Archives: CannabisNewsWire

Legislation was introduced on Thursday to bring the federal prohibition of marijuana to an end by New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker. The bill was co-sponsored by a group of US Senators including Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley and Michael Benne. The legislation was highlighted in an article authored by Gregg Re on Fox News titled ‘Cory Booker, other 2020 Dem presidential hopefuls introduce federal marijuana legalization bill’. The timing of the proposed legislation is ideal. According to a Fox News poll from 2018, 59 percent of voters support legalizing marijuana, while only 26 percent of voters supported legalization in 2001 (http://cnw.fm/zGE7R). “The War on Drugs has not been a war on drugs, it’s been a war on people, and disproportionately people of color and low-income individuals,” Sen. Cory Booker stated. “The Marijuana Justice Act seeks to reverse decades of this unfair, unjust, and failed policy by removing marijuana from the list of controlled substances and making it legal at the federal level.”

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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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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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An effort to legalize marijuana in New Hampshire has scored its first major victory as the House has passed a legalization bill. House Bill 481 got 209 votes while 147 lawmakers voted against the bill.

The bill seeks to make it legal for people aged 21 and above to grow and possess cannabis for recreational use. The possession limit has been placed at an ounce. The bill also outlaws the sale of the marijuana grown by individuals. In its place, regulated retail businesses will be allowed to operate within the state.

The bill also imposes a $30 tax on each pound of cannabis flower sold by the licensed retailers. This decision to tax marijuana by weight is a smart move because it cushions the state from any shocks to its revenue in the event that cannabis prices plummet as has been the case in some jurisdictions.

While the victory in the House should be celebrated, cannabis advocates in the state know that the battle hasn’t been won yet. The Governor, Chris Sununu, has vowed to veto any cannabis legalization law that reaches his desk. To him, marijuana legalization in any form is a bad idea that he will oppose using any means at his disposal.

New Hampshire law does provide a way out if the legislators feel differently from a governor on any issue. That legal outlet is a massive vote in the House in favor of the issue in contention.

However, the cannabis legislation bill was passed in the House without the two-thirds majority needed to insulate that bill from a veto by the Governor.

All the same, the House bill is now headed to the state senate where it will be discussed and modified or voted upon in its present form.

Just as is the case for a House bill, a two-thirds majority vote in the senate is required to override a veto by the Governor. This means that at least 16 of the 24 members of the state senate are required to cast their vote in support of the marijuana legalization bill.

The work of cannabis supporters is therefore clearly cut out for them. They need to work tooth and nail to convince enough state senators to support the bill. For now, it isn’t clear whether the senate will make changes to the bill, pass it and then send it back to the House for a vote on the new language of the bill. The second vote can give representatives a chance to improve the 59 percent support the bill garnered earlier.

All that the cannabis industry, including Canopy Rivers, Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) and ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX), can do is hope that the stalemate between the Governor of New Hampshire and the lawmakers is resolved in a way that benefits the people.

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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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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Jerome Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, has asked the federal government to provide clarification on matters of banking services for the cannabis industry. Powell made these comments while addressing the Finance Committee of the U.S. Senate.

He was referring to the difficulties that financial institutions face as they wish to serve cannabis businesses in states that have legalized the substance, but those same institutions feel hamstrung by federal banking laws that still regard marijuana as an illegal substance.

It is not just banks and credit unions that are in this difficult position. Even supervisors and regulators face the same dilemma because it isn’t clear where they should draw the line between what is permissible under state law and what aspects of the federal banking laws to implement or place on the backburner.

When asked a follow up question, Jerome Powell also revealed that the clarification provided should also put the record straight on issues of insurance for the marijuana industry.

As things stand, the cannabis industry is still unable to obtain insurance in the same way that other businesses can. This is a serious problem because it denies the cannabis industry the protections provided by insurance.

This isn’t the first time that the Federal Reserve boss is expressing these sentiments. He is on record to have stated the same concerns during a press conference last year. Powell is reported to have said that while his work has nothing to do with cannabis, the institution he leads is concerned about the nascent industry because of the possible impacts to the financial sector if things aren’t handled correctly.

Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, has also expressed a desire to see the banking concerns of the cannabis industry addressed. He went as far as saying these issues top the list of the matters that his department is concerned about.

If the indicators coming from Congress are anything to go by, 2019 may well be the year when the concerns of Mnuchin and Powell (as well as the cannabis industry) get addressed. A subcommittee of the 116th Congress is already holding hearings at which different stakeholders, such as marijuana businesses, are providing their submissions on matters of cannabis banking.

These hearings arise out of a bi-partisan bill that seeks to make it possible for cannabis businesses to keep their money in banks without any fear that the federal government will act against them or victimize the banks that have accepted to do business with the cannabis companies.

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) will be extremely relieved if the calls by the Federal Reserve boss and the Treasury Secretary result in concrete steps to ease banking for the cannabis industry in the U.S.

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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Barely four months after recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada, the city of Edmonton has made a proposal to include a “notwithstanding clause” in the law that stipulates the distance between cannabis retail shops and other public facilities, such as libraries and schools.

The current separation distances stipulated in the city’s bylaws state that there should be at least 200 meters between cannabis retail stores and schools or libraries. The law also stipulates that there should be at least 100 meters between a cannabis retail shop and provincial healthcare sites, parks and other public recreation facilities.

While the approach included in the existing laws is important in keeping minors from accessing cannabis, it is woefully inadequate when one considers large shopping malls and undeveloped land that hasn’t been subdivided as yet.

For example, the existing laws would prevent a cannabis retail facility from being opened in a large mall if that mall was close to a library. The exception clause being advocated for could address such unique situations.

There is no intention to change the rule stating that the distance between one cannabis retail shop and the next one should be at least 200 meters, but the “notwithstanding clause” will clarify how that separation distance is arrived at for different situations.

Such calls for amendments are to be expected when something new like recreational cannabis is first legalized. It is not possible for the framers of the original law to anticipate every possible situation, so the proposed amendments provide an avenue to iron out any kinks that may have been overlooked earlier.

As these calls for city bylaw amendments make their way through the system, the shortages of cannabis throughout the country are still ongoing. However, there is hope that the supply shortages will diminish over the coming months as the different licensed producers begin harvesting from the additional cultivation facilities that they rushed to commission as soon as retailers run out of cannabis a day after recreational cannabis was legalized.

In the meantime, the federal government is beginning to consider draft proposals for the regulation of cannabis edibles in the country. This segment of the industry was left out and there was a promise that an appropriate regulatory framework would be in place one year after recreational cannabis hit the shelves.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN), VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) and the entire cannabis industry look forward to the outcome of the amendments proposed in Edmonton since those changes may make it easier for residents to have a retail facility close by.

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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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
Denver, Colorado
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State marijuana regulators in Massachusetts have for long been baffled by how to ensure that there is equity regarding access to the different opportunities available in the cannabis industry. Now that dilemma may be solved if the proposals floated to ring fence cannabis delivery licenses for “equity” applicants are implemented.

The Cannabis Advisory Board has suggested that as the state moves towards making it possible for cannabis to be delivered to people’s homes, all the home delivery licenses should be reserved for minorities that suffered disproportionately during the war on drugs that lasted for decades.

The board is also suggesting that “equity” applicants should also be given priority when home delivery licenses are being awarded by the state. Equity applicants include people who have a marijuana arrest or conviction on their criminal history.

So far, most of the opportunities, such as dispensary licenses, have been gobbled up by the large cannabis companies at the expense of disadvantaged communities and “equity” applicants. This is because the large companies have easy access to resources and can therefore effortlessly meet the requirements needed by various jurisdictions.

This is in stark contrast to the members of minority populations, such as African-Americans, who may find it hard to obtain financing to secure the premises needed to set up a cannabis grow or manufacturing facility.

The recommendations of the Cannabis Advisory Board aren’t binding, so the Cannabis Control Commission isn’t obliged to implement them. However, the Commission has promised to consider the suggestions made by the Cannabis Advisory Board as it drafts the rules that will be followed when licensing home delivery firms.

If the proposals sail through, then home delivery of cannabis will be done exclusively by small businesses and “equity” applicants at least for the first five years.

This special consideration will foster an air of inclusion for those groups and people who felt that big businesses were locking them out of the cannabis industry. The five years of preferential treatment will also allow minorities and people from impoverished communities to accumulate some capital in order to get a shot at participating in the industry at a higher level.

Chances are also high that the bigger cannabis companies that would like to see their products delivered to people’s homes will help people from the minority groups to secure funding for their small home delivery businesses in a sort of partnership that will benefit both parties. The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) and Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) hope that the Cannabis Control Board in Massachusetts adopts the suggestions made by the Cannabis Advisory Board so that more people can be included in the industry.

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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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
Denver, Colorado
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A recent poll sponsored by Mediacom and Des Moines Register has found that more than three-quarters (78 percent) of Iowans want to see the medical cannabis program expanded in order to ease access to this new program.

Iowan adults voiced their support for suggestions that more qualifying conditions should be included in the law that established the medical cannabis program. The proposed expansion would also include increasing the number of shops from which medical marijuana can be bought.

Iowa’s medical cannabis program was launched last year in December with just five dispensaries and one manufacturer allowed to operate within the state. The dispensaries sell cannabis oils, capsules and creams. So far, only 1,200 Iowa patients have received the nod to use medical cannabis in the state.

The Iowa Poll also showed a record level of support for the legalization of recreational cannabis. The poll conducted early this month found that there was an equal proportion of Iowans who wanted to see an end to prohibition and those who opposed it.

The figures stood at 48 percent in favor of legalization while another 48 percent didn’t want recreational cannabis allowed in the state. Four percent of the participants in the poll were not sure whether prohibition should be ended or not.

The Iowa Poll has been tracking the sentiments of Iowans about cannabis legalization since 2010. This year’s poll shows a huge jump in support from the 39 percent who expressed support for legalization last year to the 48 percent expressing the same sentiment this year.

This poll results have come out at a time when Iowa lawmakers are considering proposals to expand the medical cannabis program.

One of the changes that is being considered by the senate committee is a proposal to allow medical professionals to recommend the use of medical cannabis for any condition that they think can be alleviated or treated using marijuana. This would be a major change from the current position where the medical marijuana law provides a list of the conditions for which a patient can apply for a medical marijuana card.

Another change that is being considered is to allow nurse practitioners to certify patients as well. Under the current law, only physicians can certify patients who wish to join the medical cannabis program.

The sole manufacturer (MedPharm) has also been lobbying to have the legislators lift the three percent THC cap on medical cannabis products. This restriction may be harder to change since legislators are wary of “opening the door” to cannabis addiction and abuse if THC levels are allowed to get higher.

Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) and The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF) applaud the legislators in Iowa for being willing to modify the medical cannabis program so soon after its launch.

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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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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Two different bills aimed at legalizing cannabis in New Mexico have been passed by committees in the state senate and assembly.

At the start of this month, the Health and Human Services Committee of the state Assembly approved a proposal to allow adults who were at least 21 years old to use recreational cannabis.

Under this proposal, adults would be allowed to grow their own cannabis, if they so wished, and upon fulfilling the requirements to obtain a cultivation license from the state. Retailers would also be licensed by the state.

The proposal also has provisions that would allow previous cannabis arrests and convictions to be expunged from the criminal records of New Mexico residents. However, the proposal allowed employers to maintain zero-tolerance to the consumption of cannabis by their employees.

This bill now waits to be presented before the entire Assembly for debate and a vote.

The second marijuana legalization bill also received a nod from the members of the state Senate Public Affairs Committee. This bill received unanimous support (5-0) when a vote was called.

Under this proposal, adults who were 21 or older could use cannabis for recreational purposes. However, this bill outlaws the home cultivation of marijuana by state residents. Instead, all the recreational cannabis will be bought from retail stores run by the state.

Additionally, the senate bill doesn’t include any provisions to expunge the previous marijuana arrest and conviction records for New Mexico residents.

This senate bill will now be forwarded to two other committees before it is tabled before the entire senate for consideration.

The two bills both have suggestions on how marijuana should be taxed. However, none of those bills proposes any taxes on medical marijuana.

It is clear that there is bi-partisan momentum building up to see the end of cannabis prohibition in the state. In fact, the current governor (Michelle Grisham-D) campaigned on a pro-cannabis platform. While delivering her maiden State of the State address, Gov. Grisham pledged that she would work to include opioid addiction among the conditions for which someone could start using medical marijuana.

She has also indicated that any law that is passed to legalize marijuana should address issues of public safety, regulation of cannabis edibles, workplace intoxication and issues of underage cannabis use.

The cannabis industry, especially Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) and Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD), is glad that New Mexico is in agreement that cannabis would be beneficial to the population there.

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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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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While attempts to legalize cannabis by a ballot measure last year and by legislative means this month were met with defeat, marijuana advocates in the state aren’t giving up, and they are already planning to have another shot at a ballot measure in 2020.

Dave Owen, a leading cannabis advocate in the state who played a major role in the ballot measure that was voted upon during the recent midterms says that his organization (Legalize ND) will look to national advocacy groups for funding and support this time round. He revealed that the huge amounts of money poured into the state to oppose the ballot measure in the midterms led to the defeat of that effort.

Dave Owen also revealed that come 2020, the ballot measure will be a watered down version of the one of 2018. For example, rather than insist that people should be allowed to grow as much marijuana as they want for their own use, the new ballot measure will propose some restrictions to home grows.

The new ballot measure will also include provisions for licensing as well as excise taxes on marijuana sales. These provisions were lacking in the measure that was rejected by voters during the midterms last year.

The last ballot measure had a provision to expunge marijuana convictions from the criminal records of North Dakota residents. Dave Owen isn’t sure whether the next ballot measure he plans to draft will still have this provision. It should be noted that most of the states that have legalized recreational marijuana have also taken steps to expunge some marijuana convictions from the criminal records of those who qualify for this expungement. It is therefore unclear whether Dave Owen feels that watering down the ballot measure in this regard will win it more supporters.

Polling is an important step during such a campaign for marijuana legalization, and the cannabis advocate admits that they have been finding it hard to get the funds needed to conduct several polls. This lack of funding has compelled the organization to base on assumptions when planning and executing a campaign strategy. Legalize ND intends to change this so that they can work with concrete numbers as they prepare for the polls in 2020.

Dave Owen is confident that the grassroots networks that exist in the state can propel the ballot measure to success if only external help (especially funding) can be sent in by the national marijuana advocacy groups.

All that Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) can do is wish both sides good luck as they put their case before North Dakotans for a final decision at the ballot.

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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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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A group of 35 people in Erie County received an unexpected gift when John Flynn, the Erie County District Attorney, requested that a judge at the Buffalo City Court accept the prosecutor’s request to dismiss the low-level marijuana charges (misdemeanor charges) against the nearly three dozen people.

The judge agreed with the prosecutor, and the charges were dismissed. It should be noted that the 35 people weren’t present in court. Their warrants were still outstanding and they had missed their court appearances.

In effect, the prosecutor saw no need to continue hunting for those individuals over a substance that would soon be legal throughout the state.

The action taken by John Flynn means that going forward, the District Attorney will no longer be interested in prosecuting such low-level marijuana cases within the jurisdiction.

The Erie County District Attorney isn’t the first to take such action within the state. Flynn is following in the footsteps of the prosecutors in New York City.

The mayor of Buffalo city is also on record for ordering the police in the city to stop arresting people for low-level marijuana crimes, such as possession of small amounts of cannabis.

These actions by prosecutors and the elected leaders seem to acknowledge that while the legislative process to legalize cannabis hasn’t been concluded, the population has gone ahead and started consuming recreational cannabis to such a high degree that it would be hard to clamp down on all of those users.

There is also widespread agreement across the state regarding the need to legalize marijuana for adult-use. Only law enforcement agencies and some members of the medical field still have reservations about adult-use marijuana.

The other disagreements are largely about how the industry will be regulated and where the taxes collected from cannabis will be spent.

For example, sections of lawmakers want the taxes collected from the recreational cannabis sector to be earmarked for revamping the dilapidated infrastructure in the state, such as the aging subway system.

However, others want a large portion of the cannabis taxes to be spent in the impoverished communities that bore the brunt of the war against drugs. The legislators in this school of thought have even threatened to vote against legalization if the law doesn’t stipulate what fraction of the marijuana taxes will go to the underprivileged communities in the inner cities.

What should be applauded in the meantime is the proactive step taken by the prosecutors to stop going after people who commit low-level marijuana infractions as the politicians are hashing out a law to legalize adult-use cannabis. Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) are hoping that the lawmakers put the interests of New Yorkers first so that the best law is made for that jurisdiction.

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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You may be wondering what becomes of the medical marijuana programs and products once a jurisdiction legalizes recreational pot. Some people even conclude that medical marijuana dies quietly once recreational cannabis becomes legal. Is this true?

It may be true that the process of getting a medical marijuana card is a bit cumbersome (find a doctor willing to recommend medical marijuana for your health challenge, then apply and pay license fees, etc.). The legalization of recreational cannabis means that access to marijuana now just requires you to present a valid government-issue photo ID at a dispensary or retail outlet in order to buy cannabis. Viewed from this angle, some patients may opt to buy recreational marijuana and use it to manage their symptoms.

However, one key reason why the legalization of recreational cannabis cannot mark the death of medical marijuana is that patients often require customized or specially formulated cannabis products to manage their symptoms or treat the qualifying conditions for which they were enrolled on the medical cannabis program. For this reason, the commencement of recreational sales cannot signal doom to medical cannabis.

Secondly, the legalization of recreational weed also boosts medical cannabis because it widens the market for marijuana products. That wider market generates a lot of interest among researchers and business entities. Consequently, more research will be conducted, and this research can result in a better understanding of how cannabis can be used to treat different conditions. This is clearly happening in Canada where recreational sales have sparked greater interest among cannabis researchers and innovators.

Thirdly, players in the cannabis industry may be unwilling to turn their backs upon their medical cannabis clients because these patients are more reliable clients when compared to recreational users. You see, a patient needs medical cannabis while cannabis is just a want to a recreational user. This means that addressing the needs of patients results in more assured business when compared to chasing the wind as you try to keep up with the fickle interests of recreational users. From a business perspective, medical cannabis ensures steady sales so it will stay despite the legalization of recreational sales.

More importantly, recreational cannabis normalizes medical cannabis. Patients are often viewed as disguised stoners in jurisdictions where only medical cannabis is legal. However, the end of cannabis prohibition often results in more information becoming available to people in that area. Consequently, they will develop a greater appreciation of the medical benefits of cannabis and patients will no longer have to be on the defensive as they use medical cannabis.

As you can see, the end of cannabis prohibition doesn’t necessarily mean that medical cannabis programs will suffer a slow death. MustGrow Biologics Corp. and Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) insist that different people have different needs, so it may not be right to think that the commencement of recreational sales means the death of medical cannabis.

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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The statistics are out; California earned approximately $300 million in taxes during the first year of recreational cannabis sales in the state. This information was released by the Department of Tax and Fee Administration in California on February 19.

While the $300 million tax collection is high, it is way below what the state had initially anticipated to collect during the first year of commercial cannabis sales ($655 million). Two reasons may explain why the taxes collected were below the projected figure.

First, it is hard to predict with any degree of certainty what quantity of cannabis will be sold if the state doesn’t have any historical data to rely upon when making those projections. Any figure arrived at is therefore likely to be a “guesstimate” at best.

Secondly, most city and local authorities, up to 75 percent of them, banned any business activity related to cannabis within their jurisdictions. This meant that recreational cannabis could only be accessed in a few areas within the state.

This same scenario played out in all the states where recreational cannabis was legalized. However, those local authorities gradually came around and permitted cannabis businesses to open so that residents can get jobs and the local authorities can also collect taxes.

California also expects more local authorities to come on board and cannabis sales will soar once access is ramped up in more cities and municipalities.

Another important fact to note about the taxes collected by California in 2018 is that the other states that also ended prohibition in 2016 earned “peanuts” if their collections are compared to California’s.

For example, Nevada collected only $69.8 million while Massachusetts is likely to collect $60 million once it completes its first year of recreational sales.

The collections in those other states are understandable because none of them comes even close to the size of California’s economy.

California is justified to be optimistic about future tax revenues from recreational marijuana because an analysis of the 2018 taxes shows that there was a general upward trend from one quarter to the next. This clearly paints a bullish picture for the industry going forward.

More reason for optimism also comes from the fact that the earnings in just 2018 triple or more than triple the annual taxes that the state had ever collected from the sale of medical marijuana throughout the 23 years when medical cannabis was available in the state.

While California seems to be on course to collect $1 billion as tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales within three years, industry players are crying out for a reduction in the taxes levied. It remains to be seen whether their calls will be heeded by the lawmakers since any change requires a supermajority before Proposition 64 can be amended.

Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) and Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) congratulate California for setting a record of taxes earned from recreational cannabis sales.

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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Related Editorial
Several years of impressive growth are expected to continue in the cannabis sector in 2019, and companies are making the most of it through mergers and acquisitions.

• The cannabis industry has seen growth in acquisitions over the past two years.
• A large part of this comes from the emergence of the hemp/CBD market.
• Industry commentators expect these trends to continue.

SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) (SING Profile) is tapping into this exciting potential through a strategy of well-financed acquisitions and investment in other cannabis companies. PotNetwork Holdings Inc. (OTC: POTN) has built up a series of subsidiaries and is now reaching out to mainstream markets with its products. KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: KSHB) has recently established new supply arrangements that will increase its already growing profits. Following the legalization of hemp farming, CV Sciences Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI) has become one of the United States’ first certified hemp producers. And The Green Organic Dutchman (OTCQX: TGODF) (TSX: TGOD) (TGOD Profile) is building improved cultivation facilities to meet the demand of cannabis’s growing customer base.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/Uu8di

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/Ca9w6

About SinglePoint, Inc.

SinglePoint, Inc. is a technology and investment company with a focus on acquiring companies that will benefit from the injection of growth capital and technology integration. The company portfolio includes mobile payments, ancillary cannabis services and blockchain solutions. Through acquisitions into horizontal markets, SinglePoint is building its portfolio by acquiring an interest in undervalued companies, thereby providing a rich, diversified holding base. Through SingleSeed, the company is providing products and services to the cannabis industry. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.SinglePoint.com.

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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As the marijuana industry has grown and become more widely accepted, many tech companies have introduced new products to enable the cannabis industry. Here are the four major AI products that marijuana businesses are deploying to boost sales and make ecommerce more successful.

Chatbots

The explosion of interest in cannabis means that the limited staff of marijuana companies can easily be overwhelmed if they decided to address each person’s queries without the help of AI.

Chatbots have been introduced to engage customers and potential customers quickly and efficiently by providing all the information one needs. For example, the chatbot can take a potential customer through the different cannabis strains that may help to ease the symptoms that the client is experiencing. These bots have revolutionized the way cannabis businesses attend to their customers at a time when people make a query and expect an answer to it “yesterday.”

