

Previously, injured veterans had to take a cocktail of medications for the different conditions they were suffering from. Major Mark Campbell (Rtd) is one such former soldier who lost both legs during a tour to Afghanistan.

The retired major calls cannabis “magic” because it was the only remedy that could give him some relief from the chronic pain he felt since his final tour of duty. He reveals that he has reduced the prescription opioids that he takes by half from the time that his doctor recommended that he tries medical marijuana.

He added that the fact that so many veterans are turning to medical cannabis shows that it works for them. They aren’t taking it just to be high 24/7, Major Campbell joked.

The statistics of cannabis use among Canadian veterans are staggering. For example, 10,000 veterans used medical marijuana in 2018 alone. This is much higher than the 1,700 who used weed in 2015.

That surge in number explains why the department of Veteran Affairs forked out $65 million last year to reimburse medical cannabis dispensaries that dispensed marijuana to vets. That expenditure on cannabis comes as the reimbursements for prescription painkillers are dropping.

For instance, reimbursements for the prescription opioid fentanyl have reduced by 85 percent in just five years while the reimbursements for oxycodone have registered a 75 percent reduction in the same five-year duration.

Veteran affairs experts say that they have witnessed firsthand the switch by veterans from prescription opioids to marijuana without the accompanying depression and other symptoms of withdrawal from the addictive opioids.

The experts, such as Zachary Walsh (a University of British Columbia psychology professor), say that cannabis also holds massive promise because of its ability to combat different health challenges simultaneously. For instance, the veterans who use cannabis say it helps them fight pain, anxiety and sleep disorders.

While the department of Veteran Affairs in Canada has been spending record-breaking amounts of money on medical marijuana for veterans, advocates say a lot still needs to be done. The advocates say the department has a huge backlog of disability benefits to process and they are woefully understaffed.

Addressing those concerns would go a long way in assuring the former members of the armed forces that their contribution to the nation is valued. Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) and FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) call on the federal government in Canada to fix the kinks in the Veterans Affairs department so that the injured former soldiers can access medical cannabis without any needless hassles.

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420 with CNW – Washington State Passes Medical Cannabis in Schools and Marijuana Testing Bills

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2019 03:20:26

Two separate cannabis bills have been passed by the Washington state Senate. One has to do with the use of medical cannabis in schools and another regards testing cannabis products before they get on the market.

The bill on medical cannabis in schools is intended to help students with chronic illnesses for which they are being treated using medical marijuana. The bill will allow those students to get their medical cannabis treatment while at school.

More specifically, the treatment will be administered by a parent, and not a school official or a nurse. This provision was intended to eliminate any liability issues that can arise from the administration of medical cannabis to students.

Secondly, the stipulation that only parents can administer medical cannabis to their children at school will also remove any issues that could have arisen regarding the licensing of the people administering medical cannabis to kids.

The senate bill also bans smoking medical cannabis on school premises. Students can therefore only receive medical cannabis edibles and other forms of marijuana. Cannabis products whose THC content is high are also banned from school premises. Most medical cannabis plants are carefully bred to have a high CBD content and very low, if any, THC.

The bill has a trigger clause that allows schools in Washington State to suspend accepting medical marijuana for students once the federal government threatens to cut off the funding of the schools over the medical marijuana program.

In a related development, the senate also passed a bill to modify the marijuana testing requirements of the state. This bill looks at various testing parameters, such as potency, mold, and pesticides.

The lawmakers observed that the existing law had gaps which allowed players in the cannabis industry to make some claims that are hard to verify on their product labels.

The bill wants to transfer oversight of cannabis testing labs from the Liquor and Cannabis Board to the Department of Ecology.

If the bill becomes law, the ecology department will be expected to table new testing guidelines in 2020 and 2021. These guidelines will stem the tide of facilities springing up and claiming to be cannabis testing labs.

The two bills had already got the nod from the state Assembly. The “yes” vote from the senate therefore means that the modified bills will be sent back to the House so that the lawmakers there can approve the changes made by the senators. Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) and Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE: CHM) (OTCQB: CHMJF) welcome the two bills because they will not only inspire confidence in cannabis products but also make it easy for students to receive their medical cannabis treatment while at school.

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420 with CNW – New York City Council Wants to End Employee Drug Testing

April 15, 2019

April 15, 2019 15:20:31

As New York State gets closer to legalizing recreational marijuana, the city council of New York has voted in favor of a bill that will ban employers from subjecting prospective employees to pre-employment cannabis tests.

If enacted into law, this bill will be a trailblazer because no other city or municipality in the U.S. has passed such a law explicitly stating that employers are no longer allowed to test job applicants for marijuana before considering them for employment.

The bill contains a clause that it will only be enacted a minimum of one year after the bill has been passed. This lag time is understood to mean that by the time the bill is enacted, the State of New York will have passed its own recreational cannabis legalization law.

Advocates for this bill in the City Council should have no fears because the Mayor of New York City has indicated on several occasions that he will sign the bill when the time comes.

This bill will apply to employees in both the private and public sector. However, some categories of workers would be exempted from the protections of this law. For example, truck drivers, pilots and police officers will still be tested for marijuana.

Similarly, employees who are suspected of smoking marijuana on the job will also not be exempted from this ban on employee testing.

The city council of New York also passed another bill that removes marijuana testing as a condition for parole or probation. This particular bill will be enforced as soon as the Mayor signs it into law.

Analysts say the bill on parole and probation could possibly have a more significant impact than the one on pre-employment cannabis testing. This is because the bill brings a major shift in the dispensing of justice in the City.

According to available statistics, more than half of the companies in New York City perform pre-employment marijuana testing. These tests are expensive, as each test costs approximately $31-$40.

However, the usefulness of such tests has been brought into question since cannabis metabolites can be detected in a sample of blood or urine months after the individual consumed marijuana. Additionally, a positive test result doesn’t give any indication of the frequency of cannabis consumption, or whether the person tested was impaired at the time the test was done.

As more states legalize either recreational or medical marijuana, the likelihood of getting a positive test result increases exponentially and it gets harder to decide what to do with those results since an individual can claim to have consumed cannabis months back when traveling through a state where it is legal.

ChineseInvesters.com (OTCQB: CIIX) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) applaud the framers of the bill since the law will prevent the needless waste of precious resources on drug tests for a substance that is legal in for medical use two-thirds of the country.

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420 with CNW – Cannabis Inhalers Could Be the Next Asthma and Cancer Pain Medication

April 15, 2019

April 15, 2019 03:20:10

Whole smoking is the most common administration method for medical cannabis, not all patients are willing or able to use this method. For example, those who have respiratory challenges like asthma are unable to smoke cannabis because it may aggravate their condition. Terminally ill patients may also find it hard to smoke marijuana as part of their treatment. For such patients, two Israeli companies have teamed up to develop cannabis inhalers through which they can take their medication.

The two firms are Panaxia Pharmaceuticals and Rafa Pharmaceuticals. The two companies are working together to bring marijuana inhalers to the market so that patients have one more way to get their medication.

For now, the companies are targeting asthma and the pain suffered by cancer patients. The companies hope to avail an administration mode that will bring quick relief to cancer pain or respiratory distress resulting from asthma symptoms.

This administration mode may easily gain acceptance in the market for several reasons.

First, inhalers aren’t a new mode of administering medication to patients. Asthma sufferers carry them around, so it would not be hard for them to switch to the cannabis version.

Secondly, it is possible to determine what precise dose of cannabis a patient should receive when using inhalers since the patient can be told to inhale a given number of times at stipulated intervals in order to get the right dose of cannabis into the body. Medical practitioners can therefore easily see cannabis as medicine if its dosage can be controlled.

Additionally, inhalation can provide faster therapeutic outcomes when compared to other modes, such as consuming cannabis edibles. This is precisely why asthma sufferers often carry an inhaler so that they can use it and see results faster when an asthma attack occurs.

At the moment, the innovators are conducting clinical trials together with the Israeli Ministry of Health in order to ascertain whether the product is ready to hit the market, or some kinks remain which need to be resolved.

Meanwhile, the companies have decided to start a marketing drive for the inhalers while the clinical trial is ongoing.

The plan is to avail the inhalers on the Israel market later this year. Only patients with a doctor’s prescription will be able to access the product. It is not yet clear when the two companies will start exporting their invention to the rest of the world. Remember, the Israeli parliament passed a law towards the end of last year allowing companies that have been licensed by the state to export medical marijuana.

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) congratulate the two Israeli companies for finding a solution to administering medical cannabis to patients who are unable to use the modes that are currently available on the market.

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420 with CNW – Cumbersome UK Medical Cannabis Program Forces Parents to Resort to Smuggling

April 12, 2019

April 12, 2019 15:20:27

Legally, patients who qualify can access medical cannabis across the UK ever since an enabling law paved the way for this treatment to be available from November 1, 2018. However, the reality is another thing altogether as patients are made to jump endless hoops in order to access medical marijuana through the National Health Service (NHS).

The cumbersome bureaucratic system has compelled many desperate parents of kids who badly need medical marijuana to resort to smuggling the medicine from other countries.

Emma Appleby is one of those parents, and her story is heart-wrenching. She says her daughter, aged nine, suffers from severe epilepsy that causes the child to have more than 300 seizures every single day.

Appleby tried to follow the official channels in order to get her daughter on the medical cannabis that has been documented to help patients like her child. However, she got one flat “no” after another as she presented her case before various medical officials who had to approve her application before her daughter could get medical cannabis.

This rejection pushed Appleby to the edge and last week, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She travelled to the Netherlands and bought medical cannabis oil worth nearly $6,000. This was sufficient to treat her daughter for three months.

However, customs authorities seized the medicine as soon as she landed back home. She is angry that her daughter continues to suffer while the medical professionals and the NHS keep arguing about what sort of evidence is required for one to access medical marijuana.

Emma Appleby has vowed to fight until the seized medication is returned so that her child can be treated. Hers isn’t a farfetched dream, since there is a precedent on this issue.

Earlier this year, another parent, Charlotte Caldwell, also tried to smuggle medical cannabis into the UK but it was intercepted by customs. However, the medicine was quickly returned to her (in less than a week) after her sick son’s health deteriorated and he was admitted. Cannabis had been keeping the boy stable, so when he went without it as the authorities prevented his mother from treating him with the smuggled medicine then his health went downhill rapidly.

Such cases have led medical cannabis supporters in the British parliament to rise up in arms against the implementers of the medical cannabis law who have made it hard for the intended beneficiaries of that law to access badly needed treatment.

The program is so hard to navigate that only 12 patients have got licenses to receive medical cannabis since November 1 last year when the law came into effect. TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) and VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) sympathize with the parents who have been forced to try and circumnavigate the law in order to access medical cannabis. The authorities should do whatever is possible to make it easier for patients to get the treatment they need.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) Set to Profit from CBD Market Growth via Recent Distribution Agreements

April 12, 2019

April 12, 2019 13:49:55

Related Editorial
The CBD market is seeing strong growth and a move towards the mainstream.

The North American CBD market, worth more than $9 billion in 2017, is projected to be worth $47 billion by 2027.
Growth is possible partly through mainstream acceptance, with pressure on a variety of institutions to accept medical CBD.
Leaders are emerging within the CBD and cannabis markets, as leading voices gain recognition for their work.

Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile), which focuses on health and wellness products, is benefiting from this growth through the establishment of strong distribution deals. Focused on the organic market, Green Organic Dutchman (OTCQX: TGODF) (TSX: TGOD) has significantly increased its output to meet demand. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) has earned its CEO industry-wide recognition through strong growth and a powerful place as a market leader. HEXO Corp. (NYSE American: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO) is pushing CBD and cannabis toward the mainstream through connections with food and consumer product companies. Significant developments in science and agriculture, where Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: CWBHF) (CSE: CWEB) is making great steps forward in developing low-cost high-quality hemp, is also strengthening the plant.

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/2irJo

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/gbS9W

About Wildflower Brands

Wildflower Brands is a Vancouver-based company developing and designing brands that focus on plant-based health and wellness products. All of the company’s brands work in synergy toward the goal of becoming a global wellness leader. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.WildflowerBrands.co.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to WLDFF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/WLDFF

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420 with CNW – California’s Cannabis Home Delivery Policy Faces Legal Challenge

April 12, 2019

April 12, 2019 03:20:35

Recently, California passed a rule to allow the statewide delivery of cannabis. However, a legal battle between the state and 25 cities is brewing after the cities went to court to have that rule overturned.

When California legalized marijuana, local governments were given the right to decide whether cannabis businesses and sales would be permitted in their jurisdictions and the conditions under which such operations could be permitted.

Many local governments exercised their right and opted to ban recreational cannabis from their jurisdictions. The new rule allowing cannabis retailers to deliver cannabis to “any address” within the state has angered the local authorities and 25 of them have gone to court over the matter since the rule would, in effect, render their position to ban cannabis ineffective.

At the core of this lawsuit is a desire to determine whether it is the state regulators in charge, or the local authorities where marijuana is cultivated and sold.

Marijuana companies and consumers advocated for the passing of the rule allowing the delivery of cannabis in the state because there were large “marijuana deserts” created by the action of local authorities that banned marijuana in their jurisdictions.

Those “deserts” made it difficult for people, especially frail patients, in those areas to access cannabis and yet the products were legal in the state.

Prop 64, the law under which cannabis became legal in California, indicates that cannabis can be delivered anywhere in the state by employees of a licensed cannabis retail business.

The cities that have gone to court therefore seem to be interested in establishing whether that provision overrides their power to restrict cannabis businesses from operating within their jurisdictions.

The state insists that the delivery rule is merely reinforcing what is already in the law while the cities argue that cannabis businesses are trying to circumvent the ban imposed by local governments. The cities insist that the deliveries should only be to the areas where the local governments have consented to the operation of cannabis businesses in their areas.

Currently, California is the largest cannabis market within the U.S., but many residents have been finding it hard to buy marijuana because of the ban imposed by several local authorities. This case is therefore going to be a landmark one since the ruling may make a definitive determination of how the cannabis industry in the state will operate.

The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF), Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) and the entire marijuana industry are watching with bated breath to see how the court will rule on this latest source of friction between the state and the local governments.

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420 with CNW – New Mexico Makes Sweeping Changes to its Medical Cannabis Law

April 11, 2019

April 11, 2019 15:20:16

Ever since the Compassionate Use Act was signed into law in 2007, no major changes had been made to it until last week when Gov. Michele Grisham appended her signature to Senate Bill 406. This bill, now a law, makes numerous changes to the medical cannabis law of New Mexico.

One major change that will take effect on June 14 has to do with medical cannabis in schools. Under the updated law, medical cannabis will be administered on school premises under specific circumstances. For this to happen, parents of kids on medical cannabis will present to the school a detailed treatment plan designed by a medical professional.

However, schools will still reserve the right to accept or outlaw medical marijuana if the school district thinks that their federal funding may be at risk.

The new changes to the law will also allow patients who have a license to grow their own medical marijuana to take their produce to a manufacturer for processing into edibles, concentrates or any other form desired by the patient. This will, of course, be at the expense of the patient.

Previously, only Non-Profit producers of medical marijuana could take it to manufacturers for processing.

Medical cannabis users from other states also have a reason to smile after the governor signed this bill. Out-of-state medical cannabis users will now be able to take part in the medical marijuana program of New Mexico. Previously, only residents could benefit from this program.

The validity period of medical cannabis cards issued by New Mexico has also been extended from one year to three years. This will save the time and expenses associated with renewing a card each year.

It has also been hard for patients to find a place outside their homes where they can consume medical cannabis. The new law intends to put an end to this since it contains provisions for the licensing of consumption areas. The only condition here is that those consumption areas have to be approved by the New Mexico Department of Health.

The law has provisions that cement the protections accorded to patients using medical cannabis. For example, a patient will not be fired from a job just because he or she uses medical cannabis. However, this protection doesn’t save you from being fired if you are under the influence while at your job. Similarly, a parent will not be denied visitation or custody rights on account of being a user of medical cannabis.

The entire cannabis industry, including Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) and The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF), welcomes the updates which have been made to the cannabis law in New Mexico in order to bring the law in line with the evolving needs of the patients using medical marijuana.

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Mainstream Acceptance, Strong Growth Adds to Growing CBD Market

April 11, 2019

April 11, 2019 08:00:16

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The CBD market is experiencing explosive growth as a result of growing mainstream acceptance and strong leadership.

The North American CBD market, worth more than $9 billion in 2017, is projected to be worth $47 billion by 2027.
Growth is possible partly through mainstream acceptance, with pressure on a variety of institutions to accept medical CBD.
Leaders are emerging within the CBD and cannabis markets, as leading voices gain recognition for their work.

Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile), which focuses on health and wellness products, is benefiting from this growth through the establishment of strong distribution deals. Several companies are responding to the growth by expanding operations. Canadian-based Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is adding production capacity in both Canada and Europe. Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) is increasing its indoor grow operations. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is focusing its development efforts on projects in the United States. And Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) is using a significant outside investment to make…

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420 with CNW – California Bill Aims to Allow Terminally Ill Patients to Use Marijuana in Hospitals

April 11, 2019

April 11, 2019 03:20:58

Senate Bill 305, also called The Compassionate Access to Cannabis Act, has been tabled (this week) before a Senate Committee in California. The bill is intended to allow patients who are terminally ill to access medical marijuana while they are in hospital or other care facilities.

The bill is also referred to as “Ryan’s Law.” Ryan Bartell lost his life to pancreatic cancer at 42 years of age last year. After he was diagnosed with the disease, Ryan received high doses of prescription opiates in the Washington-based facility where he was admitted.

His family wanted to switch to cannabis, but they were dismayed to learn that the hospital where Ryan was admitted could not accept the use of cannabis on its premises. The Cannabis Nurses Network came to the rescue of the family and helped them to move the patient to another hospital where he could receive cannabis medications.

The cannabis medications produced astonishing results because Ryan remained alert and pain-free throughout his final days. In contrast, the opiates he had previously been taking kept him barely conscious and the pain didn’t go away.

Upon the death of Ryan, his father (Jim Bartell) hired a lawyer to help him to draft The Compassionate Access to Cannabis Act in memory of his son. Jim Bartell didn’t want other patients to be restricted to opiates that would deny them the chance to have some quality time with their families in their final days.

The federal Drug-Free Workplace Act compels all institutions that receive funding from the federal government to prevent the distribution and use of controlled substances, such as marijuana.

The bill before California’s senate committee wants to provide a way for medical facilities to put in place mechanisms by which patients receiving end-of-life care can, upon the recommendation of their doctor, access cannabis within the healthcare facility.

The bill will prevent a scenario in which hospitals scramble to find a way to provide medical marijuana. Instead, they will plan ahead so that once a patient or their doctor requests for medical cannabis, then the hospital would simply activate the system that they had established proactively.

If enacted, the bill will play a big role in bringing medical marijuana into the mainstream as far as the field of medicine is concerned. The stigma against medical marijuana can reduce drastically with this one measure.

VPR Brands, LP (OTC: VPRB) and Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) earnestly hope that Ryan’s Law is passed so that medical cannabis takes its rightful place among the treatments that patients can receive while in hospital.

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420 with CNW – Federally Grown Cannabis is Closer to Hemp than Commercially Available Cannabis, Study Finds

April 10, 2019

April 10, 2019 15:20:06

According to newly published research, the research-grade cannabis sourced from the only federally licensed cultivator (Mississippi University) is closer to hemp than the commercially available cannabis in the states where cannabis is legal.

The findings of this research bring into question the outcomes of the marijuana studies which have been conducted using the cannabis from the Mississippi farm. Do the results really help researchers to understand the real-world effects of cannabis?

Earlier research had demonstrated that the marijuana grown at the University of Mississippi using funds obtained from NIDA (National Institutes on Drug Abuse) had lower concentrations of THC and CBD when compared to the cannabis products that are commercially available.

However, the researchers from the University of Northern Colorado wanted to go a step further and compare the genetic composition of the federally-approved cannabis and what is on the market in states where cannabis is legal.

The researchers therefore obtained about 49 samples of hemp and cannabis taken from what is on the market and what NIDA avails to federally-approved research teams. The samples included sativa, indica and hybrid varieties of marijuana currently available on the market.

After analyzing these samples, the research team was surprised to find that the cannabis supplied by NIDA differed so much from what was on the market. The research-grade cannabis proved to be genetically closer to hemp rather than being similar to the cannabis consumers were accessing legally.

This outcome provides food for thought when one is thinking about using cannabis from NIDA to do research. If the research is focused on THC or CBD as standalone components, then the cannabis from Mississippi University can suffice.

However, if the study is intended to understand what effects cannabis has on the patients or recreational users, then the NIDA products aren’t appropriate since their use won’t mirror what people are consuming.

The findings of this Colorado study provide more momentum to the calls for expanding the federally-approved cultivators of research-grade cannabis in the U.S. While calls for interested parties to cultivate cannabis for research purposes were published, the Department of Justice has been very slow in processing the applications, so Mississippi University is still the sole federal source of cannabis for research purposes.

William Barr, the new U.S. Attorney General, has promised to look into the matter and take the necessary steps. Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) hope that the research from the University of Northern Colorado triggers a sense of urgency in bringing more cultivators on board so that researchers can access cannabis of the right quality.

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420 with CNW – Guam Legalizes Recreational Cannabis

April 10, 2019

April 10, 2019 03:20:24

Lou Leon Guerrero, the Governor of Guam, has signed into law a bill that legalizes recreational cannabis in the U.S. territory. This signing comes after months of intense debate in this small Pacific island of 164,000 residents.

The law provides for the creation of a nine-member Cannabis Control Board which will draft the rules governing retail sales. The rules are scheduled to be drafted and debated in the course of this year. This board will also oversee the entire recreational cannabis program.

Under the newly passed legalization law, adults in Guam will be permitted to possess a maximum of an ounce of cannabis. Residents will also be allowed to grow six mature plants for their own recreational use.

Speaking at a press conference, Guerrero said that cannabis is the most used illicit drug, so the law was needed in order to regulate its use in order to protect minors and also benefit from its medicinal properties. She added that the new law will create a safer environment for the residents of the island territory.

It should be noted that Guam legalized medical marijuana back in 2014. However, the island has never licensed a testing lab, so the medical marijuana sector remains largely dormant. Home cultivation of recreational marijuana was also approved in 2018.

It is hoped that the legalization of recreational cannabis will add impetus to the efforts to operationalize the commercialization of cannabis both for medicinal and recreational purposes.

The cannabis law was passed without any stiff opposition. The only concern that was raised by some legislators regarded the federal status of cannabis. However, this matter was put to rest when supporters pointed out that the STATES Act was making its way through committees of Congress and this showed that the federal government would not interfere in any jurisdiction that had passed its own marijuana laws.

The STATES Act largely centers on making it possible for marijuana businesses to get access to banking and insurance services without any fear of federal repercussions upon the banks, credit unions and insurance companies that choose to do business with marijuana companies in the U.S. states and territories where marijuana is legal in some form.

The signing of the legalization bill makes Guam the second U.S. territory to legalize recreational marijuana. Northern Mariana Islands was the first territory to allow adult-use cannabis when it passed its cannabis law last year.

Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) and Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) welcome Guam into the fold of jurisdictions that have enacted laws to regulate the cannabis industry in order to tap the opportunities presented by this nascent sector.

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420 with CNW – Another Connecticut Legislative Committee Approves Cannabis Legalization

April 9, 2019

April 9, 2019 15:20:52

The Judiciary Committee in Connecticut’s Assembly has also approved a bill that will pave the way for marijuana legalization. This is after the General Law Committee also approved a bill on cannabis legalization.

The move to legalize recreational cannabis in Connecticut is still in its early stages, and the legislators have opted to draft different bills covering different aspects of legalization before merging all those bills into one once they are passed by the relevant committees.

The bill before the Judiciary Committee was hotly contested and it passed with a slim majority (21 votes in favor and 19 against).

If the bill becomes law, adults who are 21 or older would be allowed to possess a maximum of 1.5 ounces of cannabis and a maximum of 5 grams of cannabis concentrates. The bill outlaws the home cultivation of cannabis.

During the meeting of the Judiciary Committee, some members expressed concerns about the possible effects of cannabis legalization on impaired driving and youth consumption. However, many of these individuals acknowledged that voting against the bill would be a futile undertaking since cannabis legalization was inevitable.

The bill eventually passed, and it is now headed to the Finance Committee. Thereafter, the different bills will be combined into one prior to being tabled before the entire legislative assembly for consideration.

Cannabis advocates generally support the bill, although they suggest that it should be improved in several aspects.

One area of improvement suggested by the Marijuana Policy Project has to do with the expungement provisions. The advocates suggest that all prior cannabis convictions should be expunged. They also want the bill to include a provision that allows residents to grow their own recreational marijuana.