Finding Leads

One of the hardest aspects of selling is to find prospects. Cannabis businesses are turning to AI tools, such as Node, to generate lists of potential customers. This is a more reliable method than the traditional way of buying lists of prospects who often turned out to be uninterested in what one was selling.

Filtering Prospects

It is one thing to get a list of prospects and it is another matter to filter them into warm or cold prospects. That is where AI comes in. Artificial intelligence systems are now available to analyze data in order to establish which particular products a potential customer has been searching for.

The findings of such AI systems can help sales personnel to concentrate their efforts on those individuals that are most likely to make a purchase instead of spending time and effort on people with a low possibility of making a purchase. An example of this type of AI system is Netra. This system understands consumer preferences by analyzing the visual content on different social media platforms.

Sales Forecasting

As you may know, there is always a multitude of demands competing for the resources that any company has at its disposal. The same applies to cannabis businesses. One of the best ways to determine how to allocate those scarce resources is by forecasting sales so that intelligent decisions can be made for the company.

AI systems have been deployed to forecast cannabis sales so that businesses can plan for the future more effectively, such as by making decisions on when to scale up or down.

While some people may think that AI has come to take cannabis jobs, the truth is that AI can only go so far. For example, AI fails dismally at comprehending the nuances of language based on different contexts and humans have to step in at such points. Cannabis businesses should therefore regard AI as an aid to their workforce rather than as a tool to cut back on human employees. Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) look forward to seeing even more AI products in every aspect of the cannabis industry.

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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Plans to legalize marijuana in New Jersey ground to a halt last year amidst a disagreement between Gov. Murphy and legislative leaders over taxes and a few other issues. However, a compromise deal on the key sticking points has now put the legalization plans back on course.

We reported at the end of last month that a new tax proposal had given cannabis legalization plans a breath of life. That proposal sought to provide a middle ground between the Governor who wanted a higher sales tax and Sweeney, the State Senate leader, who was adamant anything higher than 12 percent was unacceptable.

In the deal that has been reached, marijuana would be taxed by weight instead of the earlier plan to impose a sales tax. This new plan will insulate the state from witnessing a drop in tax revenue if marijuana prices eventually reduce as has been the case in other states where marijuana has been legal for several years.

The second major bone of contention that has also been reportedly resolved under the new deal has to do with the manner in which the marijuana industry will be regulated. Previously, the legislative leaders had wanted a separate commission to take charge of overseeing most aspects of the new industry. However, the Governor was uncomfortable with that proposal.

Under the new arrangement, an independent commission will still be set up to oversee the cannabis industry. The change in this regard is that the state governor will have the power to appoint three of the five individuals who will constitute the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Legislators are also working on a bill to expunge cannabis convictions from the criminal records of New Jersey residents. This law will help to address some of the historical wrongs that were committed against racial minorities, such as African-Americans, who were unduly targeted during the war on drugs that lasted decades.

Once that expungement bill is in place, the Governor, State Senate leader and the leader of the state Assembly will have plenty of work to do to mobilize votes among the legislators so that the marijuana legalization bill passes in both Houses before it can reach the desk of the Governor to be signed into law.

Now that the bickering seems to have come to an end, there is widespread hope across the industry that an enabling law will soon be passed so that a roadmap to the implementation of that law can be known to all concerned. Golden Developing Solutions Inc. (OTC: DVLP) and Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) wish New Jersey a smooth path to legalization now that the major stumbling blocks have been addressed.

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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Beverage Trade Network (“BTN”) this morning issued a news release detailing the upcoming Cannabis Drinks Expo, which is hailed as the first-ever event focusing on the cannabis-infused beverage industry. Per the update, the trade event is scheduled to take place on July 25, 2019, in San Francisco. BTN notes that the Cannabis Drinks Expo will give the worldwide drinks industry, and North America in particular, an opportunity to come together and look at ways to address the legalization of cannabis while examining avenues to protect the future of the larger beverage industry. In addition to a trade show floor, the Cannabis Drinks Expo will feature a one-day business conference hosting renowned speakers from the cannabis drinks industry who are scheduled to discuss a wide range of important topics.

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/FFx3T

About Beverage Trade Network

Beverage Trade Network is a producer of competitions, conferences, expos and trade shows for the alcohol beverage trade industry around the world. BTN is the alcohol beverage industry’s leading network and is committed to helping importers and distributors find new suppliers from all over the world. BTN hosts events in London, New York, and San Francisco, including the highly acclaimed International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show (London and San Francisco), the London Wine Competition (London) and the USA Trade Tasting show (New York).

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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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has outlined his plan to legalize recreational marijuana and this has put New York in pole position to become the 11th state where adult-use cannabis is legal. This development has prompted some lawmakers in New York City to draft a bill that seeks to ban employers from conducting marijuana drugs tests before hiring an employee.

Councilman Jumaane D. Williams is the NYC lawmaker who has filed a draft law that will stop marijuana tests from being part of the hiring process in the city.

Councilman Williams feels that the legislators and the city should be creating more avenues through which people can find jobs, but the drugs tests do the opposite by making it harder for jobseekers to get hired.

He adds that pre-employment drugs tests for marijuana should be done away with now that preparations were in advanced stages to legalize recreational cannabis. Why should employers continue to test prospective employees for a substance that will soon legal?

The bill tabled by Williams provides exceptions to this ban on pre-employment drugs tests. People who intend to get jobs where safety and security are paramount, as well as jobs with the federal government or its agencies would not be covered by this ban on pre-employment drugs tests. Additionally, individuals who are required to undergo drugs testing as a condition for securing a grant or contract from the federal government will not use this local law as a reason to skip the required drugs tests.

If passed, the bill will take effect one year from the time of its enactment as part of the city’s laws. This will remove the ambiguity that has been observed in various jurisdictions, such as Massachusetts, where marijuana is legal but an employee can still be fired for testing positive for THC.

It is good that the lawmakers in New York City have been proactive in tabling this bill instead of waiting to take action after recreational cannabis becomes legal across the state. In such a case, there would be a legal grey area since the existing laws permit pre-employment marijuana tests, which would run counter to the freedom granted by the law legalizing recreational pot.

It remains to be seen what form the final bill will take once the Committee on Civil and Human Rights discusses it and presents it to the full council for debate and a vote. Generation Alpha Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL), Global Payout Inc. (OTC: GOHE) and the whole marijuana industry say kudos to Councilman Williams and the other two co-sponsors of this reform that will remove the ambiguity regarding the use of legal cannabis and its effects on one’s prospects of getting hired.

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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It was always feared that teen pot use would go through the roof as more states legalized marijuana either for medical or recreational use. However, a recent study has found that the contrary is happening as fewer teens reported using marijuana in the states where medical cannabis is legal.

The researchers found that the states where medical cannabis is legal had 1.1 percent fewer teens taking pot when compared to the states where no medical cannabis laws exist.

While that overall statistic looks small, the figures take on greater importance when one examines the data for various groups of teens. For example, there was a 2.7 percent reduction among high school males while pot use decreased by 3.9 percent among African-American students. Similarly, there was a drop of 2.7 percent observed among Hispanic students.

The researchers who came up with these findings are based at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. The team was led by Rebekah Levine Coley.

The researchers used data collected by the U.S. CDC during the Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted every other year.

Coley’s team focused on the data collected between 1999 and 2015. This data involved about 860,000 students in 45 states.

The researchers tracked how teen pot use had been changing during that 16-year timeframe. Results for states that enacted medical marijuana laws were compared to those of states where medical cannabis remained illegal.

Interestingly, the researchers found that the drop in teen pot use increased the longer a state had medical cannabis laws on its books. For example, teens were nine percent less likely to use marijuana if a state had medical marijuana laws that were less than five years old while the odds of a teen using marijuana reduced by 32 percent for states that legalized medical marijuana ten years ago.

Coley explains that some theories could account for this reduction of teen pot use in states where medical marijuana has been legalized.

First, the drop may be because the adolescents start viewing marijuana as something used as a medicine, so they no longer have the urge to use it recreationally.

Secondly, the change in marijuana laws may have prompted parents to start talking to their kids about marijuana use, as well as supervising them to ensure that they aren’t using drugs.

However, some people have criticized the conclusions of this research saying that the researchers didn’t consider the states where recreational marijuana is legal. Coley and her team responded that they were now turning their attention to studying the data from states where adult-use marijuana laws are in place.

Be that as it may, the cannabis industry, especially Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) and FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) welcomes this study because it helps to dispel some of the false information circulated about marijuana.

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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As the cannabis industry continues its impressive growth, acquisitions are leading to greater vertical integration.

• Companies within the cannabis sector are acquiring other organizations to benefit from valuable specialist knowledge and skills.
• Such deals allow vertically integrated value chains, as have also been applied in industries such as coffee production.
• This comes amid wider growth in the sector, which is drawing substantial outside investment.

Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile) is following the vertically integrated model, having recently acquired a company specializing in cannabis processing machinery. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is expanding its Canadian production facilities through the acquisition of another grower. Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch Inbev (NYSE: BUD) (OTC: BUDFF) has partnered with Tilray to produce cannabis-infused drinks. In addition, tobacco companies are investing in the sector, providing extra funds for companies such as Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON). Specialist companies such as cannabis real estate finance company Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. (NYSE: IIPR) are also looking for entry positions in the industry.

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About Youngevity International, Inc.

Youngevity International, Inc. is a leading omni-direct lifestyle company offering a hybrid of the direct selling business model that also offers e-commerce and the power of social selling. Assembling a virtual Main Street of products and services under one corporate entity, Youngevity offers proven products from the six top-selling retail categories: health/nutrition, home/family, food/beverage (including coffee), spa/beauty, apparel/jewelry, as well as innovative services. The company was formed during the summer 2011 merger of Youngevity Essential Life Sciences with Javalution® Coffee Company (now part of the company’s food and beverage division). The resulting company became Youngevity International, Inc. in July 2013. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.YGYI.com

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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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Several years of impressive growth are expected to continue in the cannabis sector in 2019, and companies are making the most of it through mergers and acquisitions.

• The cannabis industry has seen growth in acquisitions over the past two years.
• A large part of this comes from the emergence of the hemp/CBD market.
• Industry commentators expect these trends to continue.

SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) (SING Profile) is tapping into this exciting potential through a strategy of well-financed acquisitions and investment in other cannabis companies. PotNetwork Holdings Inc. (OTC: POTN) has built up a series of subsidiaries and is now reaching out to mainstream markets with its products. KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: KSHB) has recently established new supply arrangements that will increase its already growing profits. Following the legalization of hemp farming, CV Sciences Inc. (OTCQB: CVSI) has become one of the United States’ first certified hemp producers. And The Green Organic Dutchman (OTCQX: TGODF) (TSX: TGOD) (TGOD Profile) is building improved…

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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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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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www.CannabisNewsWire.com
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DISCLAIMER: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by CNW are solely those of CNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable CNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. CNW is a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and is NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, CNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and CNW undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

A federal judge in Arizona has faulted Walmart for dismissing an employee who tested positive for cannabis even after that employee informed her employer that she had a valid medical marijuana card issued by the state.

It all started when Carol Whitmire sustained an injury while doing her work in one of Walmart’s stores in May 2016. Whitmire, who had worked with the same company for eight years, was immediately rushed to receive medical care after the accident. Blood and urine samples were also taken for analysis as part of Walmart’s policy.

Whitmire informed the HR department about her status as a medical cardholder after that incident and she continued to work after she recovered. However, she was terminated in July for being in contravention of Walmart’s policy on drugs.

Consequently, Whitmire sued Walmart for discrimination and wrongful dismissal. Walmart responded by telling court that it had a right to dismiss Whitmire due to her positive drugs test results.

However, court disagreed and pointed out that Walmart failed to prove that the positive drugs test indicated that Carol Whitmire had been working while intoxicated with marijuana. Had Walmart provided such proof, the court may have considered their assertion that they had good faith in terminating Whitmire.

Whitmire’s attorney, Joshua Carden, applauded the decision of Judge James Teilborg. Carden said that the judge had set a precedent that paved the way for private right-of-action lawsuits under the Arizona medical marijuana laws.

Joshua Carden revealed that the court would soon set a date for delivering its ruling regarding the possibility of reinstating Whitmire, as well as determining how much is due to her for damages and costs for the suits she filed.

Walmart was also glad that the federal court dismissed some of the claims made by Carol Whitmire in her suit. The company reiterated its ceaseless efforts to provide a safe environment for all its customers and associates.

Cases like Carol Whitmire’s are likely to crop up frequently because there is a lot that is still not known about cannabis. For example, for how long can someone remain impaired after consuming cannabis? Part of the reasons why Walmart couldn’t be justified to fire Whitmire is that it wasn’t clear whether a positive drugs test meant that Whitmire was under the influence while at work. Until scientific studies resolve this grey area, employers and employees will not be certain where the boundary is.

All in all, Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) as well as Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) welcome the judgment that made it clear that patients using medical marijuana legally will not lose their jobs just because they test positive for cannabis.

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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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK has triggered panic buying after it announced that CBD drinks fall under the “novel” products category as stipulated by the EU. This classification means that such “novel” products can only be available for sale after being tested and approved.

2018 saw an explosion of CBD-based products on the UK market. These included CBD chocolates, sweets, cakes and even pet products. All these products hit the market amidst a rise in the popularity of CBD.

However, January saw the FSA vowing to exert more control over CBD products on the market. It called on local authorities to work with it to remove any CBD products that were being sold without undergoing the required public safety tests.

As a result of that announcement, customers are rushing to bulk buy CBD drinks just in case the regulator makes good on the threat to pull CBD products from retail shelves.

Green Monkey Drinks (the first UK company to make carbonated CBD drinks) revealed that its online sales have jumped by 8,000 percent ever since the FSA made its ruling. They believe that this rise in sales can be attributed to customers who are trying to stockpile CBD products.

Green Monkey Drinks expressed disappointment that the Food Standards Agency hasn’t been in touch with the different companies that have invested heavily in the CBD industry. The drinks maker believes that the regulator hasn’t taken the right decision given the fact that the World Health Organization has just asserted that CBD is safe and should therefore not be subjected to any international controls.

For its part, the FSA insists that its decision is based on the changes that were made to the Novel Food Catalogue of the EU. The EU says players in the CBD industry failed to prove that CBD products have a history of consumption dating back to 1997 or earlier within the EU. This means that CBD is a novel product which should not be allowed on the market without undergoing safety testing and approval.

The FSA therefore wants to find a way forward in light of the decision made by the EU. They intend to meet different stakeholders, such as CBD product manufacturers and local authorities in order to clarify how the different players will execute their role in ensuring that the CBD industry complies with the existing laws.

ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) as well as Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) hope that the UK regulator finds a solution that addresses the regulatory needs without stifling the nascent CBD industry there.

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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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: As the cannabis sector consistently shows impressive growth, acquisitions within the market allow cannabis companies to develop greater vertical integration.

• Cannabis companies are looking to acquire other organizations to strengthen specialist knowledge and skills.
• Similar moves have led to impressive success in industries such as coffee production.
• The strength of the cannabis market is also attracting other additional investment.

Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile) is following the vertically integrated model, having recently acquired a company specializing in cannabis processing machinery. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) finalized an all-cash transaction to acquire one of the world’s most technologically advanced vaporizer companies. In an all-stock option, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) agreed to purchase a British Columbia-based craft grower, which offers premium organic products produced at low volumes. Late last year, MedMen Enterprises Inc (OTCQX: MMNFF) signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of one of the largest medical cannabis providers in the United States. And with the cannabis sector as a whole seeing healthy growth, GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) recently completing a public offering to fund further growth, raising $345 million to expand…

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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.

Receive Text Alerts from CannabisNewsWire: Text “Cannabis” to 21000

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com and or https://CannabisNewsWire.News

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
Denver, Colorado
www.CannabisNewsWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
[email protected]

DISCLAIMER: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by CNW are solely those of CNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable CNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. CNW is a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and is NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, CNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and CNW undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

On Wednesday (February 13), the European Union Parliament passed a resolution that will help to advance research into medical cannabis within the EU. This resolution comes hot on the heels of a recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO) to reschedule cannabis internationally.

While the resolution passed in the EU Parliament isn’t binding, it provides encouragement to EU member states to increase their citizens’ access to medical marijuana. The resolution also calls on member countries to prioritize research and clinical studies on marijuana.

This resolution passed by the EU Parliament provides yet another voice in support of medical marijuana. The World Health Organization also recommended that cannabis be rescheduled in recognition of its therapeutic potential while also being aware that the drug can be addictive. A final vote is expected in March to cement the position of the UN on the recommendations made by the WHO expert committee that studied the matter at great length.

The EU resolution also goes further to call on member states to set standards for all non-pharmaceutical cannabis products in a bid to protect consumers.

Member states were also called upon to address all the legal, cultural, regulatory and financial barriers that have stood in the way of scientific research on marijuana and its medicinal uses. To put this appeal into context, consider the U.S. federal government’s laws on marijuana. Those laws make it hard for researchers to conduct any meaningful studies since cannabis is federally illegal and isn’t recognized as having any therapeutic value.

Additionally, only one cultivator (based in Mississippi) is mandated to provide all the cannabis needed for any approved research in the U.S. The cannabis from this facility is notorious for its poor quality (if researchers can manage to secure that marijuana in the first place). Such barriers have made the U.S. to lag behind in cannabis research. The EU resolution seeks to fix such problems amongst EU member states.

The members of the European Parliament also agreed that it was necessary to establish case-specific therapies for the medicinal use of cannabis. For example, does someone with chronic pain require the same concentration of THC and CBD (among other ingredients) as another person who wants to use medical cannabis to treat or manage insomnia? Scientific research should be able to answer such questions, according to the EU Parliament.

VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) and Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) welcome the decisions made by the EU Parliament and the World Health organization regarding the medical benefits of marijuana.

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.

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

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Green Growth Brands, a cannabis company headquartered in Ohio, has partnered with Simon Property Group to open at least 100 CBD shops in malls across the U.S. Simon Property Group is the biggest owner of malls in the U.S.

John Rulli, the President of Simon Malls, revealed in a press statement that the shopping experience provided by Green Growth Brands was exactly what they are constantly on the lookout for, and that was why they were adding GGB shops in the malls owned by Simon Property Group.

The two entities intend to work together to open a minimum of 108 CBD shops in 2019, and then further expansion will take place in the coming years.

Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis will have the honor of hosting the first Green Growth Brands CBD shop in March this year with other shops following closely in the coming months.

Green Growth Brands is also having discussions with several other property developers so that a total of 300 CBD shops can be opened during this year. This number includes the 108 shops that will be opened in the malls owned by Simon Property Group.

This partnership between Simon Property Group and Green Growth Brands offers each side unique benefits. For example, Green Growth Brands will have a chance to popularize its CBD wellness products by taking advantage of some of the prominent malls owned by the property group. Such prominent shelf-space will deepen awareness about CBD.

As for Simon Property Group, they will benefit by having a large company as a tenant across the U.S. This is a huge benefit because mall owners have been facing the nightmare of having large clients closing shop or scaling back the number of locations where they operate. A clear example is Sears that went bankrupt.

It is worth noting that the signing into law of the Farm Bill 2018 legalized hemp and the different products that can be got from it, such as cannabidiol (CBD).

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still prohibits the addition of CBD to foods and drinks. This may make it hard for restaurants and other businesses to legally sell CBD-infused cocktails and other drinks.

The CBD shops set up by Green Growth Brands can be a way to provide high-quality CBD products so that buyers can make their own CBD drinks if they cannot access them at coffee shops or restaurants.

Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) and TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) congratulate Green Growth Brands upon this landmark deal it has finalized with Simon Property Group.

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.

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

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Related Editorial
The growth the legal cannabis market has created has turned cultivation facilities into invaluable assets.

• The cannabis market is predicted to generate $146 billion in revenues by 2025.
• Legal changes are accelerating this expansion in the United States and beyond.
• Cultivation facilities are fundamental to this growth, providing the raw materials for the cannabis industry.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures (OTC: NUGS) (NUGS Profile) recently announced plans to establish a multi-acre cultivation facility in California to meet market demands. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is increasing its cultivation space through the acquisition of Natura Naturals Holdings. In addition, the need to equip cultivation facilities is fueling growth for hydroponic suppliers such as GrowGeneration Corp. (OTCQX: GRWG). Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) has issued a letter of intent to acquire Whistler in an effort to increase cultivation. Meanwhile, Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is looking beyond North America, cultivating new markets in Europe.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/6IMkp

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/y1C9h

About Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures is a Los Angeles-based firm that incubates, develops and partners with category leaders within the cannabis sector. The firm’s NUGS brand experience provides mentorship and a range of essential services to emerging and existing cannabis consumer brands. The company recently completed a name and symbol change from Cascade Energy Inc. Cannabis Strategic Ventures is publicly traded on the U.S. Over-the-Counter Market with the stock symbol NUGS. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.CannabisStrategic.com.

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.

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: As the cannabis industry continues its impressive growth, acquisitions are leading to greater vertical integration.

• Companies within the cannabis sector are acquiring other organizations to benefit from valuable specialist knowledge and skills.
• Such deals allow vertically integrated value chains, as have also been applied in industries such as coffee production.
• This comes amid wider growth in the sector, which is drawing substantial outside investment.

Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile) is following the vertically integrated model, having recently acquired a company specializing in cannabis processing machinery. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is expanding its Canadian production facilities through the acquisition of another grower. Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch Inbev (NYSE: BUD) (OTC: BUDFF) has partnered with Tilray to produce cannabis-infused drinks. In addition, tobacco companies are investing in the sector, providing extra funds for companies such as Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON). Specialist companies such as cannabis real estate finance company Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. (NYSE: IIPR) are also looking for…

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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.

Receive Text Alerts from CannabisNewsWire: Text “Cannabis” to 21000

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CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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www.CannabisNewsWire.com
303.498.7722 Office
[email protected]

DISCLAIMER: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by CNW are solely those of CNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable CNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. CNW is a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and is NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, CNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and CNW undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Like any emerging industry, the cannabis industry has reached that time when consolidation starts taking place. Several reasons have made such a step inevitable.

First, way too many businesses rush to get licences in each state that legalizes recreational or medical marijuana. Not all those businesses that open are likely to succeed, so it is only logical that the ones not doing well get gobbled up by those that are having a better run in the market.

Secondly, too many companies in a restricted marketplace trigger a rush to the bottom. The different pricing models adopted to get an edge in the market exert pressure on the profit margins of all the companies involved. Before long, many start falling by the wayside, and the stronger ones acquire those that are failing or struggling.

Thirdly, the risk of oversupply also creates fertile ground for consolidation. Most cannabis businesses are forced to be vertically integrated because of the clash between federal law and state-level laws. Many therefore end up growing cannabis that they are unable sell, and these stockpiles lock up a lot of valuable capital. The entities that command a bigger share of the retail space often end up acquiring those with excess supply.