Other advocates also want the law to be clear about the way in which the different communities that suffered the brunt of the so-called war on drugs can benefit from the opportunities created in the legal cannabis industry.

As things stand, both sides on this debate may have to make concessions if the bill is to have a chance of becoming a law soon. Otherwise, a lack of consensus and compromise may create a situation similar to what has played out in New York State where adult-use cannabis could not be included in the state budget due to disagreements regarding the way in which the legalization policy would be implemented.

Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) hope that the path to cannabis legalization gets smoother as the different bills leave the different House Committees in Connecticut.

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Increasing Growth, Acceptance Move CBD Market Toward Mainstream

April 9, 2019

April 9, 2019 08:00:27

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The CBD market is seeing strong growth and a move towards the mainstream.

The North American CBD market, worth more than $9 billion in 2017, is projected to be worth $47 billion by 2027.
Growth is possible partly through mainstream acceptance, with pressure on a variety of institutions to accept medical CBD.
Leaders are emerging within the CBD and cannabis markets, as leading voices gain recognition for their work.

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420 with CNW – Israel Decriminalizes Recreational Cannabis

April 9, 2019

April 9, 2019 03:20:16

New cannabis laws that were passed in Israel on April 1 decriminalize recreational cannabis. This means that people found with small amounts of cannabis will be fined instead of facing criminal charges if those individuals don’t have a license to use medical cannabis.

The day when adult-use marijuana was decriminalized was also the day when the fourth edition of the annual CannaTech conference was held in Tel Aviv. Ehud Barak, a former Israel premier, spoke eloquently at the CannaTech conference about the immense benefits of medical cannabis. He went as far as saying that the Israeli motto may be updated to “the land of milk, honey and cannabis.”

Why would Ehud Barak deliver a keynote address at a cannabis conference? It so happens that the former premier is the chairman of an Israeli medical marijuana company called Canndoc/Intercure.

Barak joins a growing list of politicians who previously opposed cannabis but are now ardent advocates. He joins the likes of former speaker of Congress, John Boehner. Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, also changed from being a kingpin in the fight against marijuana to calling for an overhaul of prohibitionist marijuana laws.

Ehud Barak pointed out during his keynote address that the future of marijuana belonged to the bigger and more assertive players who would “swiftly enter the cannabis market.”

He was referring to the decision of the Israeli parliament that passed a law in December last year paving way for Israeli companies to export medical marijuana. This law positioned Israel to be one of the biggest players in the international marijuana industry.

Barak also talked about Israeli cannabis companies like Tikun Olam (a Hebrew expression meaning “repair the world”) that already had a major stake in the cannabis market. This company alone commands an estimated 40 percent share of the global medical cannabis industry.

His statements should not be taken lightly, because major milestones, such as the discovery of the endocannabinoid system in humans, can be traced to Israeli doctors or researchers.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in Israel has revealed that more than 550 farms in the country have submitted their applications for licenses to grow medical cannabis. There is no guessing which market these cultivators are eyeing, since the local market cannot utilize all the cannabis grown by these farms.

Israel has a short list of qualifying conditions for which patients can get a prescription for medical marijuana. These include epilepsy, Parkinson’s, cancer and many other terminal illnesses. Most of the medical cannabis grown in Israel is therefore likely to be headed out of the country.

MustGrow Biologics Corp. and Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) congratulate Israel upon taking the important step of decriminalizing recreational cannabis. The next step should now be full legalization.

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420 with CNW – Student-Organized Event Discusses Cannabis on Sidelines of Michigan Hash Bash

April 8, 2019

April 8, 2019 15:20:46

Every year, a Hash Bash festival is held in Ann Arbor as a day of having fun and entertainment. This year, law students at Michigan Law School worked with the organizers of the Hash Bash festival to host an event at the law school to discuss marijuana legalization politics.

This event was held yesterday (Sunday, April 7) while the Hash Bash took place on Saturday. The organizers of the event at Michigan Law School wanted to educate members of the public about issues related to marijuana. Several panelists made presentations on various issues.

Ari Goldstein, a law student who was one of the organizers, remarked that marijuana legalization brings entrepreneurial opportunities that haven’t been seen since the Great Depression, so every effort must be taken to prepare people to seize those opportunities.

Kevin Boehnke, who is a research fellow at Michigan University’s Department of Anesthesiology, revealed during his presentation that several patient studies point to the fact that more patients are opting for medical marijuana to manage pain instead of using prescription opioids.

The shift is due to the better symptom relief experienced by patients, and the concerns about the documented side effects of prescription opioids.

Another panelist, Gus Rosania (a professor of pharmacological sciences) handled the topic of natural vs. synthetic cannabis ingredients. Rosania dispelled the misconception that synthetic cannabis is different from natural cannabis.

He revealed that at the basic level, synthetic marijuana is chemically identical to natural marijuana, so it is hard to tell the two apart. He added that it was only because different ingredients could be isolated and made in a lab that it was possible to identify the different cannabinoids in marijuana.

Andrew Brisbo, the head of Michigan’s Bureau of Marijuana Regulation, was also in attendance to talk about the ramifications of the legalization of recreational cannabis in the state. He revealed that he had a huge task on his desk to put together a program for recreational cannabis implementation in just a year from the time the law was passed.

Brisbo intimated that one way that he was using to get everything done correctly is by engaging different stakeholders in order to tap their perspectives when putting together an implementation plan.

Many people in the audience expressed their frustration about how hard it was for them to get a medical cannabis prescription from their doctors. Brisbo expressed sympathy for their plight and revealed that it wasn’t easy to change attitudes about cannabis after such a long time of prohibition. He added that efforts were underway to give physicians more information about medical cannabis so that they can gradually warm up to prescribing it to their patients who qualify for such treatment.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) and Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) welcome such engagements between regulators, patients, professors and other stakeholders since such interactions can result in better cannabis industry policies.

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420 with CNW – Florida Moves to Regulate the Potency of Smokable Medical Cannabis

April 8, 2019

April 8, 2019 03:20:16

Barely a month ago, Gov. DeSantis signed a bill to allow patients to smoke medical marijuana after protracted legal battles which ended when court ruled that banning smokable marijuana was unconstitutional. Now a bill to regulate the strength of the smokable medical marijuana has been passed by a House committee amidst protests by medical cannabis advocates.

On Wednesday (April 3), the Health and Human Services Committee decided that the THC content of the marijuana flower that patients wish to smoke should not exceed 10 percent.

Medical cannabis advocates protested, saying that such a cap didn’t even reflect the strength of the cannabis already on the market. The advocates say that higher THC levels are necessary for triggering the therapeutic effects that patients have been enjoying when they use medical marijuana.

The advocates also say that the cap will make medical cannabis more expensive since patients may need to buy more in order to get the effects that they were getting when using more potent cannabis.

Those against this cap also say that the state has just handed a lifeline to the black market since patients are likely to shun legal weed in favor of more potent marijuana on the black market.

In general, the Republicans on the committee were in favor of the cap while the Democrats didn’t want the limit to be passed.

Ray Rodrigues, the chair of the committee, argued that there was research showing that marijuana with a THC concentration that is higher than 10 percent can cause psychosis in some patients while marijuana with less than 10 percent THC content was therapeutic.

He rejected calls for Florida to first study the effects of higher levels of THC on patients before imposing such a cap. The chairman responded that while medical cannabis was relatively new in Florida, it had been around for decades in other states, and the data there shows that high THC levels can be problematic.

Out of the 33 states and the District of Columbia where medical cannabis is legal, 14 have THC limits on medical marijuana. Rodrigues said that most of those 14 states impose a limit that is much lower than what is being proposed in Florida.

Currently, more than 200,000 people have medical cannabis identification cards in Florida. It is not clear how the THC limit will affect their buying habits, and whether more people will enroll for the program.

Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) hope that more robust debate will be conducted when this proposed bill is tabled before the entire House prior to its passing so that the limit set doesn’t push patients to the black market.

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420 with CNW – Georgia on the Verge of Legalizing Medical Cannabis

April 5, 2019 15:20:32

The state assembly in Georgia has passed a bill that will allow medical marijuana to be grown and processed within the state. With the Governor ready to sign the bill, there seems to be no hurdle to medical marijuana becoming a reality.

HB 324 was drafted in order to address the gaps that were created by a law passed in 2015 legalizing the use of low-THC cannabis oil for the treatment of a given set of medical conditions.

However, that law didn’t create any provision for the cultivation, sale or possession of cannabis oil within Georgia.

The bill that has just been passed addresses all those loopholes. It creates avenues through which cannabis can be grown for the extraction of low-THC marijuana oil. The bill also allows the creation of a commission to oversee the medical cannabis industry, as well as license different entities like universities which wish to take part in the manufacture of cannabis oil.

HB 324 doesn’t legalize recreational cannabis in the state, and it doesn’t have any provisions that allow the smoking of cannabis within the state.

It has been reported that Governor Kemp did a lot to help the assembly and the senate to reach a consensus on how the illegal distribution of marijuana will be prevented in the state. This compromise paved the way for the passing of HB 324.

Kemp said, “I have met several kids struggling with debilitating diseases, as well as parents who are losing hope that their kids can be helped. Medical cannabis offers hope to such parents.”

Kemp added that legalizing medical marijuana was the right thing to do, and that was why he invested so much in seeing to it that both legislative houses approved the bill.

If the bill is finally enacted into law, Georgia will join the long list of 33 states that have legalized medical marijuana.

Advocates may not be happy that the state is only allowing the use of cannabis oil, but it is at least a good start. Reforms can be introduced later when the program is being implemented and the patients, as well as the regulators, realize that other forms of cannabis, such as creams and edibles, may be needed.

All in all, the entire cannabis industry, especially Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE) and Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP) congratulate the lawmakers in Georgia for making it possible for patients to have one more treatment option as those patients battle with the conditions afflicting them.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD) Prepares to Meet Growing Hydroponic Supplies Demand via Strategic Acquisitions

April 5, 2019 13:34:35

Related Editorial
A surge in hemp production means big business for hydroponic suppliers.

Hemp production set to massively increase in the United States this year.
Increased production driving high demand for hydroponic supplies.
Hydroponics companies are responding with expansion and acquisitions.

Sugarmade Inc. (OTC: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) has strategically acquired several companies to meet demand and expand its foothold. Canadian-based Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) has expanded production in both Canada and Europe while Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is developing projects in the United States, and Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) has received massive outside investment to fuel its growth. Companies such as Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) are enlarging their indoor grow operations as they too rush to meet demand.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/YPs6l

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/6iajJ

About Sugarmade, Inc.

Sugarmade, Inc. is a product and brand marketing company investing in products and brands with disruptive potential. Sugarmade’s brands include BizRight, LLC, Athena United, CarryOutSupplies.com, and BudLife Cannabis Storage Solutions. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Sugarmade.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SGMD are available in the company’s newsroom at www.cnw.fm/SUGAR

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CannabisNewsAudio – Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) Expands Reach as the CBD Industry Continues to Evolve

April 5, 2019 13:33:49

Related Editorial
The U.S. Farm Bill that recently passed into law is a game-changer for the CBD space. While it is unknown when nationwide cannabis legalization may occur, incredible opportunities exist right now for CBD-focused companies that can deliver products to the marketplace.

Demand is growing for organic CBD products in markets where such products are legal.
Youngevity has made a series of strategic acquisitions to help establish the company’s position
Companies ready to deliver CBD products to market at scale are in ideal position to capitalize on growing demand.

Passage of the latest U.S. Farm Bill marked a watershed moment for CBD producers in the United States. Not only does the new body of law allow these producers to commercialize existing CBD products, the door is now open for a new generation of research into what CBD can do for consumers. Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile) is a leading producer of consumer-focused CBD products that is expanding its reach into other areas of the CBD supply chain. It joins companies such as CV Sciences Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI), Isodiol International Inc. (CSE: ISOL) (OTCQB: ISOLF), GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) (OTC: GWPRF), and Curaleaf Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: CURLF) (CSE: CURA), which are all working to commercialize CBD products in both the consumer and pharmaceutical sectors.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/3p5Wc

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/78f0W

About Youngevity International Inc.

Youngevity International Inc., an emerging conglomerate operating in three distinct business segments including a vertically integrated coffee enterprise, a vertically integrated hemp-based product development enterprise including end-to-end processing, and a direct-selling enterprise that consists of an expanding portfolio of consumer brands developed with its in-house product development team and distributed by traditional and nontraditional channels, including a multi-country, direct-selling network. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.YGYI.com

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to YGYI are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/YGYI

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420 with CNW – Ireland Finally Selects a Medical Marijuana Supplier

April 5, 2019 03:20:03

The Irish government has revealed that it has finally identified and issued an import license to a Danish medical cannabis firm. The license was reportedly issued back in January.

Slightly more than two years ago, Simon Harris, the Irish Health Minister, announced that Ireland would create a medical cannabis program for its patients who couldn’t be helped by the existing conventional treatments for their health conditions.

However, little seemed to happen from the time that announcement was made. The revelation that a medical marijuana supplier had been found and licensed is therefore welcome news to the medical cannabis advocates in the country.

The government explained that it delayed to secure a supplier because it wanted to be convinced about the ability of that selected firm to deliver medical cannabis of verifiable quality, but many firms wouldn’t be able to export medical cannabis to Ireland.

The Ministry of Health has also confirmed that its staff is working tirelessly to finalize drafting the enabling legislation that will operationalize the medical cannabis program. The draft law may be ready by mid-April.

The medical cannabis that will be imported is intended to treat patients with nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, patients suffering from multiple sclerosis as well as patients suffering from severe epilepsy.

These qualifying conditions are part of the recommendations that were made by HPRA (Health Products Regulatory Authority) when it looked into the viability of medical cannabis and wrote a report in favor of setting up the medical cannabis program.

As the country waits for the operationalization of the medical cannabis program, doctors are allowed to prescribe medical marijuana to the patients that they are convinced can benefit from these products.

These patients are then required to apply to the Minister of Health for a license that can allow them to travel abroad to buy medical cannabis and bring it into Ireland.

As you may imagine, this process is a tedious and expensive one. It is therefore no surprise that in more than a year, the ministry has only granted licenses to just a dozen people. Most of these individuals obtained their medical cannabis from medical cannabis pharmacies in the Netherlands.

The enactment of the Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation bill will bring a sigh of relief to the patients who desperately need medical cannabis but cannot afford to travel abroad frequently in order to obtain it. Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) and FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) hope that the authorities in Ireland speed up all the necessary processes so that patients can access medical cannabis locally.

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420 with CNW – US Marijuana Producers Opt to Certify Products Kosher (Since They Can’t Get Federal Organic Certification)

April 4, 2019

April 4, 2019 15:20:32

As the cannabis market matures in different jurisdictions within the U.S., producers are fine-tuning their products in order to make those products more appealing to different segments of the market. One of the ways to target a niche market is by having your product certified as organic.

However, such food classifications are controlled at the federal level in the U.S. and since marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, no marijuana product can be federally certified as organic.

So, what have marijuana producers decided to do?

Several certification bodies have taken root in different states. The most respected certification for cannabis is the “Clean Green Certified”. However, many of the other certifications don’t carry as much weight as the “certified organic” badge on a product’s packaging material.

In order to take cannabis products to the niche market, a producer in California has decided to get a certification that has a religious twist to it.

Mission Kosher Cannabis Inc. is a cannabis company owned by Mitch Davis. Davis decided to have his products certified by a third-party (kosher) in order to be different from the other cannabis producers who were getting their certification from within the cannabis industry.

With the help of Rabbi Levy Zirkind, Mitch Davis is creating kosher certification standards for cannabis after he got his own products Kosher certified.

For those who may not know, kosher certification is very different from organic certification. A product can be kosher certified even if that product isn’t organic.

Kosher certification is all about product cleanliness. The product should not have any bugs in it. The product should also be free from pest infestations. Cleanliness is of the essence. There is a rigorous inspection process that has to be done to check all the boxes on these items before one gets the coveted kosher certification.

Additionally, one’s production system has to undergo random inspections in order for the product to retain its certification.

Mitch Davis says he loves the kosher certification because it has helped him to gel his workforce into a unit. All of the employees know that everything must be clean at all times because you can never know when the kosher inspectors will pass by.

When the inspectors visit, they take a close look at the facilities, such as where the cannabis plants are grown, how they are grown and where they are processed. They check the plants and harvested cannabis bud for pests and they also want to confirm that the employees in the grow rooms are wearing the recommended apparel.

With a kosher certification, who can really miss the federal organic certification?

Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL) and Global Consortium, Inc. (OTC: GCGX) congratulate Mitch Davis upon thinking outside the box and coming up with a novel way to show clients that cannabis producers are willing to do everything possible to bring them products of the highest quality possible.

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420 with CNW – Demand for Medical Cannabis Skyrockets on Rhode Island

April 4, 2019

April 4, 2019 03:20:48

As legislators on Rhode Island are thinking about legalizing recreational cannabis, the data on medical cannabis sales shows that the volume of products sold is setting state records year by year.

Currently, the state has three licensed dispensaries selling medical cannabis products. These dispensaries are on course to sell medical cannabis products worth about $56 million during the 2019 fiscal year.

If that target is hit, it will mark a 46.6 percent increase from the total sales of the previous fiscal year (2018). Medical cannabis sales for 2018 were also approximately 33.3 percent higher than what was registered in 2017.

As you can see, the medical cannabis industry on Rhode Island seems to be growing at an unstoppable pace year by year.

Rhode Island has a fairly short list of medical cannabis qualifying conditions when compared to other states where similar programs exist. However, the definition of those conditions is broad and it allows anyone with the symptoms of the listed conditions to access medical cannabis.

The state has about 18, 200 patients who are active on the medical marijuana program. Active patients are those who regularly buy medical cannabis products from the licensed dispensaries.

The uptick in medical cannabis sales has given the state a much-needed boost to its revenue. For example, the state earned $2.75 million as taxes on various aspects of the medical cannabis industry.

In this fiscal year, the state expects to earn almost double what it earned during the last fiscal year. Projections indicate that the state will collect about $5.4 million in taxes from the medical cannabis industry.

In the meantime, there are proposals to legalize recreational cannabis and also expand the medical cannabis sector. One of the proposals seeks to increase the number of dispensaries to nine.

Previous attempts to increase the number of dispensaries have been successfully resisted by the existing three dispensaries who argued that bringing in more players would hurt their businesses and result in possible closures.

However, those who want more dispensaries to be licensed argue that patients aren’t having sufficient access to dispensaries since the existing ones aren’t equally spread out across the state. Additionally, the lack of robust competition in the medical cannabis sector has denied patients competitive prices and access to a broader variety of products.

Advocates are therefore asking regulators to give priority to dispensaries that wish to operate in areas where none currently exists, and new operators should be brought on board before the existing ones are allowed to open additional compassion centers (medical cannabis dispensaries).

These reforms seem reasonable enough, and the regulators would be well advised to act upon the suggestions made. Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) and Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) hope that the state will act on the proposed reforms so that patients can have easier access a wider variety of products at competitive prices.

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420 with CNW – Cuomo Insists Recreational Weed Will Be Legal By June

April 3, 2019 15:20:03

When the $17 billion state budget was adopted without marijuana policy reflected in it, cannabis advocates were crestfallen because they realized that their dream of seeing marijuana legal for adult-use had just taken a major hit. However, Governor Andrew Cuomo has vowed that he will do everything possible to pass the law by June when the legislative session ends.

The Governor said that the problem wasn’t the lack of political will to pass the law. Rather, there were differing opinions regarding the way in which legalization would be implemented in the state.

Because of those differing views on implementation, it wasn’t possible to reach an agreement on the matter while getting a budget ready for adoption. Now that the budget is out of the way, Cuomo feels that his full attention can now be devoted to hammering out the details of how recreational cannabis will be taxed, regulated and social justice attained.

Many lawmakers aren’t as optimistic as the Governor regarding the chances of the bill now that it isn’t included in the budget. For example, State Sen. Diane Savino points to what happened in neighboring New Jersey where marijuana advocates thought they had a done deal but voting on the legalization bill was cancelled due to fears that not enough “yes” votes had been secured in the State Senate.

That sobering example from New Jersey shows how tough things could get in New York State now that marijuana policy wasn’t included in the state budget.

It should also be remembered that out of the 10 states and Washington, D.C. that have legalized recreational pot, only one did so by legislative means. All the other states relied on ballot measures or referenda to legalize recreational cannabis.

This statistic shows that the general populace is always ahead of the lawmakers who have the responsibility to make decisions on behalf of the people that they represent.

It is therefore going to be a great deal harder for a majority of the lawmakers in New York State to pass a standalone marijuana legalization bill.

Already, there was intense opposition even while there was a chance that marijuana legalization would be included in the state budget. For example, the leaders in two of the New York suburbs with the largest population have already indicated that the sale of recreational cannabis will not be allowed in those jurisdictions.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) and Vivo Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) hope that the lawmakers can put aside their political differences and put the interests of New Yorkers first when discussing the way forward on marijuana legalization.

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CBD Industry Set to Explode as New Products, Consumers Enter Market

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April 3, 2019 08:00:57

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The U.S. Farm Bill that recently passed into law is a game-changer for the CBD space. While it is unknown when nationwide cannabis legalization may occur, incredible opportunities exist right now for CBD-focused companies that can deliver products to the marketplace.

Demand is growing for organic CBD products in markets where such products are legal.
Youngevity has made a series of strategic acquisitions to help establish the company’s position
Companies ready to deliver CBD products to market at scale are in ideal position to capitalize on growing demand.

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Hemp Market Drives Hydroponics Growth

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April 3, 2019 08:00:41

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: A surge in hemp production means big business for hydroponic suppliers.

Hemp production set to massively increase in the United States this year.
Increased production driving high demand for hydroponic supplies.
Hydroponics companies are responding with expansion and acquisitions.

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420 with CNW – Ontario Marijuana Stores Open as Fines Loom

April 3, 2019 03:20:16

When recreational marijuana was legalized across Canada on October 17, 2018, Ontario decided to start by only availing cannabis through a website run by the provincial government. Brick-and-mortar stores were slated to open in April this year, and yesterday (April 1) was the first day of storefront sales.

The provincial government decided to use an unconventional way to select which applicants would be granted the first 25 recreational cannabis retail licenses early this year. It used a lottery to select the lucky 25 businesses to be first to open retail stores. Originally, the plan was to license as many retailers as needed.

However, the persistent countrywide supply shortages compelled the government to change its plan and issue only 25 licenses in preparation for the April 1 deadline for the commencement of brick-and-mortar retail sales of pot.

The entities that participated in the lottery were fully aware that the licenses they received were subject to strict conditions, such as being ready to open by April 1.

Those that didn’t open their stores on that first day would face a fine of $12,500, and the fines would escalate the longer the business didn’t open. This penalty would be deducted from the $50,000 letter of credit that the applicants submitted as part of the preconditions for participating in the lottery.

If a licensee is unable to start operations by this month’s end, that business risks losing the entire $50,000 covered by that letter of credit.

That threat is likely to hit several businesses, since only 10 were able to fulfill all the licensing conditions in order to open on April 1. The race is therefore on for the remaining 15 businesses to reduce the fines that they will suffer as a result of their inability to open on the first day of storefront sales.

Meanwhile, Ontario residents have been waiting eagerly for the retail stores to open. This can be evidenced by the hundreds who started queuing as early as 4 a.m. in order to be among the first to buy pot in a “real store”.

Why would one sacrifice their sleep and yet recreational marijuana is already available online in the province? Each person has his or her own reasons, but a few seem to cut across.

For example, many are excited and want to be witnesses to the making of history in the province. To such people, the experience of walking into a store and paying for cannabis is something that truly marks the end of prohibition, and they wanted to experience it firsthand.

Many other people say that they are lining up at the stores because it gives them a better shopping experience. For instance, one can smell a product before deciding whether to buy it, something that isn’t possible when you order online. Stores also give you a chance to get up close and personal with the different products before you take your pick of what is available. This is worth lining for, they say.

ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) hope that the residents of Ontario can enjoy buying from these retail outlets without being hindered by supply shortages.

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420 with CNW – 50 Marijuana Dispensaries in Michigan Get Temporary Reprieve in Court

April 2, 2019

April 2, 2019 15:20:36

On Thursday last week (March 28), Judge Stephen Borrello of the Michigan Court of Claims issued a temporary order stopping the state from implementing its decision to close down any medical marijuana dispensary that hadn’t received its license by March 31.

The restraining order gives the businesses in question another 14 days within which to get their operations legalized in accordance with the licensing requirements of the state.

For long, players in the Michigan medical marijuana industry have been complaining that the state takes an inexplicably long time to process and issue a license to an applicant. This slow bureaucratic pace has affected growers, manufacturers and dispensing outlets.

For example, in early February alone, about 150 dispensaries were still awaiting the outcome of their applications for licenses. Similarly, 130 prospective medical cannabis cultivators were also awaiting the fate of their applications for grow licenses.