These forces are already exerting their impact upon the nascent cannabis industry in the U.S. Last year, MedMen Enterprises announced that it was acquiring PharmaCann in a deal worth $682 million. However, this deal still has a few more months before they put ink to paper.

In the meantime, iAnthus Capital Holdings last week closed on a deal to acquire MPX Bioceutical. This acquisition is worth more than $630 million. This makes it the largest marijuana deal in the U.S. so far. The MedMen deal will eclipse it when it is finally concluded, but that is still months away.

With the stroke of a pen, iAnthus Capital Holdings has increased its footprint from just six states to 11 after the acquisition of MPX Bioceutical. The number of licensed dispensaries has also grown from 19 to 63, all without the hassles and costs associated with processing new applications in all those jurisdictions.

The deal also now gives iAnthus a combined grow space of 210,000 square feet. The company targets to expand this to 600,000 square feet so that all the stores/dispensaries can be amply supplied in the coming years.

The cannabis industry, including The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF) and The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) welcome any consolidation that helps to deepen and stabilize the cannabis industry.

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As North Dakota inches closer to making medical marijuana available to residents, a number of proposals have been brought before the legislature in order to make it easier for patients to access the drug once it becomes available.

One of the most important proposals being considered seeks to include physician assistants among the medical professionals that can certify patients who need medical marijuana cards. The current law only permits advanced practice nurses and physicians to certify patients.

Adding physician assistants to this list would give patients a wider scope of professionals that they can contact for a recommendation.

Another major change that is proposed entails removing the requirement compelling doctors to assert that the patient being recommended will benefit from consuming medical cannabis. This certification requirement has been a major stumbling block in the way of patients who want a recommendation because doctors were uneasy about committing to the efficacy of a drug for a given health condition in the absence of sufficient research backing up the suitability of treating such a condition using medical marijuana.

If the change is adopted, doctors will only be required to state that medical cannabis may help the patient having a qualifying condition. It is hoped that more patients will be able to get recommendations once this change is made.

State statistics show that just about 100 patients had secured medical cannabis cards from October last year when applications started being received. This dismal number was largely due to the reluctance of doctors to certify patients based on the guidelines set in the law passed in 2016.

There is another proposal to include cannabis edibles among the different forms of cannabis that patients can access. This addition is likely to be a welcome one, especially for patients who are uneasy about smoking marijuana. Edibles are more discreet.

While lawmakers are considering proposals to expand the list of qualifying conditions, some advocates are campaigning for a different approach to this matter. They say that it is more sustainable to give the Department of Health the authority to add to the list of qualifying conditions as more research becomes available instead of having to amend the law whenever additional conditions need to be included on that list.

The call of the advocates seems reasonable, because it allows the list of qualifying conditions to grow continuously without the lengthy procedures of the legislative process.

All in all, it is good that the legislature is fine tuning the law so that the beneficiaries (patients) aren’t subjected to any avoidable inconveniences. Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQB: SNNVF) and Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) welcome these changes that will ease access to medical cannabis.

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New research has revealed that men who smoke or have ever smoked cannabis have a higher concentration of sperm when compared to those who have never smoked marijuana. This study was conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital.

The team of researchers, led by a group based at Harvard Chan School of Public Health, based their work on a hypothesis that smoking marijuana would have an adverse effect (poor quality sperm) on the reproductive health of men.

They selected that hypothesis because some previous research seemed to suggest that smoking marijuana was detrimental to male reproductive health. However, those previous studies may have been flawed because they focused on men with drug abuse problems or the research was conducted on mice.

Nevertheless, this research sought to dig deeper into the link between smoking cannabis and sperm health.

To this end, the researchers obtained semen samples from 662 men. These samples (totaling 1,143) were collected for nearly two decades from 2000 to 2017. The men were approximately 36 years old and they were largely white with college degrees.

317 men from that group of participants also provided blood samples to the researchers. These blood samples were analyzed to check for the presence of reproductive hormones.

Additionally, the study participants were asked to fill a questionnaire about their use of marijuana. The questions included whether those men had ever smoked a total of two or more marijuana joints in their lives, and whether they were current cannabis smokers.

55 percent (a total of 365 of that group) of the study subjects admitted that they had ever smoked cannabis. From this number, 11 percent said they still smoked cannabis while 44 percent said they no longer did.

The researchers discovered that the men who smoked or had ever smoked cannabis had approximately 62.7 million sperms in each milliliter of ejaculate. The average sperm concentration for those who said they had never smoked cannabis was 45.4 million in each milliliter of ejaculate.

The World Health Organization puts the threshold for normal sperm concentration at 15million/mL of ejaculate. Interestingly, only 5 percent of the men who smoked cannabis had concentrations lower than this threshold while those who had never smoked had 12 percent of their members registering sperm concentrations that were below this threshold.

Serum testosterone was also higher among men who smoked or had ever smoked cannabis when compared to those who had never done so.

Feiby Nassan, the lead author of this research, warned that their findings should be taken with some caution because the researchers were aware that there is so much that may be going in the bodies of the study participants to explain why the results came out the way they did.

For example, the compounds in cannabis may work with the endocannabinoid system, thereby boosting male fertility.

On the other hand, one can also claim that men who have higher testosterone may be more likely to smoke cannabis since this hormone makes them more likely to indulge in risky behavior.

All in all, the researchers appealed for more research to be conducted on how marijuana affects the reproductive system and the entire body. This is exactly why cannabis industry players like Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) have been hoping that the U.S. federal government eases its restrictions on cannabis so that American researchers can add onto what researchers elsewhere are doing to increase the available knowledge about cannabis.

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In the past, all the bills and measures related to cannabis have been voted out by a Congress that was dominated by Republicans. Now the Democrats have control of the House, and the first hearing on cannabis has been scheduled for tomorrow (February 13).

This particular hearing is slated to consider making legal changes to federal laws so that cannabis businesses can access banking services.

The hearing is titled “Challenges and Solutions: Access to Banking Services for Cannabis-Related Businesses.” This hearing is intended to address the problems that legitimate marijuana-related businesses face when trying to access banking services.

For example, while state-level laws may permit cannabis businesses to open and operate in these jurisdictions, federal laws govern the banking industry and these federal laws don’t allow players in the banking industry to do business with firms involved with cannabis.

Many cannabis businesses have therefore been left with no choice but to operate on a cash basis, and stories abound of businesses that keep their earnings in sacks. In some places, unions and some banks have defied the federal government and decided to take on marijuana businesses as clients.

Even then, only limited banking services are provided by those few banks or unions that decide to accept marijuana businesses as clients. This has constrained the ability of cannabis businesses to obtain credit or even get basic banking services affordably.

It should be remembered that federal banking laws impose strict reporting requirements upon any financial institution that works with a company that is involved in an industry that is regarded as illegal. These reporting requirements inflate the cost of getting banking services.

Congressman Denny Heck, who has been an advocate of the cannabis industry for years, revealed that the hearing plans to address those issues so that the cannabis industry can handle its finances in a way that can easily be tracked by regulators for different purposes, such as ensuring that these businesses are paying their taxes as expected.

This hearing is one of the signs that cannabis may be a major issue during this legislative session. This is a positive step that hasn’t come too soon given the fact that the majority (33) of the states in the union have legalized marijuana, including at least 10 states that now allow recreational marijuana.

It makes sense that federal laws need to be reformed so that there is some kind of alignment between what is happening in the different states and the position of the federal government. Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G), Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) and everyone in the marijuana industry is waiting with bated breath to see what will come of this hearing tomorrow.

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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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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The growth the legal cannabis market has created has turned cultivation facilities into invaluable assets.

• The cannabis market is predicted to generate $146 billion in revenues by 2025.
• Legal changes are accelerating this expansion in the United States and beyond.
• Cultivation facilities are fundamental to this growth, providing the raw materials for the cannabis industry.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures (OTC: NUGS) (NUGS Profile) recently announced plans to establish a multi-acre cultivation facility in California to meet market demands. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is increasing its cultivation space through the acquisition of Natura Naturals Holdings. In addition, the need to equip cultivation facilities is fueling growth for hydroponic suppliers such as GrowGeneration Corp. (OTCQX: GRWG). Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) has issued a letter of intent to acquire Whistler in an effort to increase…

Read More >>

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A new study has found that most Americans use medical marijuana in order to ease chronic pain. The study was aimed at finding out the exact reasons why people in the U.S. use medical marijuana, and whether those stated reasons have any scientific basis.

Kevin Boehnke, a researcher at Michigan University’s Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, led the team of researchers who started by analyzing a report that was written in 2017 on the use of medical marijuana. This report was written by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

That 2017 report found either conclusive or substantial proof that cannabis eased nausea, muscle spasms, vomiting and chronic pain.

Boehnke and his team also found that in 2016, the number of people who were registered to use medical cannabis was 641,000. This number rose to 814,000 the following year (2017). However, the researchers believe that the actual number of medical cannabis users exceeds the statistics captured in the report they read.

The statistics show that 85.5 percent of medical cannabis card holders were convinced that there was science backing their desire to use medical cannabis for the different qualifying conditions they suffered from. Chronic pain topped the list of qualifying conditions taking up 62 percent of all applications for medical cannabis cards.

The team of researchers wasn’t surprised by their findings regarding chronic pain given that approximately 100 million Americans are estimated to suffer from chronic pain.

Many of those medical cannabis users, such as Brandian Smith from Illinois, say that they resorted to medical cannabis because it worked better than the prescription opiates that they had been using previously.

This anecdotal evidence from actual medical cannabis users, together with the scientific studies that prove that medical marijuana can combat chronic pain, may offer a ray of hope in the fight against the opioid crisis in the U.S.

Currently, 33 states have legalized the use of medical marijuana. 10 states, as well as the District of Columbia, have decriminalized adult-use marijuana. These 33 states can potentially start a wave rolling back the opioid problem if this matter is given more attention.

For now, the federal government remains adamant that marijuana hasn’t been proved to have any medical use, so it remains a Schedule 1 substance. Boehnke and his team of researchers feel strongly that their findings make a case for changing the federal government’s position so that cannabis can be integrated in the medical system of the country. Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) couldn’t agree more with Kevin Boehnke’s conclusions.

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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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A Portland lawmaker, Rep. Rob Nosse, has introduced House Bill 2687 geared at ensuring that medical cannabis users aren’t removed from the waiting list for organ transplants in the State.

This Bill will prevent medical practitioners from recommending that medical cannabis users be removed from the waiting list for organ transplants managed by different organizations in the State, such as United Network for Organ Sharing.

Approximately 850 people in Oregon are waiting to get a suitable match for an organ transplant, yet just 340 transplant surgeries were performed in the state last year.

Many of those people on the waiting list resort to medical marijuana in order to alleviate their severe symptoms.

In response to the bill introduced by Nosse, many of the transplant centers in Oregon denied that they turn away anyone who tests positive for marijuana.

Piseth Pich, one of Legacy Health’s community relations officials in Portland, revealed that their center assesses patients based on a number of requirements, including drugs tests, as a way to understand that patient’s overall health condition before that person is declared suitable for a transplant.

Pich added that it is hard to put a number on how many people who have been found unsuitable just by looking at only factor since suitability is determined on the basis of multiple factors.

It is common for someone to wait for years before ever finding a suitable organ, and even after the transplant process many people’s bodies reject the donated organ as foreign.

Representatives of the different transplant centers have expressed reservations about Nosse’s bill. For example, they say that the bill wants to make it legal for the transplant centers to disregard a factor that can have a bearing on the likely success of a transplant procedure.

While appearing before the House Committee on Health Care, Nosse presented a woman, Robin Socherman, whose situation can be regarded as a case study of what medical marijuana users go through when they need an organ transplant.

Robin Socherman is interested in donating a kidney to her husband, but he was removed from the waiting list after he tested positive for marijuana. Her husband, Jake Socherman, started using medical marijuana about six years ago to combat back pain. This pain has since been linked to his enlarged kidneys.

The transplant center advised Jake to stop using medical cannabis in order to be eligible for an organ transplant. However, he resumed using marijuana after his symptoms got worse, and the transplant center promptly removed him from the waiting list.

Nosse told the committee that cases like that of Socherman prompted him to introduce the bill so that medical cannabis users aren’t victimized when they need an organ. MustGrow Biologics Corp., Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) and the entire marijuana industry agree that people like Jake Socherman need to be given all the legal protections that they can get so that their health doesn’t suffer just because they are consuming a legal product.

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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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California Senator Kamala Harris recently announced her support of a bill introduced by Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey that would end the federal marijuana prohibition. Harris’ support was highlighted in an article by Fox News titled ‘Kamala Harris, pushing legal marijuana, says she smoked pot in college: ‘And I inhaled’’. According to the article, Harris made her comments on “The Breakfast Club,” a New York City-based nationally syndicated radio program. Other supporters of the bill include Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

To view the full article, visit http://cnw.fm/U7LnB

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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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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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Have you ever wondered which delivery method offers the best results when you are consuming cannabis? A recent study has concluded that “dabbing” is superior to the other common ways of getting cannabis into your bloodstream.

Forensic Science International conducted the study whose findings showed that “dabbing” delivered at least 75 percent of the THC in cannabis to your lungs. This is in contrast to smoking which destroys the same percentage (75 percent) of THC before it can reach your lungs.

Dabbing refers to inhaling the vapor from a heated extract of cannabis. The extract is heated to boiling point on a ceramic, titanium or quartz surface.

The experiment involved the use of a machine that was built by Forensic Science International specifically for this research. This machine was able to replicate smoking and dabbing. The researchers collected the smoke which would have made its way into someone’s lungs and they analyzed those samples to know how much CBD and THC they contained. This proportion formed what they called the “recovery rate” of those delivery methods.

The recovery rates stated above (75 percent for dabbing and 25 percent for smoking) were established after analyzing the collected samples.

Previous studies had put the recovery rate for smoking at 27.5-46.3 percent, which is still a far cry from the 75 percent registered for dabbing. Other research also gave vaping a higher recovery rate (51.4-82.7 percent) when compared to smoking. The recovery rates for vaping varied based on the specific vaporizer that one was using.

However, these studies on the recovery rates of the different cannabis delivery methods should be regarded with some caution because the results were clearly dependent on the temperature used during dabbing. Lower temperatures tended to give higher recovery rates, partly because a smaller proportion of the ingredients in cannabis was destroyed by the heat while higher temperatures reduced the recovery rates of dabbing to just over 50 percent.

Another factor that may contribute to the results obtained is the composition of the extracts used during dabbing. For example, heating the “acid form” of THC, called THCA, resulted in higher recovery rates because when that THCA was heated, it produced THC. Conversely, heating THC reduced the recovery rate because once you heat THC, some of it becomes something else, thereby reducing the quantity of THC reaching the lungs.

Similarly, smoking cannabis shouldn’t be dismissed as a wasteful way to consume cannabis. After all, consumers agree they get a range of physiological effects when they smoke. This may be due to some of the new compounds created once THC is heated. Thus, cannabis smokers may derive special experiences that aren’t available to those who use other delivery methods.

The bottom line? Whatever method you use to consume your cannabis will deliver the benefits expected by the industry players, such as Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) and Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG). Only the degree of those effects will vary.

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Many athletes, such as footballers, commit suicide or die as a result of the brain trauma caused while they engage in contact sports. Chronic traumatic endephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative neurological condition, is one such brain trauma disease that conventional medicine has found so hard to prevent or treat partly because the condition can only be diagnosed posthumously. Now a number of scientists and researchers are suggesting that cannabis may help to prevent or alleviate the symptoms of this disease whose victims are mainly athletes (particularly footballers).

One study conducted in Israel found that the use of cannabis improved blood flow to the brain and prevented brain tissues from dying. While this study was conducted on rats and mice with head trauma, it brings hope for a solution to a problem from which 99 percent of all dead NFL players suffered, researchers say.

Another study conducted in the U.S. concluded that cannabis possesses neuro-protective properties because of the antioxidants it contains. In fact, Kyle Turley, a retired NFL player, uses cannabis to treat the traumatic brain injury he suffers from resulting from his days as a player. Turley was also a friend of another NFL player, Junior Seau, who fatally shot himself in 2012. Brain specialists who examined samples of Seau’s brain found that his suicidal tendency was due to CTE.

Apart from causing people to be suicidal, CTE causes depression, aggression, confusion, dementia and mood swings.

Turley is now an avid advocate for the use of cannabis to treat neurological conditions, especially among athletes.

His mission isn’t farfetched because a number of companies have been developing cannabis-based remedies for different neurological conditions. For example, KannaLife Sciences is developing a synthetic cannabis pill that is intended to prevent CTE in athletes. The company also makes other CBD-based remedies.

Another company, GW Pharmaceuticals, has already obtained FDA approval for Epidiolex, a CBD-based drug that can treat two forms of rare pediatric epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological condition, just like CTE. Epidiolex has already proved to be effective for some of the kids with the forms of epilepsy for which it was developed.

It should be noted that treating brain injury isn’t achieved by CBD alone. A study whose findings were published in The American Surgeon showed that patients who suffered brain injuries and tested positive for THC suffered fewer fatalities than those who didn’t test positive for THC.

Such findings provide good news to Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and other players in the cannabis industry like Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) because it offers a possible solution to a problem (CTE) that could be affecting millions of athletes.

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A Circuit Court Judge, Karen Gievers, has ruled that the state and the health department in Florida violated the constitution when they imposed a cap on the number of dispensaries that a licensed business could open within the state.

Trulieve sued the state and asked court to strike down the cap on dispensaries that had been imposed limiting each business to a maximum of 30 outlets. Initially, the cap was at 25 but it was raised to 30.

The plaintiff successfully argued that patients could get better access to medical marijuana treatment centers at an affordable cost if more dispensaries were available instead of forcing patients to incur the cost of vehicle delivery of cannabis to their addresses.

The company had also argued that the ban, which was imposed long after they had opened a number of outlets, affected their business since they wouldn’t have opened dispensaries in some locations had they had prior awareness of that cap. Trulieve therefore asked court to nullify that cap so that their business isn’t unnecessarily hampered.

The judge agreed and wrote in her ruling that the state didn’t have any plausible reason to impose such a restriction on legally licensed businesses. Furthermore, the judge observed that the cap wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the constitutional amendment legalizing medical cannabis.

The state made a vain attempt to justify the cap by saying that the local and state authorities needed time to study how to regulate medical cannabis. Judge Gievers threw out this argument saying that the constitutional amendment didn’t provide for such “study” and that she didn’t get evidence of what needed to be “studied” for three years.

She argued that the state had ample time to study medical cannabis regulation as much as they wanted before the first medical cannabis law was passed years back in 2014.

This same judge lifted the ban on smoking medical cannabis and gave the state a dressing down for the blatant way in which it was disregarding constitutional provisions while implementing the medical marijuana program. The previous Governor, Rick Scott, appealed against that ruling and left office before the appeal was heard.

Recently, Gov. DeSantis threatened to withdraw from pursuing that appeal if the legislature didn’t amend the law to allow patients to smoke medical cannabis. He gave the legislators a few weeks to act or else the courts will be left to change the law by judicial declaration.

Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP), Green Growth Brands, Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and the whole industry welcomes the decision of the court since patients in Florida will now have medical cannabis dispensaries closer to them.

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Statistics have it that baby boomers are a rapidly growing market segment in the cannabis industry, and any firm looking to get a foothold in this industry needs to pay attention to this demographic.

Why This Group Matters

First, baby boomers are no longer taking care of kids, and many are approaching retirement. This means that this group has accumulated some resources and they have disposable income that they can spend on cannabis. Who wouldn’t want a potential client that has money to spend?

Secondly, cannabis isn’t an altogether new substance to these people. Many of them sampled the product or know someone who did during their younger years. It will therefore not be as if you are starting from scratch if you want to get these people to buy your cannabis products.

Thirdly, baby boomers tend to be brand-loyal, so it makes sense to get to them early before a competitor wins their loyalty. Getting them to switch from one brand to another can be a monumental undertaking that you don’t want to attempt.

Crucially, many baby boomers have health conditions for which medical cannabis can be a viable solution. For example, arthritis and chronic pain plague a significant fraction of this demographic. Positioning your products as the products to ease their pains and alleviate other ailments can pay off in a big way.

How to Get Your Foot In

Each demographic has its own unique characteristics that businesses must understand in order to win their patronage. For starters, baby boomers are more likely to pay attention to word of mouth recommendations when compared to other marketing efforts. Crack this method and you will have them buying from you in droves.

Another way to get this demographic is by making it easy for them to access your products. Many among them have mobility challenges while some may be concerned about keeping their cannabis use discreet. Home delivery and shuttle services can address these concerns and boost your sales.

Additionally, this group is what some may call “old fashioned.” Product information should be given to them during face-to-face interactions, especially at the dispensary or retail outlet. Cannabis businesses that are designed to make this possible will get a sizeable share of the clientele in this group.

The cannabis industry, especially Generation Alpha Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL) and Global Payout Inc. (OTC: GOHE) will definitely find ways to meet all the needs of the different age groups, including the baby boomers.

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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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The year of 2018 registered some major wins for marijuana (Canada legalized recreational cannabis, the FDA made history by approving a cannabis-derived drug, more states legalized marijuana, public opinion is at an all-time high in favor of legalization, etc.), and that has led many cannabis advocates to expect 2019 to bring even better news along the lines of the U.S. federal government legalizing marijuana. However, this is unlikely to happen this year for a number of reasons.

The Senate isn’t Warm to Marijuana

While Congress is now dominated by Democrats (and Democrats have a history of being friendly to cannabis law reform), the Senate is still firmly in the hands of Republicans. Even the recent polls that show massive support for cannabis legalization reveal a small majority of Republicans supporting legalization (53 percent, according to the latest Gallup poll) while Democrats (75 percent) support the end of cannabis prohibition. This means that even if Congress passed a bill to legalize marijuana, such a bill is unlikely to make it past the Senate this year.

Marijuana isn’t Yet Divisive Enough to Cost Politicians their Jobs

The elected representatives on Capitol Hill don’t yet feel that their position on marijuana can cost them their jobs. Some opinion polls conducted last year discovered that a large majority of people (82 percent) would still vote for a politician even if that candidate had a different view on marijuana from that of the voter.

What such polls show is that politicians are unlikely to take the public’s views on marijuana seriously if the voters don’t put their representatives on the spot over the issue. Consequently, it is unlikely that marijuana will be legalized federally, unless the subject becomes so polarizing that political offices can be lost or earned based on this one issue alone.

There’s Money Involved

The role of money also rears its head on matters of cannabis legalization. Under the present legal framework, marijuana companies are subjected to very high corporate tax rates (as high as 90 percent). This is because such companies cannot claim corporate tax deductions since they deal in a substance that is federally illegal.