Because of those complaints, the state decided to allow medical cannabis businesses to open while their applications were still being processed.

However, the state eventually set deadlines for all unlicensed dispensaries to close, but these deadlines have either been unilaterally postponed by the regulators or courts have intervened and forced the state’s hand.

This recent extension is an example of the judiciary stepping in and compelling the state to refrain from implementing its decision to close medical marijuana businesses without licenses.

In response to the restraining order issued by the Court of Claims, the state published a statement in which it revealed that it will hit the brakes on its decision to close unlicensed medical cannabis businesses until court issues further orders or the pending litigation is disposed of by the courts of law.

In a bid to put an end to the endless delays in the licensing process, the Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, has established a new agency to superintend over the marijuana industry.

The persistent problems over licensing issues have also come to a head as the state is working to start recreational cannabis sales after voters approved adult-use marijuana during the midterm elections towards the end of last year.

Cannabis advocates worry that if the problems in the medical cannabis sector aren’t fixed in time, then those problems will get worse once recreational cannabis is added to the menu. Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) and Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) call on the regulators to study what other states have done to streamline the licensing process. Creating new agencies to oversee the industry may not fix the problem if a proper diagnosis of the issues isn’t done.

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420 with CNW – Colorado House Bill Could Make Marijuana Consumption Lounges Legal

April 2, 2019

April 2, 2019 03:20:44

Recreational marijuana has been legal in Colorado since 2012, but the people who buy legal pot have been having a hard time finding where they can consume their purchase. This is now set to change if a bill that has been approved by a House Committee eventually gets the nod from the entire State Assembly and Senate.

Under current law, recreational cannabis can only be consumed in private residences and private establishments. The ban on public and open consumption of cannabis remains in place even if the law legalizing recreational cannabis intended to regard recreational cannabis in the same way that alcohol is treated by the law.

In the past, all efforts to create a system by which the social consumption of marijuana could be licensed have failed. However, the sponsors of HB 1230 feel that the time may now be right for an enabling to law to be enacted so that businesses can get licenses for the social consumption of marijuana on their premises.

Representative Jonathan Singer, the sponsor of the bill, says that his intention is to fix two major issues in the law.

First, his bill will provide more clarity about the meaning of “open and public” so that cannabis businesses and consumers can know the limits of where cannabis consumption is allowed or not. Currently, marijuana seems to be in no man’s land on this issue, he added.

By defining what “open and public” means, it will be possible to license premises where tourists and residents can consume recreational marijuana. This is especially important because many people who live in rented premises cannot consume recreational cannabis at home because the landlords don’t permit its consumption on the premises.

HB 1230 seeks to create two kinds of licenses that businesses can apply for in order have cannabis users consume their stuff in the premises.

The first kind of license will enable consumption lounges and other public places to have a limited amount of cannabis that people can buy and consume while in the premises.

The second type of license wouldn’t allow on-site cannabis sales, but people can come in with their own cannabis and consume it from those premises.

However, any business that is licensed to sell or facilitate the consumption of alcohol wouldn’t be eligible for any of the cannabis social consumption licenses. Under the proposed law, local authorities would also have the right to decide whether to permit or ban cannabis consumption lounges and other such facilities within their jurisdictions.

Now that the bill has passed the first hurdle in the Business Affairs and Labor Committee of the House, it now heads to the House Finance Committee. The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) and Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) hope that this bill is enacted into law so that the dilemma of where people can consume legal weed in Colorado can be solved sooner rather than later.

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420 with CNW – Congressional Committee Approves Marijuana Banking Bill

April 1, 2019

April 1, 2019 15:20:31

On Thursday last week (March 28), the House Financial Services Committee voted to pass a bill that will make it easier for cannabis businesses to access banking services. The bill will now be scheduled for consideration by the entire House after it passed at the committee level when 45 legislators voted in favor while 15 voted against the bill.

Marijuana advocates see this committee action as a sign that the Democrats who dominate the House are finally making good on their support for cannabis law reform.

The bill seeks to make it possible for marijuana businesses to get access to banking services without any fear of federal action against them. Some of these businesses are working with some banks, but the majority of the financial services providers are reluctant to accept cannabis businesses as clients for fear of violating federal money laundering or illicit drug laws.

The SAFE Act was passed after being debated for several days in which a number of amendments were considered and either passed or rejected when a vote on them was called.

For example, one amendment sought to compel the federal government to conduct research on inclusion and diversity in the cannabis industry so that the damage caused by the war on drugs on minorities can be corrected.

Another amendment that was included in the bill added insurance companies to the list of entities that would be protected by the SAFE Act. It should be remembered that cannabis businesses have also been finding it hard to access insurance services that are vital for any business. If the bill becomes law, then marijuana companies will be able to access insurance services in the same way that other legitimate businesses can.

Another amendment added will compel the Government Accountability Office to study the reports banks are required to file about the marijuana businesses they have as clients. This examination is intended to find out how effective those reports are in helping the authorities to unearth illegal activity.

Those reporting requirements have previously been mentioned as one of the major reasons why it is very expensive for cannabis businesses to access banking services even when some banks are willing to accept these businesses as clients.

One proposed amendment tabled by a Republican legislator wanted to delay the implementation of the SAFE Act until the federal government rescheduled marijuana. Sensing that the amendment wouldn’t pass, the mover withdrew it before it could be voted on.

Many of the amendments that were rejected were mainly proposed by Republicans who wanted to cleverly water down the impact of the proposed law or even render it unenforceable. But the Democrats used their majority on the committee to sidestep all those traps.

Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) and The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF) are glad that Congress is finally acting to enact laws that bring U.S. cannabis businesses into the fold of all other legitimate businesses across the country.

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420 with CNW – Michigan Commission Advises the State to Avoid Setting THC Impairment Limit for Drivers

April 1, 2019

April 1, 2019 03:20:14

The Impaired Driving Safety Commission, a body that was set up by Michigan’s Governor, has recommended that the state should not set any threshold for the THC content in someone’s blood before that person is regarded as being impaired while driving.

This six-member panel was mandated to find a scientifically-backed limit for THC in blood and suggest what provisions should be put in the law to define when a driver is impaired by cannabis.

The members of the commission include a toxicologist, a law enforcement officer, a medical cannabis patient, doctors and cannabis use and traffic experts.

This panel wrote in its report that there was no scientific information upon which they could base a decision on how much THC in someone’s blood renders that person impaired while driving.

Additionally, the commission stated that there wasn’t any correlation between the amount of THC present in a driver’s blood and driving impairment.

The members also observed that according to the research they reviewed, the THC content in someone’s blood drops rapidly shortly after the person consumes cannabis. Conversely, impairment increases slowly and reaches its peak long after THC levels have dropped in that individual’s blood.

The issue of impairment is also affected by someone’s history of cannabis consumption. For example, a non-regular user of cannabis may become impaired after taking a small amount of marijuana.

However, a more regular user may require a larger dose of the substance in order to be impaired to the same degree as the individual who is an irregular user and consumed a little cannabis. Consequently, the commission recommended that the THC level in someone’s blood was a poor determinant of whether that person was driving while impaired.

The panel then suggested that roadside sobriety tests should be used as a more reliable way to determine if a given driver is impaired or not. This suggestion brings to mind the sobriety tests that are administered to drivers who are suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.

How then can a police officer distinguish between impairment due to alcohol and impairment due to cannabis consumption? A blood test administered once a person fails the sobriety tests can help to distinguish between impairment caused by cannabis and that caused by alcohol.

The findings of this commission bring to question the decision of the states that set a THC threshold to determine when a driver is impaired by cannabis.

For example, Colorado, Montana and Washington State put the threshold at 5ng/ml. Nevada put the limit at 2ng/ml while Pennsylvania set its limit at 1ng/ml. How were these limits arrived at?

Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) applaud the commission for looking at the available scientific data and then making an objective decision without being influenced by what other states have done to define driving while impaired by cannabis.

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420 with CNW – Mexican Government Official Uses Twitter to Measure Public Opinion on Cannabis Legalization

March 29, 2019

March 29, 2019 15:20:40

The Mexican Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection took to Twitter on Monday (March 25) to ask citizens to share their opinions regarding whether recreational cannabis should be legalized in the country or not. The cabinet official oversees the federal police, intelligence services and prisons.

Less than 24 hours after the poll was initiated, 81 percent of all the respondents said that adult-use marijuana should be legalized while 19 percent said that it shouldn’t be legalized. More than 82,000 people had participated in this survey by that time, so those percentages should not be taken lightly.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the intention of the government was in doing the survey, and it is not clear what they will use the findings for. Whatever their reasons, the social media poll can be seen as further proof that the federal government in Mexico is serious about reforming its marijuana laws.

Last year, one senator tabled a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in the country. That senator is now the Interior Secretary of the country.

Shortly afterwards, the Senate released a report listing the different aspects that lawmakers should keep in mind when drafting a bill to legalize recreational marijuana. These included product labeling, age-restrictions, modes of consumption to be allowed, THC limits, and so many others.

That report didn’t make any specific recommendations about what the law should stipulate. Instead, it outlined the different areas that the proposed legislation should cover. This report was based on what other jurisdictions around the world have looked at while drafting their own marijuana legalization laws.

It should also be remembered that in 2018, Mexican cabinet members visited Canada in order to talk to officials there about the Canadian recreational cannabis legalization program.

This cabinet visit took place shortly before the Supreme Court in Mexico made a ruling that it was unconstitutional to ban the consumption of marijuana by adults.

The Twitter poll may therefore be regarded as something that will further galvanize the lawmakers to discuss the legalization bill with the knowledge that the public is solidly in support of the legislation.

However, it should be noted that social media polls cannot in any way be seen as representative or scientific, so any findings collected from such a poll may not stand up to rigorous scrutiny. Nevertheless, the cannabis industry, including Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) and Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) regard the poll by a cabinet member as a signal that robust discussions are taking place to decide what form cannabis legalization in Mexico takes.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) Ideally Positioned as the Healing Power of CBD Gains Awareness

March 29, 2019

March 29, 2019 07:53:39

Related Editorial
Analysts at Brightfield Group see CBD (cannabidiol) gobbling up a sizeable chunk of a projected $100 billion nutraceuticals 2022 U.S. market.

$22 billion-plus CBD market could eclipse broader cannabis market
Growing consensus about health benefits backed by clinical work, personal endorsements
CBD found in everything from beverages and dog treats to pharmaceuticals and wellness products

The opening of the CBD floodgates represents a huge opportunity for plant-based wellness and health-product developers such as Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile) and Green Growth Brands Inc. (OTCQB: GGBXF) (CSE: GGB), a lifestyle-oriented developer of cannabis and CBD consumer products. Similarly, some of the fastest-growing producers in the industry today, such as Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB), Green Organic Dutchman (OTCQX: TGODF) (TSX: TGOD) and HEXO Corp. (NYSE: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO) all stand to benefit as the rising tide of the CBD market continues to see tremendous growth for a number of reasons.

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/J1Fh0

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/aN7GS

About Wildflower Brands

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to WLDFF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/WLDFF

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420 with CNW – Why Ohioans Aren’t Rushing to Buy Medical Cannabis

March 29, 2019

March 29, 2019 03:20:30

Medical cannabis has been available in Ohio for about three months now, but the latest data shows that the 20,000 people registered on the program haven’t displayed much eagerness to buy all the cannabis available at dispensaries. Here are some reasons that could explain this lack of buyer enthusiasm.

High Product Prices

One major concern for Ohio medical cannabis patients is the high prices being levied for medical cannabis products. On average, an ounce of cannabis costs $470. This is twice the cost of medical cannabis in Michigan.

Why is Michigan significant in this case? Patients from Ohio and other states can use their medical cannabis cards to buy medical marijuana in Michigan. It is therefore regrettable that the products in Ohio are so expensive.

This high cost can be attributed to the high licensing fees levied, as well as the rigid product packaging and testing requirements imposed by the state.

Dispensaries Aren’t Evenly Distributed

Ohio licensed 56 dispensaries. So far, only nine have opened their doors to patients. Unfortunately, all those nine are found on the Eastern side of the state.

Patients must therefore drive for several hours in order to find a dispensary and buy the products they need. Obviously, not many of the patients have felt the urge to endure those long drives.

Sales may therefore remain lukewarm until more dispensaries open closer to the patients who need the products available.

Unfavorable Possession Rules

Another major factor that can explain why patients aren’t buying as much medical cannabis as the state would expect is that the rules restrict a patient to just 90-days’ worth of cannabis. However, the clock starts ticking on those 90 days from the time you get your prescription from a doctor.

This means that every day you take without buying the maximum amount of cannabis allowed reduces the quantity that you will buy when you eventually visit a dispensary.

For example, a patient who goes to a dispensary 60 days after getting their prescription can only buy medical cannabis that can last a maximum of 30 days.

Furthermore, the high cost of cannabis means that patients may find it hard to buy a large amount of cannabis during one visit to a dispensary.

A Limited Range of Products

The law bars patients from smoking medical marijuana. However, only dried flower is currently available in the dispensaries that have so far opened.

This means that patients who want cannabis oil, tinctures, patches, lotions and edibles cannot spend any money on cannabis products until what they want is available.

All these issues show that the medical marijuana program has gotten off to a rocky start. Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) hope that the medical cannabis program matures quickly so that each patient can get what they want at an affordable cost.

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420 with CNW – Proposed Bill Aims to Make Illinois Medical Cannabis Program Permanent

March 28, 2019 15:20:20

A bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Morgan seeks to make the pilot medical program in Illinois permanent. The bill also has provisions to include more qualifying conditions for the program.

The pilot program was approved in 2013 and lawmakers expanded as well as extended its duration to mid-2020.

Under the existing program, patients who suffer from one or more of the 40 qualifying conditions can buy a maximum of 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis every fortnight as long as a doctor approved their enrollment on the program.

It should be noted that law enforcement agencies haven’t raised any red flags about the program. For example, no reports have emerged of people using medical cannabis when they aren’t licensed to do so.

In contrast, the program has received a lot of praise from patients because those patients have been able to wean themselves off of stronger prescription drugs as a result of using medical cannabis.

Currently, about 58,000 people are registered on the medical marijuana program. However, this number is small when compared to the number of patients on the medical cannabis programs of other states.

One of the reasons for the low enrollment in Illinois is that chronic pain isn’t one of the qualifying conditions for which someone can enroll on the program.

This is set to change if Morgan’s bill becomes law. Chronic pain, migraines, autism, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis and several other conditions will be added to the list of qualifying conditions.

The bill also wants to make it possible for doctors to receive payment from patients or medical marijuana businesses. This payment is necessary because a lot of responsibility is given to doctors and yet no compensation was prescribed for the services that they offer to keep the medical marijuana program running.

However, the bill clearly states that doctors will not be paid for making medical cannabis referrals. Instead, they can be paid for conducting medical cannabis research.

Notably, the bill tabled by Rep. Morgan also wants to put in place mechanisms for veterans to access medical marijuana. Veterans need special attention in this regard because marijuana is still illegal under federal law, so Veterans Affairs doctors cannot prescribe it.

Morgan’s bill wants medical marijuana to be available to veterans as an alternative to the opioids that the veterans take to deal with chronic pain.

If all goes according to plan, the bill introduced by Morgan may be passed by fall. MustGrow Biologics Corp. and Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) hope that Rep. Bob Morgan’s bill sails through so that patients aren’t left wondering what will happen to them once the pilot medical cannabis program runs its course.

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Cannabis Conference: Leading Cultivation and Dispensary Education Event Is Fast Approaching

March 28, 2019 08:52:00

In just 4 weeks, industry leaders will gather in Las Vegas for Cannabis Conference. March 31 is the final day to register for the conference online.

WHO: Produced by the award-winning publications Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary, Cannabis Conference 2019 is the only North American conference focused exclusively on cultivators and dispensaries. Conference attendees will have the ability to get up close and personal with many of the brightest minds in the cannabis industry.

WHAT: Cannabis Conference 2019 will host 3,000+ industry professionals from 26 different countries. 40+ sessions will be led by 90+ cultivation, retail and business experts; and a sold-out expo floor spanning 70,000 square feet will showcase over 125 technology and solutions providers serving cannabis cultivation and dispensary businesses.

WHERE: Cannabis Conference will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Westgate Resort & Casino, 3000 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89109.

WHEN: April 1-3, 2019. Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. on Monday 4/1. All-Access Pass registrants will gain special admission to pre-show workshops on a variety of topics including expansion and franchising, biological control, supply chain management, extraction facility design, cannabis disease prevention and more.

WHY: Cannabis Conference 2019 will bring together more than 90 world-class speakers, including Jeremy Plumb, John Cochran, Leif Abel, Laura Day, Scott Reach, Wanda James, Sjoerd Broeks and more. In-depth educational programming completely focused on cultivation and/or dispensary business’s success will be offered. There will be daily networking and opportunities where attendees can personally meet with professionals from both ends of the supply chain. Pre-show workshops and post-show video access will be available to All-Access Pass registrants. The expo floor at Cannabis Conference will be more than 70,000 square feet and will showcase the industry’s latest cutting-edge technologies and solutions. This premier industry event will offer unprecedented insights into the dynamic global cannabis industry at a time when business growth and legalization are intersecting in new markets almost every day.

Note to Editors: Press passes are available. Interviews can be arranged with the editors of Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary (which produce the Cannabis Conference), as well as with conference speakers. Speaker headshots and images from previous Cannabis Conference events are available.

Media contact: Brooke Bogdan, 216-393-0332 or [email protected]. Find more information on Cannabis Business Times’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. More information is also available on Cannabis Dispensary magazine’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Visit www.cannabisconference.com.

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This article contains Third-Party Content submitted by third parties, including articles submitted through the CNW Premium Partnership Program. All opinions, statements and representations expressed by such third parties are theirs alone and do not express or represent the views and opinions of CNW or its affiliates and owners. Content created by third parties is the sole responsibility of such third parties, and CNW does not endorse, guarantee or make representations concerning the accuracy and completeness of all third-party content. You acknowledge that by CNW providing you with this internet portal that makes accessible to you the ability to view third-party content through the CNW site, CNW does not undertake any obligation to you as a reader of such content or assume any liability relating to such third-party content. CNW expressly disclaims liability relating to such third-party content. CNW and its members, affiliates, successors, assigns, officers, directors, and partners assume no responsibility or liability that may arise from the third-party content, including, but not limited to, responsibility or liability for claims for defamation, libel, slander, infringement, invasion of privacy and publicity rights, fraud, or misrepresentation, or an private right of action under the federal securities laws of the United States or common law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, CNW reserves the right to remove third-party content at any time in its sole discretion.

CBD Surges into Mainstream with New Products, Celebrity Endorsements and Emerging Consensus about Benefits

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March 28, 2019 08:00:04

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Analysts at Brightfield Group see CBD (cannabidiol) gobbling up a sizeable chunk of a projected $100 billion nutraceuticals 2022 U.S. market.

Growing CBD market could eclipse broader cannabis market
Consensus about health benefits backed by clinical work, personal endorsements lead to heightened interest
CBD found in vast array of new products

As CBD moves into the mainstream, opportunities are likely to grow exponentially for a variety of companies, including plant-based health and wellness product developer Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile). Canadian company Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is riding the wave by acquiring Manitoba Harvest, the world’s largest hemp foods company. Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) recently announced it has closed a billion-dollar equity investment from an outside company. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) just received a cultivation license from Health Canada for its facility in New Brunswick. Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) also received additional licensing approval from Health Canada, permitting the company to commence production in…

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CNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

420 with CNW – Utah Moves to Hire Software Provider for Medical Marijuana Program

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March 28, 2019 04:20:37

After passing a medical marijuana law in December 2018, Utah has now engaged high gear in moving towards implementing the program. The state is currently looking for a software provider who will design a two-part system that will, in effect, run the entire medical cannabis program.

One part of the system will track each medical cannabis plant from the time it reaches eight inches tall to the point when it is bought by a patient registered to use medical marijuana in the state.

Tracking the plants is important because the state will be sure that legally grown weed isn’t being channeled to the black market.

The second part of the software will be used to enroll patients on the medical cannabis program, store information about the prescriptions issued by doctors and keep track of how much medical cannabis each patient is buying.

The state will have a big decision to make regarding whether one provider will be sufficient for the two components of the medical cannabis system or multiple providers should be sourced for the different aspects of the system.

State officials want to select the firms that will provide the software by May so that the second half of the year is devoted to selecting medical marijuana cultivators. The deadline for starting to receive applications from patients who want to use medical marijuana is March 1, 2020, but the officials want to start receiving applications earlier than that date, if possible.

However, eyebrows have been raised about the plan to allow law enforcement to access the system. Advocates are concerned that the police or any other law enforcement agency (state or federal) may abuse that access they are granted.

The state insists that law enforcement will only be allowed to confirm whether someone is authorized to possess medical cannabis or not. Other details, such as the qualifying condition for which a patient got approval to use medical cannabis, will be inaccessible to law enforcement.

The software program is expected to cost anywhere from $2 million to $5 million. This amount will cover the cost of building as well as running the system for its first five years of existence.

To put this cost into perspective, think about what Pennsylvania spent for a similar system. The state spent $10.4 million for building and operating its system for five years.

However, Nevada spent approximately $816,000 to acquire and operate a traceability system for its medical cannabis program for four years. Traceability covers just half of what Utah is seeking, but you can get a picture of how the costs compare.

Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) and Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) hope that the provider selected designs and implements a system that will not be plagued by the glitches that have disrupted medical cannabis programs in other states.

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420 with CNW – New York Cannabis Legalization Process Hits Major Snag

March 27, 2019

March 27, 2019 16:20:05

The process of legalizing recreational marijuana in New York has hit a major snag with the announcement that it isn’t included in the state budget for 2020. This means that it may now be harder to pass the legalization bill as a standalone bill.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has been pushing to have the bill included in the state budget for 2020, but it seems things haven’t gone his way.

The major issue in the way of legalization appears to be disagreements regarding how the program will be implemented. For example, the legislators are sharply divided about the way in which the taxes from recreational weed should be spent.

Another source of disagreement is the insistence by people of color that measures should be included in the law to avail economic opportunities in the industry to the racial groups, such as African Americans, which suffered the most during the war on drugs. Expunging criminal records isn’t enough, they say.

Even Cuomo admits that the task of passing the bill will be harder now that it isn’t included in the budget. However, the Governor is still optimistic that discussions on legalization will continue at a slower pace and a law may be in place this year.

Before this setback, many legislators had expressed reservations about the possibility of reaching a consensus in time to include marijuana legalization in the budget. Their fears just materialized, and cannabis legalization just got a little harder to attain.

The setback in New York State comes just days before neighboring New Jersey was expected to vote on a bill that would legalize recreational pot. However, that vote was called off on Monday (March 25), to the disappointment of marijuana advocates.

The New Jersey vote cancellation was a strategic decision by the Governor, the State Senate leader and the head of the Assembly. They opted to delay the vote so that they work to secure sufficient support for the bill, rather than insisting that the vote happens and the bill fails to get enough support.

You can now see how the situation in New York State is similar to what happened in New Jersey. Both processes have slowed or stalled because of insufficient support or disagreements among legislators despite the overwhelming public support for legalization.

Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) urge the legislators in New York State to listen to each other and reach a compromise for the good of the people in the state.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD) Makes Swift Moves to Keep up with Rising Demand for Hydroponic Supplies

March 27, 2019

March 27, 2019 11:13:50

Related Editorial
Surging hemp market growth has created huge demand for hydroponic supplies.

Demand for CBD is driving a rise in hemp cultivation, much of which is done indoors using hydroponic equipment.
This hydroponic approach allows greater quality control over the cultivation process and the hemp.
Acquisitions and expansion are needed for hydroponic companies to keep up with demand.

Hydroponic supplier Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) has been making swift moves to deal with this demand, acquiring other supply companies and outlets. Canadian company Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) has acquired the world’s largest hemp foods company, giving it a strong position in a customer-facing part of the sector. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) has set up a new hemp extraction and product manufacturing facility in New York state. Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) has received a large boost in investment thanks to interest in the surrounding sector, providing fuel for future growth. Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) is looking beyond North America, with the acquisition of a European distributor.

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/U7dK0

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/45SsC

About Sugarmade, Inc.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SGMD are available in the company’s newsroom at www.cnw.fm/SUGAR

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420 with CNW – Why New Jersey Marijuana Legalization Bill Vote May Have Been Called Off

March 27, 2019

March 27, 2019 04:20:19

On March 25, the planned vote on a marijuana legalization bill in New Jersey was suddenly called off by both legislative houses in a move that disappointed cannabis advocates who had thought that the bill would sail through. Here are some possible reasons for the cancellation of the vote.

Insufficient Time to Convince Legislators

The legalization bill was released by the different committees less than a fortnight before a final vote was scheduled by the two houses.