Legalizing cannabis would change the section of the tax code applicable to pot companies, and the federal government may lose approximately $5 billion over five years in corporate taxes from these companies. The federal government may be unable to recoup this money from the federal excise tax on legal marijuana sales since some states already have very high state-level excise taxes on cannabis, hence any increase can effectively be an advert for the cannabis black market. So, 2019 may not be the year for cannabis legalization at the federal level until a solution to this money conundrum is found.

While the issues above appear to be serious individually, the views of the voters can trigger a dramatic shift in the way cannabis is regarded at the federal level. The cannabis industry, including ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) can only wait for that time when pressure from below forces the federal government to end cannabis prohibition.

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As the cannabis industry matures, a number of innovations have been introduced in order to optimize marijuana grow operations. A Canadian producer is using fish to reduce how much water the marijuana grow uses while getting a better yield compared to conventional growing methods.

Green Relief Inc., based in Ontario, is using underground aquaponics to grow cannabis and raise freshwater fish as well. This one-of-a-kind method has enabled the cannabis producer to reduce their water consumption by up to 90 percent while increasing marijuana harvests by 20 percent.

In this cutting-edge system, the cannabis plants clean the water in which the fish live and grow while the fish provide wastes that are filtered to provide fertilizers for the cannabis plants. Consequently, the grow operation doesn’t use any artificial fertilizers or pesticides to produce cannabis for the market.

The company revealed that it opted for this sustainable way of growing cannabis and raising fish because any business that isn’t eco-friendly will soon be pushed out of the market since it will be regarded as a dinosaur. The only sign that one can see of this Ontario grow facility is its ventilation equipment sticking out of the hillside. Everything else is underground.

The closed-loop system used by Green Relief raises 6,000 fish (tilapia) and grows 4,500 marijuana plants. Every month or so, the company harvests the fish in one of its 16 fish tanks. 300 fully-grown tilapia from each harvest is donated to a charity that runs a soup kitchen for the homeless.

Green Relief is currently constructing other grow facilities in Hamilton, Halifax and Thunder Bay. The company plans to list on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) in order to raise funds to take their production to higher levels. Green Relief also wants to list on Nasdaq soon. The Green Relief IPO in Canada will take place within a few months.

While the company is looking to strengthen its position locally, it is also taking steps to nurture an international presence to take advantage of the position of Canada as a global leader in the cannabis industry.

Warren Bravo, the company’s director of business development, is finalizing arrangements to acquire properties in Australia and Italy. He is also hammering out joint venture deals with two major laboratories in Switzerland.

Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST), FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) and the entire cannabis industry take their hats off to Green Relief for championing sustainable cannabis cultivation, as well as giving back to the community.

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According to a leaked letter written by the World Health Organization’s Director General (Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus) to the UN Secretary-General, marijuana should be rescheduled from the most restrictive categories to less strict categories in all international treaties.

The recommendations in this letter were scheduled to be released publicly last year in December but this didn’t happen for unknown reasons.

According to the recommendations of the expert committee that studied the matter, whole-plant marijuana and marijuana resin should be removed from schedule IV (the most restrictive category) and left in schedule I.

The World health Organization also wants to be categorical and state that any cannabis products that contain less than 0.2 percent THC content aren’t subjected to any international controls. Previously, CBD didn’t appear anywhere in the international treaties that categorize different substances, so it was unclear what the position of the international body was on this substance. The letter now puts this matter to rest.

These recommendations will go to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs where 53 nations will cast a vote either to adopt the recommendations or reject them. Several countries, such as China and Russia, are expected to vote against the recommendations due to those countries’ history of being unwilling to see reforms in drugs laws.

However, other countries, such as Uruguay and Canada are certainly going to vote for reclassification, as will other European and South American countries where medical cannabis is legal.

It is harder to predict which way the U.S. vote will go. President Trump is quoted to have said that his administration respects the right of U.S. states to enact and implement their own marijuana laws, but the federal government has been reluctant to reform its own cannabis laws. One will therefore just have to wait and see how the U.S. representative at the UN votes when these recommendations are tabled.

While the recommendations contained in that WHO letter will not create any major legal shockwaves, they do have potentially serious political implications.

For starters, the rescheduling recommendations are a tacit admission that the UN and other world bodies made a grave error to classify marijuana as a substance that has no medicinal value. This decision seems to have been based on political considerations rather than being rooted in scientific data.

Secondly, the recommendations will embolden many countries to pass their own marijuana laws, as has been the case in the dozens of countries around the world that have legalized medical cannabis despite the current classification of marijuana as a substance with no known medical value.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS), Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) and the cannabis industry in its entirety are waiting with bated breath to see how events will unfold worldwide once the recommendations of the UN are passed.

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Your mind may immediately go to the rate at which different states are legalizing marijuana when the cannabis industry in the U.S. is mentioned. However, there is so much that many people don’t know about the job market in the U.S. cannabis industry. Here are four facts you most likely didn’t know about employment in the cannabis industry in the U.S.

Hiring Has Increased By 76 Percent

According to a study conducted by Glassdoor, the number of available jobs in the cannabis industry in the U.S. has increased by 76 percent when compared to the number of jobs that were available in 2017. Additionally, the second half of the year saw the biggest jump in the number of cannabis jobs advertised throughout the country.

Cannabis Jobs Have Attractive Salaries

Contrary to what many people may think, jobs in the cannabis industry don’t pay minimum wage. The Glassdoor research revealed that the average base salary for the jobs advertised in the cannabis industry was $58,511 a year. That figure may not be glamorous on its own, but it takes on greater significance when you realize that the median base salary across the U.S. in general is approximately 11 percent lower than the median base salary of the cannabis industry jobs advertised. In fact, slightly more than 30 percent of the cannabis industry jobs advertised paid more than $70,000 as base salary. In short, the cannabis industry may be among the best-paying industries in the country!

Many of the Top Employment Destinations Aren’t Where Recreational Cannabis is Legal

One may be tempted to think that the greatest number of jobs are to be found in locations where recreational cannabis was legalized. This is only partially true because the Glassdoor data shows that cities in California ranked highest among the top destinations for marijuana industry jobs.

However, cities in states where only medical marijuana is legal also pulled their weight as top cannabis employment destinations. For example, New York City was fourth on the list of the top 15 cannabis employment destinations while Chicago was seventh on that list.

Most of the Top Employers Are Traded Publicly

It is possible for casual observers to imagine that only Canadian cannabis companies are publicly traded. However, while the Canadian companies get the lion’s share of publicity, American marijuana companies are also traded on different stock exchanges. For example, Green Thumb Industries is traded on Nasdaq and it was the top employer in the cannabis industry. Others are MedMen Enterprises and Truelive.

While the findings of the study were only based on the jobs advertised on Glassdoor, the general idea is that the cannabis industry is growing fast since employers can only take on new hires once those employers are sure of sustainable growth to justify the cost of additional employees. The Glassdoor research is therefore good news to the marijuana industry, including Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) and VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF).

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Tobacco cigarette sales have been on the decline in the U.S. for several decades now, and it seems the tobacco industry now sees its future in marijuana.

The major tobacco firms have been watching the cannabis industry as it evolves and they now think that having a part of this nascent industry holds the key to the tobacco industry’s future. The Big tobacco companies have several factors that favor their entry into the cannabis industry.

First, the tobacco industry has a well-known record of manufacturing products in a way that maximizes their addictive potential. You can therefore bet your last dollar that big tobacco will tap into this “heritage” to make marijuana products that will get their users hooked for life. Addiction is good for business because it assures you of repeat customers for decades to come.

Secondly, the tobacco industry has an extensive marketing network across the globe. This capability means that it will not be hard for the companies to get marijuana anywhere buyers or potential buyers may be. As you may know, several states, such as California, are already struggling with surplus supplies of cannabis. The marketing muscle of tobacco companies can fix that problem on a large scale.

Thirdly, tobacco firms have a long tradition of lobbying and navigating their way around tough legislative and regulatory scrutiny. This experience can be an invaluable resource to the cannabis industry that is struggling to shake off the association of marijuana with junkies and criminal gangs. Who knows, the lobbying resources of the tobacco industry can even make the federal government to move faster towards ending marijuana prohibition!

However, the tobacco industry does have some baggage that may make the cannabis industry jittery about jumping into bed with “big tobacco”.

For example, the tobacco industry didn’t win a lot of friends when it was discovered that the industry deliberately misled the public about the health and safety issues of cigarette smoking. Actually, the big players even used taxpayer money to find ways to make smokers addicted sooner!

Additionally, there’s agreement among experts that cigarettes are a product that will kill half of the people who use it as it was intended to be used. Cannabis industry players are a little uneasy about associating with an industry that has such a reputation.

That notwithstanding, a number of deals have already been struck between tobacco companies and players in the cannabis industry. One of the largest is one between Altria and Cronos Group worth $1.8 billion.

The cannabis industry, including TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) and Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF), hopes that the tobacco industry doesn’t soil the reputation of cannabis as big tobacco jumps on the cannabis bandwagon.

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The chief prosecutor in the city of Baltimore has announced that people will no longer be prosecuted for possessing marijuana. This announcement comes as a wave legalization is sweeping across the nation, and marijuana is no longer seen as the evil substance that it once was thought to be.

Marilyn Mosby, state attorney for Baltimore, revealed that her office will immediately stop prosecuting cases of marijuana possession. This decision will apply regardless of how much marijuana someone has been found with, or what the criminal history of that person is.

Mosby added that no serious person can ever claim that devoting the city’s scarce law enforcement resources to prosecuting marijuana possession cases is a good way to use taxpayers’ money.

Baltimore has the unenviable record of being the major city across the country with the highest homicide rates, with most of those homicides going unsolved. Mosby wants to focus a lot more on solving those violent crimes instead of being bogged down by marijuana possession cases.

The chief prosecutor admitted that the city’s law enforcement agencies take a huge hit in terms of their public image each time murders go unsolved and yet they are seen vigilantly going after people possessing marijuana.

She gave the example of what a mother whose son has just died because of gun violence. Such a mother cannot condone the allocation of resources to prosecuting marijuana possession cases instead of using those very resources to investigate and bring violent crime down.

However, there may be a showdown brewing between the city prosecutor and the men and women of the police department over this change in policy. Gary Tuggle, the Police Commissioner of Baltimore, insisted that his department will continue making marijuana possession arrests until the legislature changes the law about the matter.

This potential standoff is a tricky one to resolve because each side may have valid arguments to support it. For example, the prosecutor sees that it doesn’t make sense to keep fighting something that is hardly harmful to the public, while the police is doing its work of enforcing the laws as passed by the legislature.

The question is, what will happen once suspects are arrested by the police and the prosecutor refuses to sanction any charges against those individuals?

The best way out is for these two sister departments to find a middle ground on this issue so that ordinary people aren’t caught in the crosshairs as the elephants fight. Such a stalemate isn’t in the best interest of the marijuana industry, especially The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) and The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF).

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Three legislators in Minnesota have introduced a bill that is intended to legalize recreational marijuana for adults in the state. Two senators (Scott Jensen and Melisa Franzen) and House Rep. Mike Freiberg are the brains behind this bill that was introduced on Monday this week.

The bill seeks to allow adults over 21 years of age to possess, grow and consume cannabis within the state. The state would also set up mechanisms through which the industry can be regulated in order to ensure that all activities conform to set standards during the cultivation, processing and marketing of marijuana. Special attention would also be devoted to preventing teens from accessing cannabis.

Frieberg released a statement in which he said that the prohibitionist laws of Minnesota were outdated and caused more problems rather than fixing the problem of drug abuse. He added that creating a regulated market would get rid of the criminals currently selling the drug and regulated sales would also bring revenue to the state while reducing the potential harm of marijuana to consumers.

Rep. Frieberg also said that it was time to start having a debate on marijuana in the state in order to come up with an appropriate model that will end cannabis prohibition.

In the bill, the Department of Health would be responsible for regulating cannabis dispensaries in the state. The department would also make sure that cannabis regulators establish a system that oversees the entire cannabis value chain from the time a seed is planted to the time the finished product is sold.

The bill will also allow the state to expunge certain cannabis arrests from the criminal records of those who qualify for such a reprieve. Under the bill, approximately $10 million from the cannabis tax revenue will be spent n the impoverished communities that have been affected the most by the prohibitionist laws. Millions of dollars would also be directed towards mental health programs each year in addition to funding education campaigns on drug use by teens.

The Marijuana Policy Project estimates that Minnesota can earn about $200 million to $300 million from marijuana taxes each year.

Currently, 10 states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana while 33 states have legalized medical marijuana. Minnesota therefore will have a large pool from which to draw experiences when finalizing its marijuana law.

However, it may be a while before a final law is passed since the Senate’s Majority Leader (Paul Gazelka) said that the most that can happen during this legislative session is to have an informational hearing.

All the same, cannabis industry players like Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPWRF) and Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQB: SNNVF) hope that the discussions will be objective and culminate in a decision that is in the best interest of Minnesotans.

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Vape and Play, a social club that will allow patrons to consume marijuana in its premises, is due to open on February 18 in Denver. This will be the second lounge in the city where one can consume marijuana.

Such businesses are geared at addressing one of the biggest challenges that has existed since recreational cannabis was legalized in Colorado: where can one consume cannabis after buying it?

These businesses want to give cannabis users a place that is a little more than a smoke-filled room from which to consume their cannabis. In fact, Vape and Play aims to provide a venue that is “better than your living room.”

Megan Lumpkins, the Chief Operating Officer of Vape and Play, says that it was hard to come up with a business model for their establishment since such places don’t usually sell marijuana, yet they can’t just say “we have a seat where you can come and use the cannabis you just bought.”

Vape and Play has decided to adopt the model of an event venue where cannabis consumers will be charged an entry fee for two or so hours during which they can enjoy a comedy show or attend a fitness class while consuming their cannabis.

Such an approach may give their target market a valid reason to visit the venue since clients will be able to socialize as they use cannabis.

Lumpkins added that she hopes that other marijuana lounges or venues will open so that Denver can become a cannabis tourism destination where visitors can have a variety of experiences to enjoy while in the city.

The only other consumption lounge in the city is The Coffee Joint which was opened in March last year. The difference with this lounge is that the owners have a cannabis dispensary right next to it, so clients can buy their marijuana and then head to the consumption lounge.

It hasn’t been an easy ride to securing a license to open Vape and Play. The proprietors have had to jump through numerous hoops for over two years before they finally got approval for the business. This challenge could explain why this type of business hasn’t grown in the area despite the decision of voters in 2016 to permit consumption lounges.

Vape and Play plans to give visitors wristbands of different colors based on how much experience each visitor has with consuming cannabis.

For example, a seasoned user will be given a black wristband after completing a survey at the entrance. A “vape tender” will look at the armband of each guest and tweak the temperature setting of one of the custom vaporizers at the venue in order to allow that visitor to vape cannabis whose strength is equal to his or her experience level (a higher temperature setting gives a higher THC concentration in the vapor, for example).

The innovations brought by Vape and Play are welcome news to the entire cannabis industry, including Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) and Sproutly Canada Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G), since such innovations contribute to the growth of cannabis culture.

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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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Related Editorial
Revolutionary innovations and advancements within the cannabis industry are drawing significant investment from big corporations.

• Technology currently in development will make it easier to consume active ingredients in cannabis.
• Advances have attracted investment for the technology’s use in tobacco as well as cannabis.
• These improvements could move consumers to healthier forms of consumption than smoking.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) (LXRP Profile) has benefited from recent investment to support its innovative research and design work. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) has received substantial investment from a beverage company, which will support the development of cannabis drinks. Within the sector, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) is in the process of acquiring an organic grower. Outside investment is bolstering Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), a cannabis company with global reach. And another innovator, GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) (OTC: GWPRF), has run successful trials on a new drug to tackle a form of childhood epilepsy.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/uXf6S

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/YWy5X

About Lexaria Bioscience Corp.

Lexaria Bioscience has developed and out-licenses its disruptive delivery technology that promotes healthier ingestion methods, lower overall dosing and quicker onset of lipophilic active molecules. Lexaria has 10 patents granted in the United States and Australia, and has filed over 50 patent applications worldwide across 10 patent families. Lexaria’s technology provides more rapid delivery to the bloodstream, as well as important taste-masking benefits for orally administered bioactive molecules including cannabinoids, vitamins, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), nicotine and other molecules. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LexariaBioscience.com.

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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Many people may feel rather squeamish about sticking a cannabis suppository up their backside, but this method of administration is beginning to attract widespread attention as a way to administer medical cannabis. Several reasons can explain their growing popularity.

Better Absorption Rates

The most common ways to take medical cannabis are by eating or smoking the substance. However, these two methods of administration don’t allow enough of the cannabis consumed to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

For example, the acidic environment inside the stomach and the entire gastrointestinal tract destroys most of the therapeutic ingredients in cannabis before those compounds have a chance to enter the bloodstream and do their work.

Smoking also comes with its own risks of damage to the lining of the lungs, among other dangers. Furthermore, not enough cannabis can be absorbed through the lungs since some is exhaled along with the air one breathes.

However, the lining of the rectum provides an excellent medium through which cannabis can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Consequently, a patient will not need to use a large dose in order to get the desired effects.

It’s Ideal for Seriously Ill People

Some patients, such as cancer patients, are in such a bad state that it is nearly impossible for them to smoke or consume cannabis edibles. How can such people get medical cannabis into their bloodstream?

Cannabis suppositories are an excellent option in such situations. Remember, all lists of conditions for which one can access medical cannabis include chronic or debilitating illnesses. No wonder doctors are increasingly recommending that patients use marijuana suppositories.

They Have a Track Record

Suppositories aren’t a new invention. They have been used in conventional medicine for decades. These items are therefore getting a new lease of life by being used in the medical cannabis industry.

Additionally, it is possible to standardize the dosing of cannabis products if patients are going to use suppositories. This is much better than telling someone to smoke “a thick wad of cannabis when the tremors start.”

Such standardization can go a long way in removing the stigma that has sometimes been directed at cannabis as something for reckless people who have nothing to do except getting high.

Less THC Is Absorbed in This Way

Another key advantage of cannabis suppositories is that they are likely to silence the critics who say that patients are using medical cannabis in order to get high.

Research has it that THC (the psychoactive element in cannabis) isn’t as readily absorbed into the bloodstream through the rectum, unlike CBD that is readily absorbed. Thus, there is a lower risk that patients will get addicted to cannabis while taking it anally.

As you can see, cannabis suppositories seem poised to stake their claim in the medical cannabis sector. The cannabis industry, including SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) and Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4), welcomes all avenues through which patients can get relief from their conditions.

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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The University of California at Berkley has announced that it has opened a cannabis research center that will study the effects of cannabis production upon society and the environment. This announcement was made on Tuesday this week (January 29).

UC officials also revealed that the research center will primarily focus on three major areas.

The first is cannabis regulation and policy. Cannabis regulations and policies have been evolving rapidly and they merit research in order to ascertain whether those policies and regulations have made the industry better, whether the policymakers had sufficient information upon which they based when drafting the regulations and policies, etc.

The research center will also study how cannabis production affects the environment. For example, what effects do cannabis plants have on groundwater? Is it better (for the environment) to grow cannabis in indoor facilities or outdoor grows are better? How can the adverse environmental impacts (if any) of cannabis production be mitigated? Such, and other issues will occupy the researchers who will devote their time and resources to looking into the environmental effects of cannabis production.

The third major area of research will be the impact of cannabis production on society. Already, some lawsuits have been filed against cannabis grow facilities in some neighborhoods while some local authorities have enacted ordinances that ban any marijuana-related activities in their jurisdictions. At the same time, many communities are clamoring to have cannabis production facilities in their areas in order to reap the economic benefits that such developments bring. So, the responses to cannabis production span the entire gamut of what anyone can imagine as a potential reaction to this controversial plant. The researchers will look into all these societal effects and provide scientific data to inform the decision-making process.

Ted Grantham and Van Butsic, both faculty members in UC Berkley’s Department of Policy and Management, and Environmental Sciences will head the interdisciplinary team at the research center.

The direction taken by the research center at UC Berkley is unique because so far, other researchers have devoted their resources to studying how cannabis affects people (the positive and negative) at the level of an individual. Grantham and his team want to broaden the lens and look at the bigger picture. This approach is a welcome development for the cannabis industry, including Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) and Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF), because it will provide deeper insights into the broader aspects of the industry.

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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Small medical cannabis growers and producers in the Canadian province of British Columbia are coming together to form a co-op in order to bridge the supply gap. This co-op venture will be incorporated at the provincial level instead of seeking national incorporation.

This undertaking involves a partnership with Victory Square Technologies and Grow Tech Labs. The supply shortages that have plagued the Canadian recreational cannabis market prompted the initiators of this co-op to take action.

The company will be called the British Columbia Small Cannabis Producer and Processor Co-op. This is intended to reflect the character of the province as a leader in the cannabis industry both nationally and internationally.

Barinder Rasode, the CEO of this new company, revealed during its launch that the entire province and the cannabis industry will benefit greatly if small producers and processors come together to continue making a contribution in the industry.

Rasode added that once these small players combine their capacity, they have the potential to become a formidable player in the cannabis industry not just in Canada but globally.

The new company is calling on small producers to send them an email expressing interest to join this new group and to get additional information about this new entity.

The co-founder and CEO of Victory Square Technologies (Shafin Diamond) remarked that he was excited to see that micro-growers of medical cannabis were coming forward to take part in the co-operative.

It is not clear whether the desire to combine forces wasn’t driven by a survival instinct. As the cannabis industry has grown, large scale operations have increasingly taken an upper hand due to their economies of scale that lower the cost of producing each unit of cannabis.

While production costs are being driven downwards, the cannabis market hasn’t sufficiently segmented (as yet) in order to sustain the niche growers and producers. Consequently, the small growers and producers may have felt some pressure on their profit margins as the large producers brought more products to the market at lower rates.

This pressure could be the reason why the initiators of the co-op decided that they should either combine forces or fold. Such a factor may explain why Grow Tech Labs and Victory Square Technologies were brought on board to provide a way to standardize the products from the small growers and producers.

If that is the case, then that is a positive step forward since the entire industry, including Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) and Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG), would want every entity that can chip in to do so in order to nurture this nascent industry.

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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People who have heard about CBD-infused drinks, cosmetics and pet food may be wondering why that cannabis extract isn’t attracting as much polarized attention as THC. Read on and learn everything that you need to know about CBD and THC, and why CBD is gaining in popularity in nearly every industry.

A Brief Primer on Cannabinoids…

The cannabis plant has more than 100 different compounds within it. These are called cannabinoids and terpenes, so you should therefore not imagine that the cannabis plant has only two compounds. However, two of the most abundant cannabinoids in the cannabis plant are CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid that makes cannabis consumers “high” while CBD isn’t psychoactive.

Marijuana vs. Hemp?