This time was too little for advocates to convince legislators to support the bill. Consequently, Senate President Sweeney thought it wise to cancel the vote rather than take a risk and the bill fails to garner the required number of “yes” votes.

Strong Resistance Among Democrats

From the time Gov. Murphy made legalizing marijuana a priority of his term in office, there were a number of Democratic legislators that vowed not to support the legalization process.

These senators included Fred Madden (D-Gloucester), Richard Codey (D-Essex), Ronald Rice (D-Essex) and so many others. To compound this opposition, other Democratic senators joined those opposing the bill late during the legalization process.

This opposition from within the Democratic camp made it even more urgent to rally some Republican senators for the cause, but as earlier mentioned, there wasn’t enough time for this.

Last-Minute Changes Unsettled Some Legislators

Another possible reason why voting on the legalization bill was called off is because there were some changes that were made to the bill in the committees just before it was sent to be voted on by all legislators in the different houses. These changes weren’t agreeable to all supporters, especially in the state senate.

Of particular concern were changes that were introduced on matters of expunging the criminal records with respect to cannabis arrests and convictions.

Some legislators who would have voted for the bill were dismayed when they discovered that the threshold for possession was set at five pounds for those to benefit from the expungement provisions. This was unacceptable to these legislators and some decided to switch from supporting the bill to opposing it.

So, what happens next?

There is hope that the bill may be reconsidered for a vote before June 30 when the next budget of the state is due to be passed. If that doesn’t happen, then legalization may be delayed by another year or until another set of legislators is voted into office.

The cannabis industry, including Global Consortium, Inc. (OTC: GCGX) and Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE) hope that the current wave of support for cannabis legalization in the public and among the legislators results in a speedy passing of this bill.

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420 with CNW – DEA Seeks Contractor to Burn Illegal Weed in Arizona

March 26, 2019

March 26, 2019 16:20:06

The U.S. DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) is looking for a contractor in Arizona to incinerate cannabis between the months of March and September. The contractor will be expected to burn cannabis at a rate of 1,000 pounds every hour.

The marijuana will be brought to the incineration facility from about 12 cities within Texas. While the agency isn’t certain about the way in which the marijuana to be burnt will be packaged, they predict that some of it will be in the form of tightly packed “bales” or ”bricks” weighing less than 60 pounds.

Some marijuana will be in plastic evidence bags, in aluminum foil, in packing tape, and so many other packing methods.

Needless to say, the DEA got its hands on this marijuana during its field operations against those who sell the drug on the streets, and other illegal activities.

The federal agency reveals that the selected contractor should be able to burn marijuana for eight hours straight on a daily basis and the incineration equipment is expected to have interlocks so that the process can be halted during an emergency.

The marijuana should be destroyed to an extent that standard analytical tests will be unable to detect any cannabis residues once the incineration process has been completed. The DEA will also conduct inspections to confirm that the substance has been destroyed to the required standard.

Additionally, the federal agency will have its representatives or staff present to witness the destruction process, and the facility should have a fence that is so high that onlookers cannot observe the destruction process from outside the facility.

The incineration facility is also expected to have CCTV cameras recording every step of the process. The DEA says that they reserve the right to access the CCTV footage in order to ascertain that the burn was conducted in accordance with the specifications provided, and that the representatives of the agency are safe in that environment.

The contractor selected should have employees who undergo background checks in addition to drugs tests annually.

While the notice has been published to receive applications from interested contractors, the DEA seems to already have an entity in mind that they plan to award this contract. Tuscon Iron & Metal is located within close proximity to the towns where the DEA keeps all the marijuana it confiscates in Arizona. The DEA mentions this company as a potential “sole source” provider of the service they seek.

Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP), Green Growth Brands, Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and the entire cannabis industry congratulate Tuscon Iron & Metal for positioning itself in such a powerful way that the DEA can consider them as a sole source of their incineration requirements in the area.

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John Cochran, Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. COO and former Pabst Brewing Co. CEO, to Deliver Cannabis Conference 2019 Welcome Keynote

March 26, 2019

March 26, 2019 11:27:02

John Cochran, Chief Operating Officer of Harvest Health & Recreation, (CSE: HARV) (OTCQX: HRVSF) (“Harvest”), will deliver the Welcome Keynote, “Tapping the Beverage Market Boom,” at Cannabis Conference 2019, April 1-3, in Las Vegas, Nev.

“While alcohol and cannabis differ in many ways, the regulatory framework and consumer trends shed light on the future of the plant in this country and around the world,” said Cochran, who is the former CEO of multistate cannabis company Loudpack Inc., former CEO of Pabst Brewing Company, and former president and COO of Fiji Water Company. “I’m excited to share the lessons I’ve learned after decades at some of the largest beverage and cannabis companies in the world with attendees of Cannabis Conference.”

Harvest is a vertically integrated cannabis company with licenses for more than 140 retail, cultivation, manufacturing and distribution facilities across 12 states. In his Keynote, Cochran will also explore Harvest’s value chain and frameworks for considering profitable, scalable solutions and the importance of communicating those shifts to investors.

“John’s experience at leading beverage brands and his role at Harvest Health & Recreation can shed light on key opportunities in today’s cannabis industry. We’re excited for our attendees to have the opportunity to learn from him,” said Noelle Skodzinski, Cannabis Conference editorial director.

This year, 3,000+ industry professionals from 26 different countries are expected to attend Cannabis Conference; 40+ sessions will be led by 90+ cultivation, retail and business experts; and a sold-out expo floor spanning 70,000 square feet will showcase technology and solutions providers serving cannabis cultivation and dispensary businesses.

“Cannabis Conference is the most valuable educational event we have brought to market for plant-touching cannabis businesses. What a fitting way to kick off the week with a Keynote from John,” said Jim Gilbride, group publisher, who oversees the Cannabis Conference.

About Cannabis Conference:
Cannabis Conference, April 1 – 3 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, is produced by Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary, and is the only North American conference focused exclusively on cultivators and dispensaries. The final day to register online (at CannabisConference.com) is March 31. “To request a press pass, email [email protected].

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CBD Going Mainstream amid Flood of New Products, Celebrity Endorsements, and Emerging Consensus about Benefits

March 26, 2019

March 26, 2019 08:00:37

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Analysts at Brightfield Group see CBD (cannabidiol) gobbling up a sizeable chunk of a projected $100 billion nutraceuticals 2022 U.S. market.

$22 billion-plus CBD market could eclipse broader cannabis market
Growing consensus about health benefits backed by clinical work, personal endorsements
CBD found in everything from beverages and dog treats to pharmaceuticals and wellness products

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CannabisNewsBreaks – Jelly Belly Creator Launches New Line of CBD-infused Jelly Beans

March 25, 2019 14:28:25

David Klein, the founder of the famous Jelly Belly candy, recently announced that he will be launching a new line of jelly beans that contain cannabidiol (“CBD”). The announcement was recently discussed in an article authored by David Aaro, on Fox News titled ‘Jelly Belly creator introduces CBD-infused jelly beans’. Klein has created a new company, Spectrum Confections, which is adding CBD oil to 38 flavors such as toasted strawberry cheesecake, marshmallow, pina colada and mango. The candies will not include THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis. “The jelly bean is perfect for the proper dosage [of CBD],” David Klein stated in a recent interview with Cannabis Aficionado (http://cnw.fm/0u9OW). “We are putting 10 ml in each [bean]. If people want a small dose, they eat one. If they want 20 ml, they can eat two,” and so on. “They can decide what their proper dosage is.”

To view the full article, visit http://cnw.fm/p1LGo

About Fox News

FOX News operates the FOX News Channel (“FNC”), FOX Business Network (“FBN”), FOX News Radio, FOX News Headlines 24/7, FOXNews.com and the soon to launch OTT platform, Fox Nation. FOX News also produces FOX News Sunday on FOX Broadcasting Company and FOX News Edge. A top five-cable network, FNC has been the most watched news channel in the country for more than 16 years. According to a 2018 Research Intelligencer study by Brand Keys, FOX News ranks as the second most trusted television brand in the country. Additionally, a Suffolk University/USA Today survey states Fox News is the most trusted source for television news or commentary in the country, while a 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey found that among Americans who could name an objective news source, Fox News is the top-cited outlet. FNC is available in 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape while routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre. For more information, visit www.FoxNews.com.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) Poised to Benefit from Soaring CBD Market

March 25, 2019 14:07:18

Related Editorial
Following the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD sales have continued their massive growth in the United States and beyond.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical found in cannabis, has seen a huge growth in sales over the past few years.
CBD can be derived from hemp, and the passing of a new farm bill in the States makes this form of cultivation legal at a federal level.
This forms part of wider growth in the cannabis market, as companies expand their operations in North America and even beyond.

Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) (WLDFF Profile) is among the companies benefiting from this market, with an increase of more than 300 percent in online sales for its CBD products last year. Some companies are specializing in particular niches, such as The Green Organic Dutchman (OTCQX: TGODF) (TSX: TGOD) with its focus on sustainable organic plants. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) is making moves into Europe, with cannabis oil sales in Germany and investment in a Portuguese grower. Green Growth Brands Inc. (OTCQB: GGBXF) (CSE: GGB) is launching new products and opening its own shops across the United States. And HEXO Corp. (NYSE: HEXO) (TSX: HEXO), which recently expanded from medical cannabis into the recreational space, has seen gross revenue increase more than 1,000 percent as part of this rising tide.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/Wn9uB

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/HdIh7

About Wildflower Brands

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to WLDFF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/WLDFF

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CannabisNewsBreaks – Fox News Article Advises Caution for CBD Use Pending Long-term Data

March 25, 2019 13:51:25

The lack of data on the long-term safety of cannabidiol (“CBD”) oil was recently emphasized in an article authored by Nicole Saphier, M.D., on Fox News titled ‘CBD oil is the new rage among millennials. But, as a doctor, here’s what I worry about’. Among other highlights, the article reminds readers that even though the limited and short-term data on CBD oil is promising, there is not any long-term data yet to further support the safety and effectiveness as a treatment to various ailments. Although there is scientific evidence demonstrating that CBD has FDA-proven benefits for treating epileptic seizure disorders and is now permitted to be prescribed by a physician, Dr. Saphier cautions that research regarding numerous other hyped health claims is still lacking (http://cnw.fm/mA8uV). Dr. Saphier urges all patients to err on the side of caution while the long-term data is pending, and to follow their medical doctors’ recommendations.

To view the full article, visit http://cnw.fm/sjTw7

About Fox News

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Hydroponic Supplies Play Key Role in Hemp Market Growth

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March 25, 2019 09:00:05

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Surging hemp market growth has created huge demand for hydroponic supplies.

Demand for CBD is driving a rise in hemp cultivation, much of which is done indoors using hydroponic equipment.
This hydroponic approach allows greater quality control over the cultivation process and the hemp.
Acquisitions and expansion are needed for hydroponic companies to keep up with demand.

Hydroponic supplier Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) has been making swift moves to deal with this demand, acquiring other supply companies and outlets. Canadian company Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) has acquired the world’s largest hemp foods company, giving it a strong position in a customer-facing part of the sector. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) has set up a new hemp-growing facility in New York state, using hydroponics to help it meet growing demand. Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) has received a large boost in investment thanks to interest in the surrounding sector, providing fuel for future growth. Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) is looking beyond…

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420 with CNW – Former NHL Players to Participate in Post-Concussion Cannabis Treatment Trial

March 25, 2019 04:20:13

Dozens of former National Hockey League (NHL) players will receive cannabis as part of a study to investigate the effects of CBD on brain injuries.

Dr. Charles Tator, a neurosurgeon and concussion expert, says that his team hopes that CBD will exhibit a therapeutic effect on the former players who suffer from chronic pain and other symptoms of repetitive brain injury.

For this study, the researchers recruited about 100 former NHL players to participate as research subjects.

Half of those people will receive a placebo while the rest will be given CBD. All the study subjects will continue taking any other medication that they were taking for their symptoms.

The researchers will observe these individuals for 12 months and assess whether CBD had any impact on their illnesses. The research is slated to begin this summer.

This research is being conducted in order to find an alternative to the addictive and harmful opioids that athletes take for chronic pain and the other symptoms resulting from the head injuries that they sustain during their playing days.

It is estimated that nearly two out of ten people who sustain sports-related concussion end up with chronic symptoms after the concussion. These symptoms include chronic headaches.

The players also develop emotional problems, such as depression and anxiety. Many of these former players live a miserable life once they are out of the limelight because little attention is directed to them if they aren’t actively playing.