Cannabis is a general term used to refer to a family of plants that have similar compounds (cannabinoids). Marijuana and hemp are therefore members of the same family.

However, hemp has a very small amount of THC in it. The U.S. federal government describes a given plant in the cannabis family as hemp if that plant has less than 0.3 percent concentration of THC. By the same token, marijuana is the other member of the cannabis family that has THC levels that are higher than the threshold for the hemp plant.

Remember, “hemp” and “marijuana” are arbitrary terms given to the same plant only that the level of THC determines which of those two words you will use to refer to the plant you are looking at.

Why is CBD Readily Available Yet Marijuana is Illegal?

As already mentioned, CBD is one of the non-psychoactive compounds found in the cannabis plant. This cannabinoid has several medicinal properties, such as anxiety, pain and insomnia relief.

Recently, President Trump signed into law the Farm Bill of 2018 and this law changed the legal status of hemp to an agricultural product (just like soy, corn or any other plant). Consequently, extracting CBD oil from hemp doesn’t break any U.S. law.

In contrast, marijuana is a Schedule 1 controlled substance that is illegal at the federal level. However, dozens of states have legalized medical marijuana and nearly a dozen have legalized adult-use marijuana.

The laws and attitudes surrounding marijuana haven’t affected the reputation of CBD and that is why it is widely available.

Do Consumers of CBD Face Any Safety Risks?

Interestingly, nearly all the literature available on CBD says that it is safe for consumption. However, little is known about how this compound may interact with other substances, such as conventional medications, in the body.

Additionally, CBD extracts haven’t been used for a long enough time to assess their effects on pregnant women and their unborn babies. Caution is therefore recommended for people in high-risk categories (expectant mothers and babies, for example).

As you can see, CBD seems set to continue on its forward march now that hemp is an agricultural product that can be widely cultivated for various purposes. Cannabis industry players like Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) and Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) would like to see a time when marijuana is accepted the way hemp is now accepted.

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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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Revolutionary innovations and advancements within the cannabis industry are drawing significant investment from big corporations.

• Technology currently in development will make it easier to consume active ingredients in cannabis.
• Advances have attracted investment for the technology’s use in tobacco as well as cannabis.
• These improvements could move consumers to healthier forms of consumption than smoking.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) (LXRP Profile) has benefited from recent investment by Altria to support its innovative research and design work. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) has received substantial investment from a beverage company, which will support the development of cannabis drinks. Within the sector, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) is in the process of acquiring an organic grower. Outside investment is bolstering Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), a cannabis company with global reach. And another innovator, GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) (OTC: GWPRF), has run successful trials on…

Read More >>

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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People who would like to work in or own medical cannabis businesses in Oklahoma can now receive the training that they need to succeed. Hempstaff Dispensary Training, aka Cannabis College now organizes classes on different aspects of medical cannabis.

The organizers of these classes say that emphasis is placed on equipping attendees with information on the history, science and laws around medical cannabis so that one is ready to participate in this rapidly growing industry.

The company organizes two four-hour classes through which people get a thorough grounding in the major aspects needed by someone who wants to own or work in a cannabis dispensary.

Students who attended the first training sessions held last weekend say that they got more than they paid for because the content of the course was very rich. For example, the students were told why a patient can be given a particular strain of cannabis and not another for a given medical condition.

Such information is critical because the dispensary staff can help patients to make informed decisions when selecting products to buy. The medical cannabis space isn’t like conventional medicine in which a doctor diagnoses and gives a patient a specific prescription to alleviate his or her condition. Cannabis dispensary staff therefore play a crucial role in making it possible for patients to select what will be most beneficial for them.

Cannabis College decided that it would make its contribution in the medical cannabis space by preparing people to work in this industry. Leaving cannabis companies with the sole responsibility of training their staff is a bit risky, the organizers of the trainings added.

The trainers also say that they put emphasis on the current medical cannabis legislation and the likely changes that are bound to occur. This segment of the training is important because at the moment, Oklahoma is using emergency rules to regulate the medical cannabis industry. One should therefore understand the current legal regime and prepare for the changes that are coming as the industry evolves in the state.

Employers appreciate this training on the rules because an employee who doesn’t know all the applicable legal provisions can make a mistake that can cause regulators to close a dispensary and fine or incarcerate the owners.

The initiative taken by Cannabis College is appreciated by everyone in the cannabis industry, including Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) because such efforts make the industry more beneficial to patients.

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Toward the end of last year, we reported that the Israeli parliament had passed a bill permitting local companies to export medical marijuana. However, there were fears that the cabinet may wait until after elections before pronouncing itself on this matter. It turns out that those concerns were premature because the cabinet has given its approval and cannabis firms can start processing the necessary paperwork to sell medical cannabis abroad.

The cabinet’s decision leaned on the recommendations made by an inter-ministerial committee (finance and health ministries) that was tasked with studying the Act of parliament and then advise the cabinet on the matter.

The committee took note of the advanced research, technology and regulatory capabilities of the country as major advantages that would make Israeli medical cannabis competitive on the world market.

The worldwide medical cannabis market is growing rapidly from an estimated valuation of $8.3bn in 2017 to about $28bn by 2024. Medical cannabis exports would earn Israeli firms about $1.09bn each year.

The Ministry of Finance agreed to channel some of the money earned from cannabis exports to the Ministry of Health.

Currently, there are eight companies that grow medical cannabis in Israel. The approval of exports is good news to them because the domestic market wasn’t large enough to sustain these producers as well as those who are still queuing to get licenses.

Medical cannabis exports will be tightly regulated since cannabis is a drug that is subject to strict controls internationally. Israeli companies will get an export permit issued by the Ministry of Health and approved by the police. These companies will then export medical cannabis to other companies in Europe. Those companies should have also obtained permits to import medical cannabis.

Israel is likely to enjoy several advantages when compared to other countries, such as Canada, that export medical cannabis. For example, Israel is closer to most European markets when compared to its competitors.

Secondly, Israel is renowned for having very strict regulatory systems and its research capabilities are famous across the world. This makes Israeli medical cannabis exports to have a good reputation on the market when compared to other exporters whose domestic regulatory mechanisms aren’t so rigorous.

As you can see, different countries are positioning themselves to control a large share of the international medical cannabis market. The question is, when will the U.S. wake up and catch up with the other countries that are already active in the medical cannabis space? The sooner federal marijuana laws are reformed, the better for the U.S. cannabis industry. This speedy legal reform is what entities like Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP) and Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE) have been hoping to see for years.

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Recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada late last year and this has made parents to rethink how they talk to their kids about cannabis. This adjustment was prompted by the increasing visibility of marijuana in all walks of life.

SheCann founder, Ashleigh Brown, says that the cannabis “talk” should never be regarded as a one-time event. Instead, conversations about the substance should be conducted on an ongoing basis so that kids are empowered to make the right decisions when confronted by opportunities to use the substance.

Speaking in Toronto at a “Women and Weed” event last weekend, Brown said that kids are smart and constantly watch all those around them. It is therefore important that the conversations parents and adults have with kids regarding marijuana should be honest and authentic so that the kids can see a connection between what you are telling them and what they see around them.

Ashleigh Brown used her own experience as a case study. She revealed that she started using medical cannabis in 2016, so her two kids regarded the substance as nothing more than a medicine.

However, after the legalization of recreational cannabis, she started talking to her children about the different ways through which people can use cannabis. Such a discussion helps her kids to make sense of what is around them in case they come across cannabis on the streets or at the parties they attend.

Another participant at the “Women and Weed” event remarked that the way parents talk to kids about alcohol and smoking tobacco cigarettes should be the same way in which they talk about cannabis.

Avoiding such crucial conversations only fuels stigma about cannabis and may increase its appeal to kids, something that every parent would want to avoid.

The issue of discretion vs. hiding cannabis also came up during the discussion. It was okay to lock away one’s stash of cannabis to prevent kids from accessing it, but it wasn’t productive to try to hide the fact that you consume cannabis.

Parents should also educate their kids about the downsides of consuming cannabis, and also emphasize that more research is still being done to get a more detailed understanding of the full effects of cannabis on young users and adults.

Parents in the U.S. states where cannabis is legal can borrow a leaf from what their Canadian counterparts are doing in order to provide sufficient guidance to kids regarding this substance that is still attracting mixed reactions across the U.S. Cannabis industry players like Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL) and FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) would love to see such candid discussions everywhere so that any decisions made are based on concrete information rather than on misconceptions and myths.

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A stalemate had developed between the Senate President and the Governor of New Jersey regarding how the marijuana industry will be taxed once an appropriate law is passed. However, a new plan has reignited the legalization debate and a compromise may be reached to move forward on this long-awaited matter.

Previously, Stephen Sweeney (the Senate President) had dug his heels in that he would not go along with any marijuana legalization law that set the tax rate at more than 12 percent. Meanwhile, the Governor (Phil Murphy) was adamant that the tax rate should be in the region of 25 percent.

The disagreement between these two influential leaders had driven the legalization debate to a standstill and there seemed to be no hope for a way out of that stalemate.

Now a new proposal to tax marijuana products by weight rather than by each item sold appears to be providing the much needed compromise between the two parties. While there are disagreements on various issues, the different opinions on tax matters were the biggest bone of contention between the lawmakers and the Governor.

Proponents of the new tax proposal see that plan as beneficial in two major ways. The first, as already mentioned, is to build consensus between the two sides on the tax rate.

Secondly, taxing marijuana by weight has the added long-term benefit of protecting the state’s tax revenue from the effects of marijuana price fluctuations.

You see, in states where marijuana taxes are based on the sales made (excise tax), falling marijuana prices have caused tax revenues to take a hit.

For example, Colorado reported in 2018 that marijuana prices had fallen by approximately 70 percent from what they were in 2014 when recreational cannabis was legalized.

Such a huge drop in prices can cause serious funding shortfalls for states where an excise duty is imposed on all marijuana products sold.

The plan to tax cannabis by weight shields the state from such tax income drops since the taxes collected will stay the same regardless of which trend marijuana prices take. As historical data shows, prices inevitably go down as more players enter the industry and new production methods cut costs for cultivators.

Taxing marijuana by weight may therefore be a masterstroke that gets legalization back on track while also ensuring that the state will have a sustainable source of revenue. Such win-win solutions are what everyone in the industry, including Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF), wants for all jurisdictions where marijuana is legalized.

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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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Massachusetts started retail sales of recreational marijuana on November 20 and nearly $24 million worth of cannabis has so far been sold in just two months, according to statistics released by the state.

The data released by the Cannabis Control Commission shows that cannabis products worth $23.8 million were sold by licensed dispensaries in the maiden two months since retail sales started.

The statistics also show that retail sales have been booming since the first day of legal recreational cannabis sales. For example, the two dispensaries that opened on the first day of legal sales made about $2 million in retail sales during the first five days when they were open.

Each retail sale attracts a 20 percent tax with 3 percent of that tax going to the local authorities while 17 percent goes to the state. You can therefore calculate how much tax Massachusetts earned from the sales made during the first two months after legal sales started.

It is also worth noting that Massachusetts is the first state on the East Coast to permit recreational marijuana. The population there has responded overwhelmingly to this new development.

For example, Cultivate, one of the first dispensaries to open in Leicester, attracted such large numbers that the city held an emergency meeting to discuss how to control traffic in the area. About 1,000 customers have been visiting the retail outlet each day.

Cannabis is such a hit in the area that people flag down each other to ask for directions and everyone knows where to buy marijuana.

Does this large number of customers affect customer service at the retail outlets? Not at all, if the reports from clients are anything to go by. Many reported that everyone was served properly and it was easy to make a purchase.

One Leicester resident even said that he flagged down a cop to ask for directions and found it pleasantly weird to ask a cop for directions to where pot could be bought!

The statistics of the people who are visiting the current dispensaries each day point to the possibility that not enough retail outlets have been licensed in the state, or not all that have been licensed have opened for business. Nevertheless, business is being conducted smoothly, which is a totally different story from what is happening in Canada. ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX), Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) and everyone in the cannabis industry hopes that the Canadian supply issues will soon end so that customers there can enjoy what those in Massachusetts are enjoying.

About CannabisNewsWire

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Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has spoken out against the medical marijuana law and threatened to step in decisively if the legislature doesn’t amend that law to permit patients to smoke medical cannabis.

The Republican Governor wants the state to have a new law that puts an end to the ban on smokable marijuana and also loosen the restrictions on the licensing conditions for treatment centers. DeSantis wants this law by mid-March.

The Governor feels that Florida voters spoke clearly enough when they approved medical marijuana, so the legislators should pass legislation that is in line with the wishes of the people. A reported 71 percent voted to legalize medical cannabis in 2016.

DeSantis says that he will drop the state’s appeals against the rulings made regarding the smokable cannabis ban as well as the legal challenge to the licensing requirements. This step will leave the courts to make a binding decision that will compel the regulators to change the existing provisions of the medical marijuana law.

However, the Governor doesn’t want to use the judicial system to effect change. Instead, he would prefer to see the necessary changes made by the legislative arm of the state, but he will have no other choice if the legislators don’t do as required within a few weeks after the new session opens on March 5.

The appeals DeSantis refers to were launched by the previous Governor (Rick Scott) after a circuit court decided that the ban on smoking medical cannabis was unconstitutional. Scott is now a Senator and DeSantis replaced him as Governor.

DeSantis spoke during a media address with John Morgan, a personal injury lawyer who sued the state over the ban on smoking medical cannabis. Morgan remarked that the no smoking issue wasn’t a joking matter and that it will be overturned one way or the other.

In response, the new Republican legislative leaders in the Senate and the House promised to work with the Governor in order to secure the necessary changes to the medical marijuana law.

It is good to see that the Governor is exerting his weight in order to help patients to have as many different ways to consume medical cannabis as is possible. Actually, the smokable cannabis may be the most affordable option for many of those patients, so keeping it off the table may impose a financial strain on people who are already struggling with serious medical conditions. The entire marijuana industry, including Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) and Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI), supports the position taken by Governor DeSantis.

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It is still illegal to consume recreational marijuana in Missouri, but prosecutors in several urban areas there have decided to stop going after people found in possession of small amounts of cannabis.

The prosecutors in Jackson County, St. Louis and St. Louis County have all announced that their efforts will be directed elsewhere rather than on small-time marijuana cases.

The change in these urban areas isn’t unique to Missouri. Brooklyn, Manhattan, Albany and Virginia are other examples of urban authorities where similar policies are being implemented.

Wesley Bell, the new prosecuting attorney of St. Louis County, is the latest urban authority law enforcement official to announce that low-level marijuana cases will no longer take any law enforcement resources.

However, individuals who are suspected to be distributing or selling marijuana will still be prosecuted as well as those who drive under the influence of the substance.

Marijuana law reform advocates welcomed this announcement and expect many other urban authorities to take similar action since there is growing pressure to end prohibition and adopt legalization and regulation of marijuana.

At one time, cannabis was seen as a stepping stone (“gate-way” drug) to harder drugs like heroin and cocaine. However, the medicinal use of marijuana has led to wider acceptance of the substance and nearly three dozen states have legalized its medical use. Missouri voters did the same during the recent midterms.

The decision taken by the prosecutors in the urban areas of Missouri have nevertheless attracted some criticism. For example, some lawmakers are saying that it isn’t up to the prosecutors to decide which laws they will implement and which ones they will not implement. They added that it is the work of the legislature to make laws while the judiciary interprets them and law enforcement simply implements those laws.

The action of the prosecutors is therefore a subversion of democracy, the critics concluded.

In response, Wesley Bell said that his biggest priority is to keep families safe, and small-time marijuana possession isn’t the biggest threat to families. Violent crime and other serious forms of crime pose a bigger threat to public safety, so scarce resources should be directed there.

Bell gave an example that a minor marijuana possession case can take approximately 60 hours of an assistant prosecutor’s time. Is that a good way to utilize the limited law enforcement personnel, he wondered.

Since prosecutors are in the business of tackling crime, who is to argue against them regarding how much attention low-level marijuana possession should be accorded? The cannabis industry, including VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) and TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN), welcomes every small step that is taken to end the pariah status that has been unfairly slapped on cannabis for decades.

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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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A survey conducted by a team of researchers based at Boston University shows that a slight majority of all city mayors across the U.S. supports the legalization of marijuana and the regulation of its sales.

110 current city mayors from 37 states in the nation were asked to share their views about marijuana and several other policy issues.

The researchers found that 53 percent of the mayors were in favor of marijuana legalization and regulated sales within their cities while 35 percent of the mayors said they didn’t support the legalization of marijuana in their jurisdictions.

Many of the mayors who took part in the survey revealed that their opinions hardly depended on their philosophical or moral views on marijuana. Instead, they were influenced by several practical matters when forming an opinion on the subject.

For example, some of those who opposed legalization wondered how law enforcement agencies would distinguish between legal marijuana and black market marijuana.

In terms of political party affiliation, 62 percent of Democratic Party-affiliated members said they were in favor of cannabis legalization while 67 percent of Republicans were opposed to cannabis legalization.

So far, ten states have legalized recreational marijuana and many more are queuing up to do so. However, cannabis is still illegal under federal law and this creates a contradiction between what is happening at state level and what federal law permits.

This contradiction prompted the National League of Cities (a group bringing more than 19,000 municipalities together) to pass two resolutions in 2018 asking the federal government to reform the federal marijuana laws.

Furthermore, marijuana law reform proposals in Congress have bipartisan support and there is a good chance that some of them may sail through both Houses this year.

All these changes are on the horizon as support for cannabis legalization keeps growing across the country. Recent polls by Gallup and other reputable entities show that up to 64 percent of Americans now support marijuana legalization.

It may therefore be just a matter of time before all the states legalize marijuana in some form and the federal government may then have no choice but to make some legal concessions on matters of marijuana.

Otherwise, if the views of the mayors in the Boston University survey are anything to go by, change is likely to come sooner than the federal government may have envisaged. The whole cannabis industry, including Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) and The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF), is watching and waiting to see what happens on Capitol Hill.

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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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Related Editorial
With experts such as the Brightfield Group predicting the hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol) market will reach $22 billion by 2022, major industry players such as Anheuser-Busch are seeing value and viability in the direct selling approach to selling CBD products.

• With a predicted 130 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next three years, the hemp-derived CBD industry looks primed to explode.
• The direct selling approach to selling CBD products pioneered by brands such as Youngevity International is attracting the interest of large-scale companies.
• Given new medical studies proving the efficacy of daily CBD intake, the market appears ripe for companies with vested interests in other lifestyle markets.

Following the passing of the groundbreaking 2018 U.S. Farm Bill that legalized the industrial cultivation of hemp nationally, scores of companies not endemic to the cannabis industry are looking for ways to enter the booming CBD market. Partnerships and acquisitions look to be one of the most promising strategies, with many savvy companies utilizing the direct selling route originated by brands such as Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile), a leading omni-direct lifestyle company. New Age Beverages Corporation (NASDAQ: NBEV) recently merged with a direct selling company to distribute its CBD products, while beer giant Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) poured a $4 billion investment into Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED). Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) (OTC: BUDFF) also partnered with a leading Canadian cannabis producer to research cannabis-infused drinks and owns 20 percent of Icelandic Water Holdings, which recently entered into an exclusive joint-marketing/development agreement with Youngevity to develop and sell CBD-infused products.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/vjTk7

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

About Youngevity International, Inc.

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) is a leading omni-direct lifestyle company offering a hybrid of the direct selling business model that also offers e-commerce and the power of social selling. Assembling a virtual Main Street of products and services under one corporate entity, Youngevity offers proven products from the six top-selling retail categories: health/nutrition, home/family, food/beverage (including coffee), spa/beauty, apparel/jewelry, as well as innovative services. The company was formed during the summer 2011 merger of Youngevity Essential Life Sciences with Javalution® Coffee Company (now part of the company’s food and beverage division). The resulting company became Youngevity International, Inc. in July 2013. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.YGYI.com

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On Tuesday last week, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. signed a bill that legalized medical cannabis in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This brings to an end a long process that started with a referendum in favor of medical cannabis in 2014. 56.5 percent of the voters agreed that medical cannabis should be legalized and regulated.

Senator Positive Nelson then drafted a bill to actualize medical cannabis in the jurisdiction but the bill didn’t sail through the legislature. He persisted in bringing new bills during each legislative session until the most recent one passed in December last year and was assented to by the Governor a week ago.

Gov. Bryan Jr. had stated during his campaigns that he supported the legalization of medical cannabis, so putting his signature on the bill was a foregone conclusion as long as the bill passed on the floor of the Legislature. The Governor was also aware of the economic benefits that would accrue once medical cannabis is legalized.

The Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act states that patients need to get a recommendation from a doctor before consuming medical cannabis. The law also establishes the Office of Cannabis Regulation, the agency that will be charged with licensing and overseeing the medical cannabis industry.

The patients who reside in the Virgin Islands will be allowed to have up to four ounces of marijuana flower while those who aren’t residents will have a possession limit of three ounces. The Office of Cannabis Regulation will set the limits for the other cannabis products in due course.

The law also listed a number of health conditions for which patients can get a doctor’s recommendation for medical cannabis. These include neuropathic pain, diabetes, traumatic brain injury, HIV/AIDS, ulcerative colitis, muscle spasms, PTSD and so many others.

Medical marijuana advocates applauded the action taken by the Legislature and Gov. Bryan in passing this vital law. Patients who badly need alternative remedies for their conditions will soon access marijuana legally within the Virgin Islands.

It is expected that draft rules for the medical cannabis industry will be in place within four months after the enactment of the Medical Cannabis Patient Care Act.

What is left is for the regulations to be made so that industry players can start getting ready to cultivate, manufacture and distribute medical cannabis to the licensed dispensaries. It is hoped that this next phase will not drag out in the same way that passing the law did after the referendum of 2014. The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) and Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) wish the U.S. Virgin Islands a speedy implementation of their medical cannabis program.

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Washington State still remains as the only state where recreational cannabis is legal but residents aren’t allowed to grow the plant for their own use. However, this may change if the two bills introduced in the state legislature are passed, thereby allowing adults to grow a maximum of six plants for their own use.

Previous attempts to pass similar bills have met with failure, so it isn’t a foregone conclusion that the attempts this year will bear fruit.

The key difference this time round is that the two bills have bipartisan support, at least when the list of sponsors is analyzed.

One advocate of growing cannabis at home, John Kingsbury, revealed that he has been approaching numerous legislators to ask them to support the new bills. Many revealed that they couldn’t sign their names against the bills, but promised to vote in favor of the bills should they ever reach the floor of the legislature.

This new set of bills seeks to eliminate the restrictions that were proposed by regulators at the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) in 2017 when proposals to allow people to grow cannabis at home were first suggested.

Those restrictions included a cap of four plants for homegrows. The LCB also wanted people to obtain a mandatory license from the state if they wanted to grow cannabis at home. There was even a suggestion that mechanisms should be instituted to track a cannabis plant throughout the state!

The new bills propose that adults can grow a maximum of six plants and there will be no need to obtain a permit or to track the plants grown by each adult.

Critics of plans to allow residents to grow their own cannabis claim that allowing such a practice would expand the black market for marijuana and that it will be hard to regulate the industry.

However, those in favor of the proposals counter that Washington is learning from the experience of other states and can therefore pick what to apply and what to avoid. For example, the six-plant limit is a valuable requirement since it sidesteps the mistake made by Colorado when it initially allowed residents to grow up to 99 plants, a move that allowed this legally grown crop to end up on the illicit market.

Additionally, the legalization of homegrows would curb the black market since residents would resort to consuming their own produce if retail outlets and medical cannabis dispensaries ever developed shortages.

The cannabis industry, including Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQB: SNNVF) and Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD), is watching how the bills will be debated and voted on, if they get to that stage.

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The Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board has voted to allow more than 60 medical cannabis dispensaries to reopen at least until March 31 as their license applications are processed.

The decision was announced after there was an outcry that patients would find it hard to get medical cannabis if that large number of dispensaries is closed pending the processing of their license applications.

The reprieve given to the closed businesses is subject to a number of conditions. First, the local government of the area should have granted the business approval to operate in their jurisdiction. The business should have also submitted its license application within a certain timeframe, in addition to meeting the other conditions before it reopens.

This decision was met with some reservations by a section of the members of the licensing board. These individuals felt that letting these closed businesses to reopen would be unfair to those dispensaries that had done everything possible to acquire a license.

By reopening unlicensed dispensaries, the board may be setting a precedent that it makes no difference whether you comply with regulatory requirements in time or not.

These concerned board members were of the view that the 50 licensed dispensaries should have been given a chance to see a boom in their sales as a reward for taking timely action to get licensed. The unlicensed dispensaries are 72.

In a related development, medical marijuana products that haven’t been tested and approved can still be sold at the different dispensaries within Michigan as long as the dispensary gives the patient an acknowledgment form to sign confirming that the patient is aware that the product hasn’t met all the testing requirements of the state.

The previous Governor of Michigan, Rick Synder, had tried to close all the medical cannabis dispensaries that were still using the emergency rules as the basis of their operation before they get licenses.

However, those attempts to close the dispensaries were thwarted by court rulings and the desire to protect patients’ interests regarding ease of access to medical marijuana. This recent reprieve by the licensing board is yet another speed bump on the journey to accept only licensed dispensaries to operate in the state.

All in all, it is good that the interests of the patients have been given precedence by the medical marijuana licensing board in Michigan. Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) and SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) urge the affected dispensaries to comply with all the regulatory requirements so that their operations aren’t disrupted once the deadline reaches.

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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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The new Governor of Wisconsin, Tony Evers, has announced that he intends to take the first step towards legalizing marijuana in the state during the first two years of his term of office. Evers revealed that he will include medical marijuana legalization during his budget proposals for this year.

The Governor made those statements during his address to the board members of the Wisconsin Technological Council last week. The Democratic Governor also revealed that he doesn’t want to rush anything, so he will start by pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana before taking the next step to legalizing recreational cannabis in the state.

Gov. Evers also stated that while he could push for legislation to make medical cannabis legal, he prefers that a referendum is used to decide whether recreational cannabis should be legalized or not.

However, the Governor also added that he wants the process to be handled “correctly.” When questioned about what he meant by that, Gov. Evers made some revealing remarks regarding his views on cannabis legalization.

First, he stated that he would like to see a cannabis industry that is favorable to small businesses. He revealed that he didn’t want to see the corporate takeover of the industry in Wisconsin just as what is happening elsewhere, such as Washington State.

He also added that he would like to see a tax structure that doesn’t make businesses to struggle to stay afloat, as is the case in Colorado. He wants residents to get involved in the industry profitably, rather than going broke in the process of working in an industry for which one is passionate.

The Governor’s views notwithstanding, it may be tough to legalize medical cannabis in the state using legislative means. This is because the Governor’s plans may be blocked by the legislators who aren’t so warm towards his ideas. For example, Scott Fitzgerald (Republican), the Senate Majority Leader, is a known opponent of medical marijuana legalization.

Be that as it may, the goodwill of the Governor towards cannabis legalization is invaluable to those who would like to see the marijuana laws in the state reformed. Those voices are gathering momentum and it may not be long before the elected representatives of the people start feeling that they risk losing their positions if they go against what the majority want on issues of marijuana legalization.

The entire cannabis industry, including Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) welcomes Gov. Evers’ plan to develop a homegrown approach to cannabis legalization.

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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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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: With experts such as the Brightfield Group predicting the hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol) market will reach $22 billion by 2022, major industry players such as Anheuser-Busch are seeing value and viability in the direct selling approach to selling CBD products.

• With a predicted 130 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next three years, the hemp-derived CBD industry looks primed to explode.
• The direct selling approach to selling CBD products pioneered by brands such as Youngevity International is attracting the interest of large-scale companies.
• Given new medical studies proving the efficacy of daily CBD intake, the market appears ripe for companies with vested interests in other lifestyle markets.

Following the passing of the groundbreaking 2018 U.S. Farm Bill that legalized the industrial cultivation of hemp nationally, scores of companies not endemic to the cannabis industry are looking for ways to enter the booming CBD market. Partnerships and acquisitions look to be one of the most promising strategies, with many savvy companies utilizing the direct selling route originated by brands such as Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile), a leading omni-direct lifestyle company. New Age Beverages Corporation (NASDAQ: NBEV) recently merged with a direct selling company to distribute its CBD products, while beer giant Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) poured a $4 billion investment into Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED). Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) (OTC: BUDFF) also partnered with a leading Canadian cannabis producer to research cannabis-infused drinks and owns 20 percent of Icelandic Water Holdings, which recently entered into…

Read More >>

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The Danish Ministry of Health has revealed that an executive order allowing local companies to export medical cannabis in bulk took effect on the first day of this year. This puts Denmark in pole position around the continent since many other countries are still staggering in their efforts to get medical cannabis programs running.

For example, the military is the only entity authorized to grow cannabis in Italy while Germany is yet to get its domestic cultivation program going.

Several foreign medical cannabis companies, including The Green Organic Dutchman and Canopy Growth have set foot in Denmark. Several reasons make this landlocked nation ideal for this nascent industry.

First, Denmark is close to Germany. Germany is regarded as the “golden goose” in Europe, so any company that can access the German medical cannabis market stands to make a fortune. It is also easy to access the rest of Europe from Denmark.

Secondly, Denmark has an advanced agricultural system that relies on technology to grow products that compete favorably on the continent and beyond. This shift to automation didn’t just happen by chance. The Danes realized that in order to compete with warmer countries in the region, automation was the way to go. This removed the reliance on human labor that was very expensive. Cannabis growers therefore stand to benefit from this rich agricultural heritage.

Thirdly, the government in Denmark is stable and supportive of the medical cannabis industry. This support was ably demonstrated when in just one year, medical cannabis was legalized, regulations were passed and exports were also permitted. Other countries take more than a year to hit just one of those milestones.

Additionally, utility rates in Denmark are one of the lowest on the continent. This is a big advantage to cannabis growers because electricity is one of the largest costs that they have to incur in order to grow marijuana indoors.

However, not everything favors the Danish cannabis industry.

For starters, many local doctors are skeptical about the medicinal benefits of cannabis and they have voiced their concerns. Denmark has responded to this by creating the Clinical Cannabis Forum in order to spread awareness about medical marijuana.

Secondly, several countries in the south have longer growing seasons and warmer weather in addition to abundant cheap labor. These include Malta, Portugal and Greece. Their products are likely to give Denmark a run for its money.

It remains to be seen how Danish technology will be harnessed to address those roadblocks that may reduce the shine on the allure of the industry. Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) wish Denmark all the best on its journey to become a player in the international medical cannabis industry.

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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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The first medical marijuana dispensaries in Ohio opened on Wednesday, January 17 and many patients who were entering a dispensary for the first time didn’t know what to expect. Several operators of dispensaries shared their thoughts on how Ohio patients can make their visit to a dispensary seamless. This article discusses some of their suggestions.

Patients and Caregivers Only

The first thing that people who want to buy medical cannabis should know is that only patients and their caregivers will be allowed into a dispensary. Families are therefore advised to refrain from accompanying a patient to the dispensary since they will not be allowed to access the premises if they aren’t cardholders or caregivers.

Prepare In Advance

Patients and their caregivers are also advised to prepare adequately before heading out to a medical cannabis dispensary. This preparation includes confirming that one completed the registration process as well as setting aside cash for their purchase since dispensaries will not be accepting credit cards or health insurance. It is also prudent to carry the same photo ID that you used when enrolling for the program.

Don’t Touch

Medical cannabis dispensaries in Ohio will have a room in which patients and their caregivers can view the different products available. However, no one will be allowed to touch any product on display unless a dispensary employee permits them to. You can only see or smell the products.

No Onsite Consumption

Once a patient or their caregiver has selected what they will purchase, the products will be cleared at the check-out counter and you can leave the dispensary. No one is allowed to consume medical marijuana within the dispensary premises or anywhere in public. Ohio law stipulates that medical marijuana can only be consumed in the privacy of one’s home.

Check Dispensary Locations

So far, there are 56 medical marijuana dispensaries licensed by Ohio State. However, not all of them will be in position to open immediately, so patients are advised to check online and confirm that the dispensary they wish to buy products from will be open on the day one needs to visit the facility. For example, just 4 out of the 56 licensed dispensaries opened on Wednesday.

The medical marijuana dispensaries have indicated that they will give each patient as much time and information as possible in order to help them to select the best products for their needs. This promise is a welcome gesture because not many patients will be certain about what to buy for their conditions. Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) and Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) congratulate Ohio upon kick starting their medical cannabis program.

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Related Editorial

It seems South Carolina is next in line to act upon the growing popularity of marijuana across the U.S. Two legislators have tabled a bill that, if passed, would allow patients to start using medical marijuana.

The Compassionate Care Act is sponsored by Rep. Peter McCoy and Sen. Tom Davis. When unveiling the bill, Sen. Davis said that their interest in introducing that bill was to make it possible for patients and their doctors to decide whether medical marijuana can be helpful in promoting the health of the patient. Such a decision should not be left to politicians or law enforcement agencies, he added.

True to the conservative nature of South Carolina, the proposed bill comes with numerous restrictions to prevent the program from being abused by those who wish to consume recreational marijuana.

For example, physicians will constantly monitor how the patients they recommended are using medical marijuana.

The bill also limits the qualifying conditions for which one can obtain a medical cannabis card. Only patients with chronic conditions will be eligible to get medical marijuana cards if the bill is passed in its current form. This is unlike some other states where nearly everyone can apply and receive a medical marijuana license since the qualifying conditions are loosely defined.

Currently, about 72 percent of people in South Carolina support the legalization of medical cannabis. The sponsors of this bill are counting on that popular support to see the bill through the legislature.

However, it will not be smooth sailing for the proposed law. There is opposition from different sections of the community, such as law enforcement and some members of the medical profession.

The Chairman of South Carolina’s Medical Association, Dr. John Ropp, is one of those who are vehemently opposed to the legalization of medical marijuana. He says that cannabis has been prohibited for approximately 50 years and it remains a Schedule 1 substance. This means that there is insufficient scientific data regarding its efficacy as a medicine. He adds that cannabis can only be used as a medicine once peer-reviewed studies show that it has medicinal value.

That is the same argument that the FDA, DEA and other federal agencies have been pushing, and yet the current federal legal regime continues to make it hard for researchers to study the plant and obtain the needed scientific backing for its use as a medicine.

All the same, Sen. Davis and Rep. McCoy are pressing ahead with the bill, and if it doesn’t succeed then a ballot measure may be on the cards. The cannabis industry, including Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) and Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) hopes that consensus is quickly built so that the patients who badly need medical cannabis can access it legally within the state.

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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Voters in Oklahoma approved a ballot measure last year in June making medical marijuana legal in the state. Recently, the school district in Oklahoma City passed its own medical marijuana policy to clarify what employees and students could or could not do now that medical marijuana is legal in the state.

On Monday this week (January 14), the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board released its marijuana policy in which the district asserted that it would not take any action against any employee who holds a medical marijuana license.

However, the same policy also had a clause that barred employees from possessing marijuana within school premises or during office hours even if such an employee is licensed to use medical marijuana.

The policy also stipulated that while students would be allowed to have access to, and consume medical marijuana, employees in the schools aren’t allowed to administer that marijuana to the students.

Instead, the policy states that a private location would be provided so that the caregiver of a student can administer the medical marijuana from that location. Caregivers would also be solely responsible for bringing the medical marijuana and taking it away after the student has used or consumed it.

The policy warns that disciplinary action would be taken against any student or employee who violates the school district’s marijuana policy.

Additionally, the policy states that the school district will be free to alter the policy if the federal funding of the district is jeopardized in any way by the marijuana policy or its implementation. Ultimately, the school district will adhere to any restrictions or instructions given by the federal government regarding medical marijuana.

These provisions in the policy show how large the shadow of the federal government hovering over the entire country is on matters of marijuana.

So far, more than 30,000 people have applied for medical marijuana licenses since August when residents were allowed to start applying for the cards. A patient whose application is approved has to pay $100 in order to receive their license from the Department of Health. People who are at least 18 years old are eligible to apply for a medical marijuana license if a doctor recommends them to apply for one.

The action taken by the school district is a step in the right direction because it clarifies what employees and students should expect if they want to consume medical marijuana. Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP), Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and the entire marijuana industry welcome the positive action taken by the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board.

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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The market for cannabidiol (CBD) beverages alone could achieve a value of $260 million in the United States by 2022. CBD beverages form part of an even wider market for marijuana-infused drinks that is predicted to reach a value of $600 million in three years’ time.

• U.S. market for CBD and THC beverages could reach $600 million by 2022.
• Cannabis-infused drinks could outperform other cannabis products.
• Non-cannabis and cannabis companies alike are joining this new market.

Savvy companies are looking to position themselves in this burgeoning market, often by partnering with companies that provide invaluable experience in the sector. Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile), an established omni-direct lifestyle company, has formed a cross-marketing agreement with a bottled spring water company, which will see the pair develop new products including a ready-to-drink CBD beverage. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is partnering with the world’s largest brewer in a $100-million joint venture to research cannabis-infused nonalcoholic drinks. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) recently received a $4 billion investment from a leading beer maker. Other companies are looking to grow in additional cannabis spaces. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) recently received a license from Health Canada permitting the sale of cannabis softgel capsules. And GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH) announced that its FDA-approved anti-epileptic drug is now available in the United States.

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/vNY60

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/bBws8

About Youngevity International, Inc.

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) is a leading omni-direct lifestyle company offering a hybrid of the direct selling business model that also offers e-commerce and the power of social selling. Assembling a virtual Main Street of products and services under one corporate entity, Youngevity offers proven products from the six top-selling retail categories: health/nutrition, home/family, food/beverage (including coffee), spa/beauty, apparel/jewelry, as well as innovative services. The company was formed during the summer 2011 merger of Youngevity Essential Life Sciences with Javalution® Coffee Company (now part of the company’s food and beverage division). The resulting company became Youngevity International, Inc. in July 2013. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.YGYI.com

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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State records that were published on January 14 show that Arizonans set a record in the state by consuming a total of 61 tons of different forms of medical marijuana.

The report shows that Arizona medical cannabis dispensaries sold 2.5 tons of marijuana edibles last year. One interesting thing about this statistic is that in 2012, the entire state consumed that exact quantity of cannabis products. That year was the first full year since the medical marijuana was legalized.

Another comparison with that first year has to do with the number of patients who acquired medical cannabis cards. In 2012, just 40,000 people were enrolled on the program. By the end of December last year, 186,000 patients were actively using their medical cannabis cards.

The report released by the Arizona Department of Health Services shows that patients bought 56 tons of marijuana flower (buds) from the licensed dispensaries in the state. Another 2.5 tons of other marijuana products, such as resins and extracts, were also consumed during the year.

The cannabis edibles sold in 2018 were approximately 34 percent more than the quantity of edibles sold the previous year. Overall, the 61 tons of cannabis sold indicate a 42 percent increase from the quantity of marijuana products that were consumed the year before.

However, cannabis resins saw a sharper rise in the volume sold. The resins sold in 2018 were more than those sold in 2017 by 83 percent.

It is worth noting that the Arizona Court of Appeal ruled that cannabis extracts, such as resins, were not included in the protections offered to patients and doctors who were involved in the medical cannabis industry.

Nonetheless, dispensaries continued to sell the products, and patients continued to buy them as the entire state waited for the Supreme Court in Arizona to make its ruling on the matter. The outcome of the review by the Supreme Court is yet to be announced.

On matters of demographics, the statistics released by DHS show that more women took medical marijuana last year when compared to those registered in 2017. 40.02 percent of all patients on the program in 2018 were women compared to 38.35 percent in 2017.

The figures of the medical marijuana consumed are expected to keep rising, and it is interesting to note that in 2014, the total demand for cannabis in the state (both medical and recreational) was estimated to be 81 tons, just 33 percent higher than what the medical cannabis market has sold in 2018. That means the estimates may have been grossly conservative or off the mark. This positive outlook is good news to the entire cannabis industry, including Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP).

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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Flora California Prime, a cannabis company based in San Diego, intends to build a $200 million cannabis campus in Buffalo once New York legalizes recreational cannabis. Flora California Prime is undertaking the project as a joint venture with Zephyrs Investors (a real estate development firm owned by Brad Termini).

The facility would create up to 1,000 jobs during and after its construction in the vicinity of Tifft Nature Preserve in Buffalo. These people would be employed to do research work, work in the labs, be involved in manufacturing and other related activities.

Brian Termini, the co-founder of Flora California Prime revealed that they saw a major opportunity when New York started taking steps to legalize recreational marijuana.

The Buffalo Urban Development Corporation, the relevant city agency, has already approved the sale of the land to Flora at approximately $2 million, subject to an appraisal. At 47 acres, the Flora facility would be one of the largest throughout the country.

Brian Termini revealed that his company would be ready to start construction work in less than 120 days after the city grants them a permit to go ahead with the project.

However, Termini admitted that his company was not yet sure how the cannabis grown and processed at the facility would be distributed. He said that those details will emerge once the law legalizing recreational cannabis has been passed since the law will provide the guidelines that the company will comply with when designing its distribution system.

He also added that he hopes that the cannabis campus would be operational within a year, but added that no cannabis will be retailed from its premises.

The project will also involve conducting marijuana research, especially on how cannabis can be used in the treatment of cancer. The research activities will be carried out in conjunction with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Institute.

It is widely expected that a recreational marijuana law will be passed in March or April this year, especially after Gov. Cuomo indicated that the passing of this law would be one of his priorities in the first 100 days of his third term in office.

The city of Buffalo is very hopeful about is economic prospects once the Flora facility is open. This is because the city has been keeping tabs on events across the border in Ontario where several multi-billion companies have emerged from the time medical cannabis was legalized in Canada.

Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE), Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL) and the entire cannabis industry wish Flora all the best in its promising undertaking in New York.

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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Multifaceted financial news and publishing company CannabisNewsWire (“CNW”) today announced its attendance at the second annual Cannabis Capital Conference, taking place in Miami Beach, Florida from January 15-16. CNW is serving as a media sponsor and the official newswire of the conference, hosted by leading financial media outlet Benzinga. “The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is a premier convention in the cannabis space, and we are pleased to be part of heightening its awareness throughout the investment community,” CannabisNewsWire Communications Director Jonathan Keim stated in the release. “This conference draws leading cannabis innovators, investors and entrepreneurs from all across North America, and it is a privilege to attend and network among them.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/Ld5m0

About Benzinga

Benzinga is a dynamic and innovative financial media outlet that empowers investors with high-quality, unique content that is coveted by Wall Street’s top traders. Benzinga provides timely, actionable ideas that help users navigate even the most uncertain and volatile markets – in real-time with an unmatched caliber. From breakouts to unusual volume, analyst ratings, futures and options, Benzinga is the leading full-service, one-stop shop for investors of all stripes and styles. For more information, visit www.Benzinga.com.

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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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The 2018 U.S. Farm Bill changes the way that CBD-based products are legally classified. If the federal government permits the sale of cannabis-sourced products online, established companies in the space could reap huge rewards.

• The legalization of cannabis in Canada and some U.S. States has demonstrated the latent demand for cannabis-based products.
• CBD is used to make numerous products and its potential uses are growing.
• Research suggests that the market for CBD products could grow to an estimated $22 billion over the next four years.

SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) (SING Profile) is in a good position to take full advantage of the changes in how CBD products are regulated. Major producers such as Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA), Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTC: MJNA) and OrganiGram Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: OGRMF) (TSX.V: OGI) are also well-placed to expand into…

Read More >>

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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DISCLAIMER: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by CNW are solely those of CNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable CNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. CNW is a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and is NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, CNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

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Voters in Missouri voted to legalize medical marijuana during the midterms last year and now the state is planning to have a medical marijuana business conference and expo in March this year.

The trade show has been dubbed MoCannBizCon+Expo and it is slated to take place on March 11-12 in St. Louis at the Union Station.

The trade show is being organized by the Medical Cannabis Trade Association. Between 1,000 and 1,500 people are expected to attend this first of a kind event in the state.

The organizers plan to use this event as a platform to educate people about how they can take part in this industry that has just been legalized.

According to the information available, the keynote speaker during the trade show will be Lyndall Fraker, the newly appointed director responsible for medical marijuana in the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The Department of Health and Senior Services is mandated to oversee the implementation of the medical marijuana program in the state.

Meanwhile, the new legislative session in Missouri is slated to commence tomorrow (Wednesday), but 10 bills connected to marijuana have already been filed.

Under the law that voters overwhelmingly supported, Missouri residents can get prescriptions for medical marijuana from their physicians if those residents suffer from one of the qualifying conditions listed, such as cancer, PTSD, chronic pain and other debilitating conditions.

At the moment, patients aren’t able to apply for medical marijuana cards, but this should happen latest early summer (by June 4). DHSS (Department of Health and Senior Services) is mandated to screen the applications and issue the cards.

In the meantime, patients can talk to their doctors about medical marijuana and whether it can be a useful addition to their treatment plans.

The law gives legal protections to patients and their doctors from any prosecution or sanction of any kind arising from their association (prescription or use) with medical marijuana.

Those protections are just one of the things that trade show attendees will be educated about. Leaflets and other educational resources will be handed out during the trade show so that residents get adequate information about how they can benefit from this industry.

The trajectory taken by Missouri to implement its medical cannabis program is more surefooted and fast when compared to the approach other states, such as New York, took to get their programs on the ground. New York took about a year and a half to start availing medical cannabis to patients.

FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF), Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) and the entire cannabis industry are pleased that Missouri is exhibiting such steadfastness in getting the program started.