It is such realities that have prompted the NHL Alumni, the Canadian marijuana company Canopy Growth and Neeka Health to team up and conduct this research.

The researchers hope that the complex and multidimensional study that they have taken on will provide valuable insights into how CBD interacts with the behaviors and brains of former NHL players struggling with the symptoms linked to the aftermath of suffering concussions.

This particular study isn’t the first in this area. For example, an earlier study conducted by a team of researchers from Miami University found that a combination of CBD and an anesthetic (NDMA) was effective in improving the condition of test animals that had brain injuries. This team of researchers is now conducting a human study to see what parallels emerge between their animal study and the human one.

The entire cannabis industry, especially FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) and Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL), hopes that the studies confirm that cannabis is not only viable but also better at treating the post-concussion symptoms.

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420 with CNW – Ontario Golf Course Set to be the First Marijuana Themed Course in Canada

March 22, 2019

March 22, 2019 16:20:21

Rolling Greens, a golf course found near Smith Falls in Ontario, is set to take the “green” in its name to a whole new level by becoming the first golf course to allow cannabis smoking on its grounds.

Gordon Weiske, the Director of Entertainment at the golf course, revealed that while other people were clamoring to acquire licenses to grow or retail cannabis, Rolling Greens decided to be different and become a golf course with a cannabis theme.

He says that they decided to allow golfers to enjoy cannabis while playing the game. While strict rules prevent the consumption of cannabis in public, golf courses are free to make their own rules. Besides, smoking is allowed on golf courses, and cannabis smoking is usually allowed in places where one can smoke a cigarette.

The management of Rolling Greens therefore decided to take a different approach from other golf courses that banned smoking marijuana on their grounds. Rolling Greens felt that there was no reason to ban cannabis smoking if cigarette smokers are allowed on the property.

Currently, there is no cannabis sold at the golf course, so users have to carry their own cannabis products if they wish to enjoy cannabis at the golf course.

Rolling Greens doesn’t just want to be known as a golf club where one can smoke weed. They have set their eyes on bigger things.

For example, they intend to set up an age-restricted entertainment park where a mini-putt, drive-in movie theatre and virtual reality games will be available.

Such a facility will be easy for them to create because the golf course sits on a massive 164 acres of land. Space is certainly not one of the problems they face.

The golf course also has plans to partner with cannabis producers who will then set up their own sponsored theme on one of the holes of the golf course.

It should be noted that this golf club hasn’t always been called Rolling Greens. This name was introduced as part of a rebrand of the facility after it was acquired by new owners. Previously, the golf course was called Lombard Glen Golf and Country Club.

In effect, Rolling Greens is approximately two months old. The club intends to host a soft launch on April 20 to give clients and fans a chance to sample what the facility has to offer. Bigger launch events will also be held over the coming months.

Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) and ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) congratulate Rolling Greens upon their trailblazing activities that are widening the boundaries of the cannabis industry while creating new opportunities.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) Positioned to Benefit from the Rise of CBD Beverages

March 22, 2019

March 22, 2019 13:50:03

Related Editorial
Drinks infused with cannabis-derived cannabidiol (CBD) are in a prime position to bring disruption to the beverage sector.

The growing consumer interest in hemp-derived CBD as a health supplement along with the recent passing of the Farm Bill has spawned a growing interest in CBD-infused drinks.
The ever-increasing global trend to legalizing cannabis is also creating demand for “harder” beverages derived from marijuana
Big alcohol companies have taken a particular interest in investing in cannabis producers.
The relationship is also working in an inverse direction, with CBD producers recruiting experienced beverage executives to help launch new products.

Corporate interest in building a cannabis-infused beverage profile demonstrates the level of potential growth for such an industry, with key developments being made across multiple channels. To address the needs of the wellness-oriented consumer, Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) (PHVAF Profile) has created a line of active hemp extract (CBD)-infused drinks that are just starting to hit store shelves and is expected to be distributed to a thousand retail outlets in Q2. In the adult beverage sector, Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) has made a $4 billion investment in Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED), fueling research into cannabis drinks which suggests a proactive approach to addressing the potential sales impact in markets where consumer use of marijuana is legal. The Canadian business unit of Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE: TAP) has also made a deal with a cannabis producer to create beverages for that market. In the health supplements sector, Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: CWBHF) (CSE: CWEB), which markets hemp-derived CBD oil, has recruited a former Coca-Cola executive to bring beverage sector expertise into the company.

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/y0fZt

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About Phivida Holdings Inc.

Phivida Holdings Inc. is headquartered in Vancouver, BC with operations in San Diego, CA. Phivida is a premium functional food and beverage company focused on whole plant nutrition and natural ingredients that help best maintain overall health and balance in the human body. The company infuses organic active hemp extract into a variety of premium beverages and clinical products for everyday health. Phivida embraces and celebrates a return to organic, natural, plant-based foods and beverages, and a focus on holistic health and wellness. The mission is to help reduce the world’s dependence on pharmaceuticals and provide food and beverage choices that allow customers to live a balanced healthy lifestyle. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Phivida.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to PHVAF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/PHVAF

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420 with CNW – Is Thailand Ready for Cannabis Legalization?

March 22, 2019

March 22, 2019 04:20:55

A drafting committee in the Thai Legislative Assembly is working on a bill to legalize marijuana in the state. However, many people are wondering whether the country is ready for this move. An analysis of the factors on the ground shows that the road to legalization has a lot going for it while some obstacles remain, as explored in the discussion below.

Why It May Be Time for Legalization

A long history of cannabis use. Cannabis had been used for centuries in Thailand before it was outlawed in 1934. Laborers had for long used it to relax their sore muscles while expectant mothers used it to ease labor pains. The plant was also used as a cooking ingredient. These deep roots of cannabis use also gave the industry the word “bong” derived from Thai. This long history of use therefore makes the legalization of cannabis a no-brainer for this country.

The locals are experts in cultivating the plant. The benefit of the long history of cannabis use in Thailand has also resulted in generations of expert cannabis cultivators in the country. The locals are so good at this that they can identify a seed that will grow into a male plant! Legalization would allow these experts to practice their craft and earn from it.

Thailand is home to a unique cannabis strain. Thailand has a unique cannabis sativa strain that is sought after across the world because of its high THC content. This strain has a citrus aroma and it gives a high that doesn’t cause the user to be lethargic or drowsy. Legalization can allow this gift of nature to be exploited commercially.

But, There Are Roadblocks…

U.S. influence may delay legalization. Thailand has deep ties with the U.S. spanning decades. In fact, the banning of cannabis in 1934 was a result of U.S. pressure on the country. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) even maintains an office in the country. As things stand at the federal level in the U.S., it would be expecting too much for one to think that the U.S. will not try to influence the process of discussing whether marijuana should be legalized or not.

Concerns over foreign firms. The road to legalization is likely to be bumpy as local firms jostle with foreign entities for control of the cannabis industry. Already, a storm is brewing about pending patents that have been filed by foreign companies. Locals see this as an attempt to lock them out of the industry, and they aren’t taking it lying down. The bill being drafted may stall while a way out of this storm is found.

All in all, global trends and the need to boost the agriculture-based economy of Thailand are likely to provide the momentum needed to pass medical cannabis legislation quickly in order to take advantage of the opportunities available.

VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) and Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) hope that any stumbling blocks can be resolved quickly so that the people of Thailand can enjoy the economic and medical benefits that the marijuana industry has to offer.

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420 with CNW – Pennsylvania Senators Seek Cosponsors for Cannabis Legalization Bill

March 21, 2019 16:20:51

Two senators in Pennsylvania have drafted a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in the state, and they are now seeking cosponsors for their initiative.

State Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery) have drafted the bill that reads like a dream come true for any marijuana advocate.

The bill intends to allow adults who are 21 or older to grow a maximum of six mature cannabis plants at home for their own use.

Home delivery of marijuana and its products will also be legal if the bill is enacted.

While it would be illegal to consume cannabis in public, the legislators included provisions that would permit the opening of marijuana consumption lounges where adults can go and indulge.

SB 350 goes further to suggest that not only will minor marijuana convictions and arrests be expunged from people’s criminal records, all individuals on similar charges who are serving time in Pennsylvania jails will be released as well. This goes far beyond what other states have done after legalizing recreational weed.

The bill also touches on where the tax revenue from recreational marijuana will be spent. Sens. Sharif and Leach propose that most of the taxes collected from the industry should go to revamping the public schools in the state.

The taxes generated may be considerable if the projected $600 million in sales for the first year materializes and increases in the subsequent years.

Some of the states that have legalized recreational marijuana have failed to invest cannabis taxes in social services because the funds went to meeting the costs of regulation and law enforcement.

The Pennsylvania Senators want to change that trend by including provisions on tax expenditure in the cannabis law so that there will be no risk of diverting the tax revenue to other expenditure areas.

Senator Sharif Street explains that the legalization of marijuana would help to address the opioid crisis in the state. He cites research data from other states showing that opioid use has reduced by about 33 percent after the legalization of medical marijuana.

While Gov. Tom Wolf is cautiously supportive of cannabis legalization, not everyone is ecstatic about the possibility.

For example, Jake Corman, the Republican Majority Leader in the Senate, says legalizing marijuana is “reckless and irresponsible.” He has gone further to vow that he will do whatever he can to stop any legalization bill from passing.

Cannabis advocates therefore have their work cut out for them if they want to see the bill become law. Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) and TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) look forward to hearing vibrant debates about the issues related to cannabis legalization before a decision is made for the good of all Pennsylvanians.

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CannabisNewsAudio – Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD) Set to Accelerate Growth Rate Amid Hemp Cultivation Surge

March 21, 2019 14:31:31

Related Editorial
The growth of the hemp sector is having a beneficial effect for both hemp companies and hydroponic suppliers.

The growth of hemp more than doubled in the United States last year
More companies are moving to produce hemp, causing a surge in demand for cultivation and hydroponic supplies
Shortages are particularly acute relative to the hemp micropropagation and hemp cloning supplies as the spring planting season looms

Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) via its pending acquisitions is poised to accelerate its growth rate as a result of this hemp cultivation boom, along with other leading companies. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) has been expanding through the acquisition of other companies and a move into Europe, with a successful harvest in Portugal. Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is using outside investment to expand from Canada to New York and to develop CBD-infused drinks. Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) has also seen substantial outside investment thanks to growing faith in hemp. Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) has even faced a hostile takeover attempt as some companies look for ways to force their way into greater influence over a growing sector.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/ry0U3

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/opiQ4

About Sugarmade, Inc.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SGMD are available in the company’s newsroom at www.cnw.fm/SUGAR

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CannabisNewsBreaks – CannabisNewsWire to Serve as Distribution Partner for Canada’s Premier Cannabis Industry Event

March 21, 2019 11:56:17

Multifaceted financial news and publishing company CannabisNewsWire (“CNW”) today announced that it will serve as an official distribution partner for the O’Cannabiz Conference and Expo, Canada’s premier cannabis industry event to be held at Toronto’s International Centre from April 25 through April 27, 2019. The event will feature a wide range of industry-related panel discussions, timely cannabis topics, and offer access to over 400 exhibitor booths and B2B networking opportunities. “The O’Cannabiz Conference and Expo is truly a must-attend event that attracts the industry’s most exciting players in the cannabis space. CannabisNewsWire is proud to leverage its expertise and expansive distribution network to help maximize awareness of the incredible innovations and opportunities being presented in this rapidly evolving consumer marketplace,” CNW Director of Syndicated Communications Christopher Johnson said in the press release. “The “O’Cannabiz Conference and Expo promises to be an outstanding cannabis networking event, providing topical speakers and relevant breakout sessions for every segment of this expanding industry.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/t7iTC

About The O’Cannabiz Conference and Expo

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Staggering Growth Predicted for CBD Industry as Impact of Farm Bill Seen

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March 21, 2019 09:00:17

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Following the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD sales have continued their massive growth in the United States and beyond.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical found in cannabis, has seen a huge growth in sales over the past few years.
CBD can be derived from hemp, and the passing of a new farm bill in the States makes this form of cultivation legal at a federal level.
This forms part of wider growth in the cannabis market, as companies expand their operations in North America and even beyond.

Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile) is among the companies benefiting from this market, with an increase of more than 300 percent in online sales for its CBD products last year. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is expanding with its acquisition of hemp foods company Manitoba Harvest. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) announced revenue for its fiscal third quarter rose more than 280 percent compared to a year ago. In December, Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) announced that tobacco company Altria would be taking a $1.8 billion stake in the company. And Aphria (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) has just completed expansion projects that allows it to…

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CNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

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