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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While Gov. Andrew Cuomo says that a law legalizing recreational marijuana is likely to be passed this year, legislators still have a lot to do before the details of what form legalization will take shape up. The following issues are some of the sticking points that are likely to generate a lot of debate as a law is finalized.

What Role Will Local Governments Play?

You cannot think about legalizing adult-use marijuana without considering how to factor in local governments. It isn’t yet clear whether the law that will be passed will give local authorities any power to accept or refuse recreational cannabis businesses in their jurisdiction. California granted local authorities the right to determine whether retail outlets will operate in their jurisdictions or not.

However, Massachusetts took a different approach and centralized the issuance of retail licenses. Either approach has its own pros and cons. For example, California licensed hundreds of retail outlets while only a handful are so far open in Massachusetts. So, which direction will New York take on this matter?

How Much Tax Will Be Imposed?

The issue of taxes is a major one because taxes are one of the reasons why proponents have been advocating for the legalization of recreational pot across the U.S. However, it is hard to build consensus on what rate should be used to tax recreational marijuana.

While a low rate is attractive and can pile pressure on the black market, it has the downside of potentially failing to raise sufficient revenues to meet the cost of regulating the industry as well as fund other state priorities, such as rebuilding the aging infrastructure.

Conversely, a high tax rate has the potential of generating the target revenues for the state, but will buyers play along? Price-sensitive consumers may find it easier to drive to nearby states for more affordable cannabis, or they may opt for the black market. Then, where will the tax money be spent? Opinions abound on this matter as well.

How Will the Market Be Regulated?

Numerous proposals have been fronted regarding how or more specifically who should oversee the recreational marijuana industry. Some people think that the Department of Health should be in charge since it is already handling medical cannabis. Others are of the opinion that a new body should be built from the ground up just for the recreational market.

Which way this debate finally goes may determine how soon New Yorkers can legally buy recreational marijuana within the state.

Where Will the Cannabis Be Consumed?

It is also not yet clear where and how the recreational cannabis will be consumed. For example, will it be acceptable for adults to smoke a joint in public, or will they be restricted to doing so in the privacy of their homes? Will cannabis cafes similar to what is in Amsterdam be permitted in New York? Will edibles and concentrates be legal as well, or these will be addressed later?

As you can see, the legislators have their work cut out. New Yorkers, and industry players like Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) as well as ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) hope that a speedy resolution to all the sticky questions is found so that New Yorkers don’t have to wait for too long before they can access marijuana legally.

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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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The market for cannabidiol (CBD) beverages alone could achieve a value of $260 million in the United States by 2022. CBD beverages form part of an even wider market for marijuana-infused drinks that is predicted to reach a value of $600 million in three years’ time.

• U.S. market for CBD and THC beverages could reach $600 million by 2022.
• Cannabis-infused drinks could outperform other cannabis products.
• Non-cannabis and cannabis companies alike are joining this new market.

Savvy companies are looking to position themselves in this burgeoning market, often by partnering with companies that provide invaluable experience in the sector. Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile), an established omni-direct lifestyle company, has formed a cross-marketing agreement with a bottled spring water company, which will see the pair develop new products including a ready-to-drink CBD beverage. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is partnering with the world’s largest brewer in a $100-million joint venture to research cannabis-infused nonalcoholic drinks. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) recently received a $4 billion investment from a leading beer maker. Other companies are looking to grow in additional cannabis spaces. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) recently received a license from Health Canada permitting the sale of…

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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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DISCLAIMER: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by CNW are solely those of CNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable CNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. CNW is a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and is NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

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There were fears that the legalization of adult-use marijuana in different U.S. states would trigger a decline in alcohol sales as consumers switch to marijuana instead of taking alcohol. Numerous reasons, such as the hangovers associated with alcohol consumption, were cited as factors that would impact alcohol sales once cannabis was legalized. However, a recent study conducted by the Distilled Spirits Council has found that no such slump in sales has occurred in the three states where recreational cannabis has been legal for the longest time in the U.S.

The alcohol trade association reported that the trends in alcohol sales remained consistent regardless of marijuana legalization in Washington, Oregon and Colorado.

The Distilled Spirits Council analyzed the per-capita alcohol consumption data in the three states from two years before legalization occurred to four years after legalization.

The data showed that the sales of spirits increased by 3.6 percent in Oregon and 7.6 percent in Colorado.

However, wine did not fare the same way in all the three states. Washington registered a drop in sales during the time studied by the Council. At the same time, an upward trend was noticed in wine sales in Oregon and Colorado.

Beer sales have generally been declining for over a decade, and the analysts weren’t surprised to find that beer continued to lose its market share to spirits and wine even after marijuana became legal for adult-use in the three states.

Vivien Azer, one of the analysts who pored over the alcohol sales data commented that lower-end beers faced the greatest risk of losing their market share because they were largely consumed by lower-income Caucasian men who often faced a choice between buying cannabis and taking a beer. The data shows that cannabis is emerging as the winner when such a choice has to be made.

Wines and distilled spirits appeared to be insulated from such pressures because they tend to be consumed by higher-income earners who can afford to consume marijuana and their favorite alcoholic drink. Besides, cocktails are increasing in popularity among women, so that demographic alone can keep the sales of wines and spirits up.

All the same, many industry watchers are cautioning that it is still early days to conclude that marijuana will not eat into the market share of alcohol. Different generations and demographics are likely to respond differently when marijuana becomes an option for them. As recent polls show, marijuana is clearly becoming a favorite across the board. Industry players like Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) hope that such goodwill translates into the spending of disposable income on marijuana.

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While 2018 can be described as a huge year for marijuana in many ways, 2019 promises to yield even bigger strides for the industry. Investors who are planning to get in on the action this year should pay attention to three important factors that are likely to have an impact on the price of marijuana stocks. This article discusses those factors.

Changes to U.S. Marijuana Laws

There have been concerted efforts to get the U.S. federal government to modify its marijuana laws. So far, nothing has happened yet. However, the new House of Representatives that started its work at the start of this month seems poised to pass some legislation that will change the legal landscape for marijuana. Efforts are also ongoing in the Senate to build consensus around marijuana law reform.

Should any change be made, several companies are poised to register big wins since they will be able to attract more investors. For example, the passing of a law that recognizes the right of states to enact their own marijuana laws can ease the jitters of many potential investors in the industry. Needless to say, the rescheduling of marijuana at the federal level can cause major activity in the market for marijuana stocks.

Growth and Expansion in the Canadian Recreational Market

The Canadian recreational market is still in its infancy, but even then, the demand has overwhelmed the growers there and they are scrambling to step up their production in order to meet the huge demand.

Be that as it may, many more aspects of the market, such as concentrates and edibles, are yet to be legalized. The passing of the appropriate legislation for those other products will cause a significant stir in the market. The companies that have primed themselves to bring additional products, such as edibles, will command a huge share of the market. Savvy investors should therefore do their homework and identify the companies that have positioned themselves properly to jump in first once the door is opened.

Big Deals

In 2018, the marijuana industry saw some major deals between cannabis companies and entities outside the industry. For example, Constellation Brands concluded a big money deal with Canopy Growth. Cronos Group also received a huge investment from tobacco giant Altria. Those deals caused major price movements in the stocks of the two cannabis companies, and more deals can be expected this year.

Remember, last year ended when there were rumors that some beverage makers, such as Coca-Cola, were in talks with Canadian marijuana companies. Nothing came of those rumors, but don’t discount them just yet. Other companies are also poised to strike deals with big brand entities that are looking to get a foot into the marijuana industry. The investors who correctly identify and buy shares in companies that eventually put pen to paper will smile all the way to the bank when they ride the wave that will carry the stocks of those companies upwards as a result of the deals struck.

The marijuana industry has rightly been lauded as good for everyone (patients, the taxman, employees, investors and recreational users). Read the factors above correctly when making an investment decision and you too will join the ranks of those who are benefiting from the industry. That is what industry players like Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) and VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) want for every investor.

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In true Las Vegas fashion, the record for the most expensive cannabis product ever sold (so far) has gone to a cannabis dispensary where a restaurant owner bought a “cannagar” (a cigar that contains marijuana instead of tobacco) at $11,000.

This record-breaking purchase was made by Brandon Hawkins after he flew to Las Vegas from Los Angeles with the sole purpose of buying this specialty product.

The scene of this purchase was Nuwu Cannabis Marketplace found on tribal land. The cannagar was wrapped in a 24-carat gold leaf, part of the reason why it was so expensive.

Brandon Hawkins said that he was buying the expensive product on behalf of a business partner that wished to remain anonymous. The sale took place on December 28, just in time for Brandon Hawkins and his unnamed business partner to secure a unique way to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Hawkins paid for the product by handing Joe Delarosa (a budtender, who had been expecting him on that day) stacks of $20 bills. The two men shook hands, and the deal was closed.

Interestingly, this purchase took three months to arrange. First, Hawkins was intrigued by a similar cannagar that was bought in June 2018 at $10,000.

Hawkins had spent more than a decade working in Las Vegas before he moved to LA. One of his workmates during his stint in Las Vegas was Ranson Shepherd.

Shepherd co-founded Virtue, a Las Vegas cannabis grower. It was therefore no mistake when Hawkins contacted Shepherd after hearing about the $10,000 cannagar. Shepherd reached out to Leira, the Washington-based maker of the cannagar sold in Seattle.

Shepherd and Ariel Payopay (of Leira) agreed to form a partnership that would see the cannagars produced by Leira sold in Las Vegas. The sale of the record-breaking cannagar marked the official launch of Leira’s cannagar sales in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is likely to witness such high-end purchases more frequently when cannabis lounges open in the city. The tribe that owns Nuwu Cannabis Marketplace also received a gift of a smaller version of the cannagar purchased by Hawkins. The gift was from both Virtue and Leira as a token of thanks for what the tribe is doing to spur growth in the cannabis industry.

Does an $11,000 cannagar taste better than a cheaper version? Maybe yes, maybe no. However, this video explains that our minds trick us into believing that costlier products are of superior quality. So, don’t have any harsh words for Hawkins and his business partner! After all, that purchase is good for the industry because it is pushing cannabis culture in a whole new direction, exactly what industry players, including TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) and Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) want.

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About CannabisNewsWire

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The U.S. federal government has plans to give researchers $1.5 million to study the minor components of cannabis and the terpenes in the plant during the 2019 funding cycle. The money will go to researchers who want to study how cannabis components, excluding THC, affect pain management.

NCCIH (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) published a notice asking researchers to show interest in studying terpenes and minor cannabinoids. The funding will go towards understanding how those minor cannabinoids and terpenes work to relieve pain either in isolation or in combination with each other.

The notice published by NCCIH stressed that such studies are important given the fact that addictive opioids are widely used to combat pain.

THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid in marijuana, is known to have pain-relief effects. However, little is known about the analgesic effects of the minor cannabinoids and terpenes, and yet these could be useful alternatives as painkillers.

The federal agency also wrote that there was some research showing that cannabis could enhance the ability of opioids to relieve pain, so it is possible that cannabis constituents may be used in combination with opioids to manage pain effectively while using smaller doses of the opioids.

NCCIH then listed the cannabinoids it is greatly interested in. These include cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG) and several terpenes.

The agency is interested in finding out whether those cannabis constituents with analgesic attributes can be separated from the psychoactive ones without affecting the painkilling benefits of the analgesic elements.

Additionally, the agency listed a number of research areas for which applicants could apply for funding. For example, NCCIH will consider applicants who want to study how gender, sex and age differences impact the analgesic effects of minor cannabinoids and terpenes.

Secondly, the agency welcomes researchers who plan to focus on the analgesic effects of terpenes and minor cannabinoids on the different stages of pain, such as acute pain and chronic pain.

Another potential area of study is the effect of different dosage levels or methods of administration of terpenes and minor cannabinoids that have been found to have painkilling effects.

In total, 11 areas of research are included in the notice released for those who may be interested in securing federal funding for their research on cannabis.

Four grant recipients will share the $1.5 million. Interested groups or researchers were asked to submit their applications a minimum of 30 days before March 15. One can only guess that the 30 days before that deadline will be used to evaluate the applications and select those who will receive the research grants.

Such funding is a step in the right direction because it will enable the federal government to make marijuana policies and laws based on facts rather than conjecture. Industry players like The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) and The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) applaud the effort made to facilitate cannabis research.

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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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Did you, in your wildest dreams, ever imagine that the start of your business venture would depend on the outcome of a lottery? Well, that is exactly the fate awaiting cannabis retail license applicants in Ontario, Canada. The provincial government led by the Progressive Conservatives has decided to use a lottery to select the first 25 private entities that will be allowed to open marijuana retail businesses.

Previously, the province had resolved to sell recreational cannabis in government-run retail outlets only. However, the change of government towards the end of the year resulted in a modification of that plan, thereby giving private players a chance to take part in the retail segment.

That change of government, and the resultant decision regarding how cannabis will be sold, led to a delay of the start of retail sales in brick and mortar outlets. For now, residents of Ontario can only buy cannabis from the online stores that have been operating since legalization took place on October 17.

The retail license applicants should not worry that the lottery equipment will be rigged. The system to be used during this lottery (that can make or break businesses) is the same system used by AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) to test all slot machines before they are installed for use in casinos.

This particular lottery comes at a steep cost for those who want to participate. First, they were required to pay $75 as an application submission fee. Additionally, the applicants also forked out $4,000 as a retail authorization fee in addition to another $6,000 as payment for a retail operation license. To crown it all, each applicant was required to present a $50,000 letter of credit to prove that they had the financial ability to operate a cannabis retail outlet.

The applications were submitted between January 7 and January 9. AGCO will select the winners tomorrow (January 11). This round of the selection process excluded LPs (Licensed Producers of cannabis) in order to prevent a single entity from controlling the retail market.

AGCO had also warned that only serious entities or individuals should enter this lottery because stiff penalties will be imposed on those who don’t open their businesses by April 1. For example, a fine of $12,500 will be imposed if they don’t open their outlets by that date. A similar fine will apply if the business isn’t operational by 15th, and then a larger fine of $25,000 will have to be paid if the month ends when a licensed business hasn’t opened its doors to the public. In short, prepare to pay a fine of $50,000 if April 30 finds that your retail business isn’t operational.

Meanwhile, the supply shortages don’t show any sign of ending, and that is why AGCO decided to issue only 25 retail licenses instead of the 40 they had originally wanted to issue. Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQB: SNNVF) and other players like Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) hope the supply issues get resolved so that offline retail sales can take off without a hitch in Ontario.

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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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Canada is slated to legalize cannabis edibles sometime this year and the population is filled with excitement regarding these products. However, if the trend in the U.S. states where edibles are legal is anything to go by, then edibles will not be the biggest moneymaker. Something else, concentrates, will be king of the market.

For example, edibles fetched $685 million from the start of 2018 to October the same year in Oregon, Colorado, California and Arizona. However, the same period saw consumers spending approximately $1.4 billion on marijuana concentrates.

The bulk of that money spent on cannabis concentrates was for marijuana vape pens and cannabis oil cartridges. These items alone accounted for $972 million in the months referred to earlier as captured in the statistics collected by BDS Analytics.

In the cannabis industry, vape pens are the modern or better version of cannabis joints in the same way that electronic cigarettes provide a better way to get your nicotine hit when compared to smoking a combustible cigarette.

Cannabis vape pens are discreet, not smelly and they are user-friendly when compared to the hassles that one has to go through to roll and light a joint.

The other cannabis concentrates on which Americans in the states named earlier spent money were hash oil, wax and shatter. These particular kinds of concentrates are intended for “dabbing.”

Thus, the evidence from the U.S. shows that cannabis concentrates are likely to fetch more money than the edibles that everyone is excited about.

These findings are given further credence when one considers the responses of ordinary people to different cannabis products. Many people will be more willing to try a vape pen rather than taking a puff on a joint if those people haven’t consumed cannabis before.

Interestingly, data from Canada shows that people have been consuming marijuana concentrates for a while. For example, a 2018 survey of approximately 13,000 cannabis consumers revealed that 26 percent had ever used hashish while 19 percent admitted that they had ever used a solid form of marijuana concentrate.

People opposed to cannabis edibles claim that these products will dominate the market and open the gate to the misuse of cannabis. However, the data collected over time shows that even if edibles grow in popularity, they will always fall behind concentrates and the dried bud in terms of market share.

Industry watchers and participants like Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) and SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) are waiting to see how events play out once edibles become legal throughout Canada.

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About CannabisNewsWire

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Related Editorial
Moments prior to signing a historic 2018 Farm Bill and effectively legalizing industrial hemp, President Donald Trump tweeted out a video of his performance at the 2005 Emmy Awards, singing the song “Green Acres.” Having already passed through the House of Representatives and the Senate, the bill was met with much fanfare across nearly the entire cannabis sector, including benefactors such as Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) (GGB Profile), Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED), Harvest Health and Recreation (CSE: HARV) and MedMen Enterprises Inc. (CSE: MMEN) (OTC: MMNFF).

To view the full editorial, visit http://cnw.fm/z8mMK

To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit http://cnw.fm/DkqS7

About Green Growth Brands

Green Growth brands expects to dominate the cannabis and CBD market with a portfolio of emotion-driven brands that people love. Led by Peter Horvath, the GGB team is full of retail and consumer packaged goods experts with decades of experience building successful brands. Join the movement at www.GreenGrowthBrands.com.

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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The Department of Health in Rhode Island has scheduled a public hearing early next month to collect views about a petition that calls for cannabis to be used to help people wean off prescription opioids.

Prescription opioid overdoses were found to be responsible for the death of 336 people in 2016 while the number of such fatalities in 2017 was 323. From the start of 2018 to September 2018, the fatalities from prescription overdoses were 220.

The public hearing will take place on February 6 starting at 10a.m at the auditorium of the DOH. Thereafter the department will review the feedback that it collects from different stakeholders before reviewing the available medical literature on the use of medical cannabis instead of prescription opioids.

The Department of Health will also contact clinicians and different researchers in order to learn what their opinion is on this matter.

Finally, a definitive decision on the petition will be made by the Department of Health. The law stipulates that a final decision has to be made on such petitions within 180 days from the time that the petition was received. This means that a final decision should be made by April 15 since the petition was received in October last year.

If Rhode Island decides to approve the use of medical cannabis in the place of prescription opioids, the patients may most likely consume their cannabis as edibles. However, people will also be free to smoke it or apply it topically as an ointment.

The CDC estimates that countrywide, more than 72,000 people died from opioid overdoses in 2017 alone. That figure was 10 percent higher than the opioid fatalities recorded in 2016. There is no sign that this trend of opioid dependency and overdoses will slow down soon, so there is an urgent need to find ways to deal with the crisis.

The outcome of the petition in Rhode Island may well hold the key to turning the tide on this epidemic since there are indicators that cannabis can help people to deal with chronic pain. If Rhode Island proves that this is the case, then a major revolution will take shape starting with the states where medical cannabis is legal, and spreading to the others where medical cannabis is yet to be legalized. Who knows, the federal government may eventually rethink its position on medical cannabis.

For now, the focus is on the upcoming public hearing and the eventual decision that will be made. Industry players like Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTC: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) hope that the hearing and the analysis thereafter brings an outcome that is in the best interest of patients.

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• 420 with CNW – Ohio Residents Petition for More Medical Marijuana Qualifying Conditions

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Iowa legalized medical cannabis in 2014, but the rate at which the state has adapted to the changing realities of the industry is so slow that many have been left frustrated by how oblivious the state legislature is to the things that laypeople see every day. Of specific concern are the three issues below.

The Number of Licensed Dispensaries

The entire state of Iowa has only five medical cannabis dispensaries from which patients can legally acquire what they need for their health challenges. For example, Cedar Rapids doesn’t have any licensed dispensary within its borders and yet this is the second largest city in the state. How is it possible that no dispensary is located there and yet there is no local bylaw banning cannabis businesses from operating there?

This just goes to show that the authorities didn’t consider the demand for medical cannabis when passing the law that restricted the number of licensed dispensaries to just five. What they may not know is that such a limit can unwittingly encourage the black market to thrive in the state since the illicit supply can easily reach every corner of the state.

The Cap on THC Levels

The regulations in place limit how much THC medical cannabis can contain to 3 percent. THC is the cannabinoid that makes people “high”. The board overseeing the medical cannabis program voted unanimously to retain the 3 percent limit on THC for another year or two before revisiting the matter.

While it may be reasonable to set a limit on how much THC people consume when they buy medical cannabis, such a limit should not be so low that patients will be compelled to consume a larger quantity of cannabis in order to get the desired effects.

It would be better for the authorities to provide a rationale for that 3 percent THC limit and get feedback from experts and the public on the same before enacting it into law. As things stand, patients may be compelled to spend more money buying a larger quantity of cannabis since there is no cap on the quantity they can buy.

The Qualifying Conditions

Iowa is operating as though it is the first state to legalize medical cannabis and yet there are several precedents to learn from. California is reputed to have some of the strictest regulatory controls not just for medical cannabis but for everything else. However, California created a list of dozens of conditions for which medical cannabis could be bought long before recreational cannabis was legalized.

Iowa started by allowing medical cannabis for only epilepsy, then eased up a bit in 2017 to include a few more conditions. What is baffling is that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ADHD and bi-polar weren’t added to the list and yet nearly all other states include them among the qualifying conditions.

All in all, the board in charge of the medical marijuana program needs to be more foresighted and stop being reactive in its approach. Otherwise, the program will not attain its intended objectives. No one, including Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) and Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE), would want this beneficial program to fail.

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Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) together with other cosponsors have introduced a bill in Congress seeking to protect states that legalize medical marijuana from federal prosecution while making their own laws to regulate the medical marijuana industry.

The bipartisan bill will formalize the respect of the rights of states to pass laws and implement their own medical marijuana programs. Currently, only a Department of Justice spending rider passed by Congress prevents federal prosecutors from using taxpayer money to prosecute individuals who use cannabis for medical or recreational purposes in states where it is legal. That rider, at least hypothetically, doesn’t bar federal prosecutors from using resources from anywhere else to go after cannabis consumers.

The CARERS (Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States) Act wants to remove any doubt that doctors, patients and caregivers risk federal prosecution for doing what is legal in their states.

The bill should not be mistaken to be a clever way of legalizing medical marijuana across the country. Rather, it just clarifies that the states that legalize medical marijuana will not be exposing their residents to the possibility of prosecution by the feds on charges related to possessing or consuming a federally illegal substance.

That threat of prosecution is so real that some states have introduced bills seeking to protect medical cannabis patients’ records from access by federal authorities. Missouri is an example of such states where bills are being considered in this regard.

Furthermore, the CARERS Act will allow doctors treating veterans to prescribe medical cannabis for the conditions which can be eased or treated by the use of medical cannabis. The bill seeks to insulate the doctors and their patients from any legal issues arising from the use of medical cannabis.

The Act will also grant greater access to scientists who would like to conduct investigations into the uses of marijuana. Currently, it is very hard to obtain approval for research, let alone access to high-quality cannabis for such studies.

Congressman Cohen said in a statement he issued that there is bipartisan support for cannabis reform across the country, but the federal laws aren’t in tandem with the wishes of the people because the laws continue to regard people who prescribe or use cannabis as criminals. His bill will try to bridge the gap between what the people want and what the broken laws currently state.

Marijuana advocates have a lot of hope in the current Congress that has just started business. Their hope hinges on the fact that the House is dominated by Democrats who have a track record of being progressive on matters of marijuana law reform. Industry players like Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) and Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) hope that this bill will succeed in the House and the Senate, and that many others will follow.

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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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Toward the end of this month, a special committee will sit to assess the different petitions that Ohioans submitted calling for additional conditions to be included on the list of ailments for which one can obtain a medical cannabis card.

The meeting this month comes after the end of a window within which people could send in their requests for the conditions they want to see on the qualifying list for access to medical cannabis.

Medical marijuana became legal in 2016 and 21 qualifying conditions were listed in that law. However, the law also granted the Medical Marijuana Board permission to review that list and add more conditions once each year.

The sale of medical marijuana is scheduled to start sometime this month and already more than 4,000 residents have secured medical marijuana cards. According to estimates, three in 10 Ohioans could qualify for a medical marijuana card even if the list of qualifying conditions stays as it was when the enabling law was passed.

The window within which interested parties could submit their petitions for additions to the list of qualifying conditions started on Nov. 1 and ended at the stroke of midnight on December 31. By the close of the window, 110 petitions had been submitted.

Those 110 petitions are now with a committee of lawyers advising the medical board. The lawyers will select some conditions indicated in the petitions and submit their shortlist to a committee that will meet tomorrow (January 9).

That committee will decide which of the conditions on the shortlist can be forwarded to medical experts for additional review and benchmarking in other states where medical cannabis programs exist.

The experts will then report back to the committee so that a report is presented to the full Medical Marijuana Board for a final vote. The Medical Board should have made their final decision by June 30, 2019, so that the list of qualifying conditions can be updated thereafter.

Some of the conditions in the petitions received include insomnia, depression and anxiety. Others are opioid addiction, acne, fibromyalgia and chronic pain. However, it should be noted that some of the petitions mentioned conditions that already appear among the 21 qualifying conditions listed in the 2016 law.

Currently, 33 states plus the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. That notwithstanding, cannabis remains a Schedule 1 substance under federal law, so it is hard for scientists to study the plant and its derivatives in this prohibitionist legal environment.

Nonetheless, there are signs that the stringent controls will ease up a bit because already, the FDA has licensed a drug derived from cannabis, and permission was granted to a group of researchers at UC San Diego to import cannabis capsules from Canada for research purposes. Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) hope that the environment will become conducive soon enough at the federal level so that the industry in the U.S. can grow based on the findings of scientific studies.

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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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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Moments prior to signing a historic 2018 Farm Bill and effectively legalizing industrial hemp, President Donald Trump tweeted out a video of his performance at the 2005 Emmy Awards, singing the song “Green Acres.” Having already passed through the House of Representatives and the Senate, the bill was met with much fanfare across nearly the entire cannabis sector, including benefactors such as Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) (GGB Profile), Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED), Harvest Health and Recreation (CSE: HARV) and MedMen Enterprises Inc. (CSE: MMEN) (OTC: MMNFF).

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Trump’s signature was the last hurdle for the $867 billion bill. Now the market is gearing up for the massive potential of hemp-derived cannabinoids hitting stores. Among the benefactors of the passage is Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF), whose goal it is to become the leading retailer of…

Read More >>

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Patients who applied and got approval to join the medical cannabis program in Arkansas will have to wait until February to receive their medical cannabis cards from the state. The delay comes amidst the inability of cultivators to provide medical cannabis to the licensed dispensaries.

Arkansas residents voted to change the constitution in 2016 so that medical cannabis could become legal in the state. However, the process of implementing that change has taken longer than was expected.

The Department of Health in the State is reluctant to give residents medical cannabis cards when medical cannabis supplies aren’t available. The authorities feel that patients would incur an unnecessary cost since the cards are only valid for a year and one must renew the card before accessing medical cannabis. Getting the card several months before dispensaries are ready to sell products would therefore mean that a portion of the card’s validity was wasted.

However, many patients view their desire to have the medical cannabis cards in a different light.

The cards issued by the health authorities in Arkansas can allow the cardholders to acquire temporary licenses from the nearby state of Oklahoma. These temporary cards can be used to buy or grow medical cannabis from the Oklahoma medical cannabis dispensaries. Federal law doesn’t permit marijuana to be moved across state lines, so anyone interested in buying or growing medical cannabis from out of state has to be ready to stay in that state until what they purchased is used up.

The temporary licenses are only valid for 30 days, so there is no chance that an applicant will buy medical marijuana in more than one state. The verification process done before the temporary card is issued confirms that the applicant resides in a state where a medical cannabis program is legal but medical cannabis isn’t available as yet.

Some Arkansas residents have attempted to use the approval letters issued after their medical cannabis applications were processed, but the Oklahoma authorities have rejected those letters.

The stance of the Medical Marijuana Authority in Oklahoma is understandable because the approval letters may not have vital details, such as the medical marijuana card numbers that can be used to track the activities of the cardholders.

For now, Arkansas residents may have to wait until the state prints their cards. That may give those who are badly in need of medical cannabis one month within which to take advantage of the temporary licenses issued in Oklahoma. In case the Arkansas program delays even further, the patients can continue renewing their Oklahoma permits.

Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP) sympathize with the patients in Arkansas and hope that a viable solution for their plight is found soon.

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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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Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee, issued a statement on Friday (January 4) announcing a “marijuana justice initiative” which will help residents with a single cannabis misdemeanor conviction on their record to apply for clemency.

The initiative is intended to reflect the current change regarding the status of marijuana in the state. The Democratic Governor felt that it was unfair for state residents to continue being adversely affected by a minor marijuana possession conviction long after the substance became legal to consume.

Under the initiative, approximately 3,500 people would be eligible for clemency. This estimate was arrived at after looking at the records of the misdemeanor convictions between January 1998 and December 2012.

The initiative will only be open to individuals who are residents of the state and they were prosecuted within the state. Those with more than one conviction aren’t eligible under this plan.

Similar plans to expunge marijuana criminal records in other jurisdictions have been dogged by complaints that the process is slow and expensive, sometimes not worth the effort expended. However, Washington State will process the clemency applications online, and this should expedite the process and make it affordable.

Speaking at a marijuana industry conference, the Governor said it was unfair for people to continue finding it hard to secure financing, get jobs or even accompany their kids on some excursions just because a given individual has a marijuana conviction dating way back. Wiping such convictions from the criminal record of the affected people would allow them to have as much of a normal life as possible in light of the way marijuana law has evolved in the state.

The website through which eligible individuals can apply for clemency has a form that one must fill out. It is not clear at this point what else will be required once someone has filled that form. It is also not known how long the clemency application will take before an applicant knows the outcome of the application.

For now, everyone in the industry, including Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE) and Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTCQB: GNAL) are glad that the past will no longer unjustifiably haunt people who were found guilty of possessing small amounts of a substance that is now legal.

Those who aren’t directly affected by such a blot on their history may think that the marijuana justice initiative is too little and too late, but tell that to someone who wants to buy a home and his or her financier rejects the mortgage application after doing a background check on the person. The initiative may just be what a person needs to hope and believe in a better future.

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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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As the year comes to an end, many investors are evaluating their portfolios and are planning how to reallocate funds from losing investments to other avenues where the earning potential is higher. If you plan to make money from the cannabis industry, read on and discover the three trends that you can consider as you make your 2019 investment allocations.

Think Small

Seasoned investors know that the worst time to acquire interests in an entity is when the price is at its peak, because that means that a market correction will soon happen and latecomers will lose out.

Similarly, people who are planning to invest in the marijuana industry need to move away from the large-cap companies and examine the small-cap companies. There is logic in this approach because many of the large-cap entities are most likely to have partnered with a large entity in the past year (2018), so their shares are likely to have hit an all-time high.

Instead, think of smaller companies, such as those valued at less than a billion dollars. Such companies may have better prospects going forward because you will be positioned to get a slice of any gains they make when big players come knocking to acquire a stake in those companies.

However, you also need to be cautious and avoid very small companies, such as those valued at less than $200 million because the long-term survival of those companies may not be certain as yet.

Look to Auxiliary Companies

It may also be a smart move for investors to put some money in companies that complement the companies involved with the cannabis plant directly. For example, a good place to start would be the companies that provide packaging materials to the cannabis industry. These auxiliary companies are a good investment choice because they will grow as the industry grows, and they often have a foot in other industries, so they are a smaller risk when compared to the companies which “touch the plant.”

Slot CBD In

Cannabis drinks are likely to take the world by storm, and many of them will not cause a high. That means investing in a company that has interests in CBD (from industrial hemp, for example) may line your pockets as the popularity of CBD oils and drinks reaches feverish level in the years to come. Current trends point in this direction, especially after hemp was legalized by the federal government and more states are legalizing either medical or adult-use cannabis.

As always, do your due diligence before making an investment decision. You can start by watching the journey of Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) and ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) in order to get an idea of the historical trends for cannabis companies, and then branch out in the direction that you think holds most promise to you as an investor.

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About CannabisNewsWire

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The difference between U.S. federal marijuana laws and the legal framework in many states around the country has created an ironical situation in which everyone can easily access marijuana in state-legal and states where cannabis is still illegal, but scientists who desperately need high-quality cannabis for research purposes cannot get it.

This situation is very frustrating for the scientists because they know that the private sector in states where cannabis is legal has made available cannabis of very high quality, but scientists can’t lay a finger on it due to federal restrictions.

Instead, the scientists are made to jump through endless hoops in order to get an often inadequate supply of cannabis from the Mississippi University facility authorized to grow cannabis for research purposes.

That cannabis is so inferior in quality that it would never get a buyer if it was put on the open market and buyers compared it to what is available for medical or recreational use in jurisdictions where cannabis is legal.

It is also disturbing that the federal authorities claim that there isn’t sufficient research to back the claims that cannabis is medicinal, and yet the very authorities have made it hard for cannabis research to be conducted. In essence, a catch-22 situation has developed.

These legal roadblocks aren’t likely to end soon, given that the two houses (Congress and the Senate) are unlikely to agree on anything related to marijuana since one is largely Democrat while the other is controlled by Republicans who are renowned for their opposition to any reforms aimed at relaxing cannabis laws.

However, not all is lost. The federal government recently invited qualified entities to apply and grow cannabis for the different research programs that will be approved in 2019. This may break the monopoly held by Mississippi University, but it may not be time to celebrate just yet because issues of quality may still arise in case the selected firms don’t come with the mindset that what they produce must be at par with what the commercial entities are providing to the public.

The other factor that brings hope is the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill. With hemp now legal, it is likely to get easier to study cannabinoids since hemp also contains some limited amounts of THC. The feds may therefore be compelled to ease restrictions since the people studying CBD will also be interested in looking at THC and other cannabinoids.

The entire cannabis industry, including FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) and Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) long for the time when the scientific community in the U.S. will find it as easy to get cannabis for research reasons as ordinary people get the product for medical or recreational use.

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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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The legalization of marijuana in Canada, and the impending legal change to marijuana laws in Mexico now leaves Texas isolated as the only jurisdiction in that area where cannabis isn’t legal. This “engulfment” is likely to generate sufficient pressure to cause a change in Texas sooner rather than later.

Already, public opinion in the state has shifted in favor of lesser punishment for those found in possession of small amounts of cannabis.

Moreover, Kim Ogg, the Harris County District Attorney, entered office in 2017 and started a new program in which small-time cannabis offenders would avoid jail time and a criminal record if they enrolled for a drug education class and stayed clear of re-arrest on similar charges.

This “diversion program” has also been replicated in at least one other Texas county. Ogg reasoned that it wasn’t helpful to devote badly needed resources to hunting down, prosecuting and incarcerating people on minor drugs charges and yet those resources could be put to better use to make communities safer by dealing with other pressing law enforcement issues, such as stemming the growth of child sex abuse online.

In a parallel measure that shows where Texan law is going, the state legislature passed a law in 2015 enabling doctors to prescribe CBD oil for patients whose conditions were unresponsive to the existing conventional drugs.

That law in effect shows that medical marijuana isn’t far off from being legally available as a complementary treatment beyond the narrow description provided as that bill was passed.

Interestingly, Texas also has the distinction of having the cities where the highest amount of cannabis is consumed despite the existence of prohibitionist laws. Research has it that Houston consumes approximately 21 metric tons of marijuana annually. This makes the city rank at number four on the list of the top ten cities in terms of marijuana consumption around the country.

Dallas is also in the top 10, coming in at number seven with an annual consumption of approximately 15 metric tons of cannabis.

So, where is all that weed coming from if no cultivation is allowed in Texas?

In the past, smugglers met the demand by moving cannabis from Mexico to the Lone Star state. However, the relaxation of cannabis laws in the states neighboring Texas has provided a domestic (U.S.) source for the Texas cannabis black market.

In fact, consumers now prefer the superior quality of marijuana produced within the U.S. rather than the crop from Mexico that doesn’t conform to any quality standards. It is now known that licensed growers in the states where medical marijuana is allowed produce much more than what can be consumed within those states. The excess product finds its way into the black market, and this reality has been causing federal prosecutors sleepless nights.

Wouldn’t it be wiser for Texas, and the federal government to legalize cannabis in order to end this cat and mouse game with the black market? Such a decision would ease many of the legal minefields in the way of Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV), Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) and the entire cannabis industry.

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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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Researchers who collected and analyzed data taken from at least 28 European countries have discovered that the potency and price of cannabis has increased significantly over the last decade.

The researchers from King’s College London and University of Bath found that the strength of cannabis has doubled from what it was 11 years ago. The data used in this study was taken from the data collected by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.

The researchers looked at cannabis from two perspectives or categories. One was herbal cannabis and the other was resin cannabis.

The concentration of THC doubled from five percent to 10 percent between 2006 and 2016 in herbal cannabis. Similarly, cannabis resin had its THC content jump from eight percent to 17 percent between 2006 and 2017.

The price of herbal cannabis and cannabis resin also rose steadily during the years analyzed by the researchers. For example, the price of a gram of herbal cannabis rose from 7.36 Euros ($8.41) to 12.22 Euros ($13.97) between 2006 and 2016.

The researchers also observed that while the THC content of cannabis was increasing with time, there was no commensurate rise in the CBD content of cannabis over the same duration covered in the study.

This increase in the concentration of THC raises many concerns since users are more likely to show the psychoactive (and potentially harmful) side-effects of using marijuana. In contrast, a higher CBD content moderates the psychoactive elements of cannabis, so it would be beneficial to see CBD rising in tandem with any increase in THC content.

However, the seizures made by British police show that cannabis resin has stable or reducing levels of CBD and yet the THC content has been growing. This is in contrast to herbal cannabis whose CBD level has been relatively constant even if THC has increased.

Globally, approximately 192 million people use cannabis either for medicinal or recreational purposes. However, these numbers are likely to increase as more jurisdictions pass laws ending prohibition or allowing medical marijuana.

It is therefore necessary to conduct thorough research about the likely impact of this highly potent cannabis on the market. Similarly, regulators need to find ways to regulate the potency of the cannabis released into the market in a way that is similar to how alcohol potency is controlled. For now, consumers should take a cautious approach and remember that a gram of cannabis today may be the equivalent of more than two grams of cannabis a decade ago, so less can be consumed while still offering the same ‘high’.

TransCanna, Therma Bright, Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) and other industry players have been calling for the relaxation of prohibitionist laws in the U.S. so that the scientific community there can study marijuana and facilitate the growth of the industry without exposing users to avoidable risks.

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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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• Presented by Benzinga, the upcoming cannabis conference will be held at the Eden Roc in Miami Beach, Florida; it is the go-to source event for investors who want the latest news and opportunities from the burgeoning sector
• The conference will kick off on January 15 with an invite-only C-Suite retreat for cannabis operators; the audience will be just 100 C-Suite executives; a pre-retreat reception will be held the night prior
• The conference will feature company presentations, networking receptions and an all-star lineup of knowledgeable keynote speakers talking about the global opportunities for cannabis

Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference (CCC) will offer attendees a fast-paced comprehensive lineup of speed networking, a specially selected lineup of keynoters, corporate presentations for investors and a look at the future of cannabis internationally. It will be held January 15-16 at the Eden Roc in Miami Beach (www.BenzingaCannabisConference.com).

The attendee mix is expected to consist of 25 percent institutional investors, 20 percent retail investors, 40 percent public cannabis companies, 10 percent private cannabis companies and five percent media.

Reserve your place and book hotel rooms for CCC now at http://cnw.fm/42sPg. Be sure to learn more about how you can qualify for special discounted tickets and hotel rooms.

“Benzinga’s Cannabis Capital Conference brings together the crème de la crème of the cannabis world,” Neal Hamilton, vice president of marketing for Benzinga, stated in a recent press release. “Benzinga has long presided as a financial media leader, offering broad coverage relative to the cannabis space. We now bring that standout expertise to a live setting where entrepreneurs and investors can network, forge deals and learn from today’s top cannabis influencers, policymakers and innovators.”

CCC will showcase the following public and private companies:

• AmeriCann Inc. (OTCQB: ACAN)
• Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX: ACB) (NYSE: ACB)
• Cannex Capital Holdings Inc. (CSE: CNNX) (OTCQX: CNXXF)
• Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. (CSE: HARV)
• CEDR HR Solutions
• CuraLeaf Holdings Inc. (CSE: CURA)
• DionyMed Brands Inc. (OTC: HMDEF)
• Growcentia
• iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc. (CSE: IAN) (OTCQX: ITHUF)
• InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCQX: IMLFF) (TSX: IN)
• KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: KSHB)
• LGC Capital Ltd. (TSX.V: LG)
• Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (OTCQX: LHSIF)
• MariMed Inc. (OTCQB: MRMD)
• Medicine Man Technologies Inc. (OTCQX: MDCL)
• Medipharm Labs Corp. (TSX.V: LABS)
• MJ Freeway
• New Frontier Data
• Newstrike Brands Ltd. (TSX.V: HIP)
• Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS)
• Pure Global Cannabis Inc. (OTC: PRCNF) (TSX.V: PURE)
• Radicle Inc./Gage Cannabis
• Starbuds/Compass Cannabis
• Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTC: TCNNF)
• Valens GroWorks Corp. (OTCQB: MYMSF)
• Wayland Group Corp. (OTCQB: MRRCF) (CSE: WAYL)
• High Tide Inc. (CSE: HITI)

For more information, visit the event’s website at www.BenzingaCannabisConference.com

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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.

CannabisNewsWire is at the epicenter of the Cannabis Revolution.

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As calls for marijuana legalization sweep across the U.S., many companies are gearing up to provide yet another way to get your high, by sipping marijuana. Cannabis-infused drinks are poised to be a big thing in 2019 and beyond if the undertones surrounding the cannabis industry are to be believed.

First, industrial hemp is now legal to grow after the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law. This means that companies will have a huge source of CBD (the non-psychoactive cannabinoid in hemp and marijuana) to use when making cannabis beverages.

Such drinks may be the first to become popular since name-brand giants like Coca-Cola have expressed an interest in making them. Those beverage giants have massive experience in building a brand from scratch and distributing it to all corners of the world cost-effectively, skills that will be crucial in getting the cannabis drinks to as many people as possible without affecting their cost.

Secondly, the medical use of marijuana is growing rapidly and more states are due to pass legislation or vote on ballot measures to legalize medical marijuana. This sector will also provide huge opportunities for cannabis drinks to take root and thrive. Already, one brewer has put a non-alcoholic cannabis beverage on the shelves of medical marijuana dispensaries. You can bet that more such drinks are in the offing, and consumers may be spoilt for choice by the end of 2019.

A number of craft beer makers have also gotten in on the action and it is now easy to find “cannabis beer” in states where recreational cannabis is legal. However, that beer just contains terpenes that give the beer flavors similar to cannabis flavors. Consequently, you aren’t likely to get a double-high (drunk on beer and high on marijuana). So, don’t be fooled when you see the image of a marijuana leaf or plant slapped on a beer can.

There’s a major reason why you are unlikely to find an alcoholic drink that contains THC. The existing laws in the country don’t allow any maker of alcohol to include THC among the ingredients used to make that alcoholic drink.

This legal provision has a firm foundation in logic, for you wouldn’t want to learn the hard way what a concoction of different intoxicating substances can do your body and mind.

If you didn’t know about that provision of the law, then you need to be first in line to get your ticket to the upcoming Cannabis Drinks Expo in San Francisco so that you can interact with different players in the cannabis industry, such as Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) and VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) as you sip on the different drinks available.

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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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The parliament in Malawi has drafted a bill that will make it legal to grow marijuana and hemp both medicinally and industrially. The bill comes at a time when the country’s export earnings have taken a huge hit as tobacco sales decline year by year.

Tobacco sales have been bringing in at least 60 percent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings, but the sustained anti-smoking efforts spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other groups have triggered a downward trend in the number of people who smoke. Malawi is feeling the effects of those efforts.

Moreover, the estimated value of the largest tobacco companies in the world, such as Altria (makers of Marlboro) and British American Tobacco (BAT) has declined by at least 20 percent.

In the U.S. alone, there has been a 67 percent reduction in the number of smokers from 1965. Today, approximately 14 percent of the U.S. population smokes tobacco cigarettes, and this number continues to reduce year by year.

The cannabis and hemp industry has therefore been lobbying the Malawi government to pass enabling legislation so that the country can diversify its sources of foreign currency earnings. Their campaigns are bolstered by the global trends which show that cannabis and industrial hemp are on the rise as huge commercial crops.

For example, an acre of land on which 2,500 hemp plants are grown fetches approximately $60,000 annually in the U.S., while a similar number of tobacco plants on an acre of land brings a paltry $5,000 annually to Malawi. Making the switch to hemp and cannabis would therefore be a no-brainer when these statistics are considered.

Additionally, the cost of growing hemp and cannabis is likely to be much lower in Malawi given that the country has favorable climate that can allow outdoor grows throughout the year. This is unlike the climate of Canada and the U.S. where indoor facilities have to be used to have supplies of cannabis and hemp all year round.

If the bill is passed, then Malawi will join the ranks of South Africa, Lesotho and Zimbabwe where cannabis prohibition has ended. The question on everyone’s mind is, when will the U.S. federal government finally see the errors of continuing to prohibit marijuana while the rest of the world is legalizing marijuana and allowing researchers and entrepreneurs to understand and commercialize the plant? The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF), The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) and other cannabis industry players are also asking themselves that question.

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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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