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Global EV Demand Drives Scramble for Fresh Supplies of Vital Metals

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Source: NetworkNewsWire

New York, NY – January 9, 2019: With global electric vehicle (EV) demand growth creating the potential for tight supplies in battery metals such as cobalt, multinational companies and industrialized nations are working to secure these critical metals as prices are projected to rise.

The growing market for electric vehicles has led to much higher demand for battery metals such as cobalt, lithium and nickel.
As the largest producer of EVs and largest consumer of battery metals in the world, China is aggressively looking to secure additional supplies of these critical minerals.
Savvy companies are looking to lock in long-term supplies of battery metals.

Driven by the technological advances and environmentally friendly advantages offered by electric vehicles, the long-awaited EV revolution seems to be taking hold. Numerous global corporations are competing for access to limited supplies of battery metals. Prospective cobalt producer Pacific Rim Cobalt Corp. (OTC:PCRCF) (CSE:BOLT) (PCRCF Profile), which just released a detailed corporate update, looks to be in an ideal position to supply those corporations with cobalt. Major miners such as BHP Group Limited American Depositary Shares (NYSE:BHP), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) and VALE S.A. American Depositary Shares (NYSE:VALE) could play a role in growing the global supply of nickel, cobalt and lithium. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) took the extraordinary step of looking for direct supplies of cobalt last year, which shows how heated the battery metals market has become.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

EVs Challenge the Global Supply Chain, Drive Innovation

The rise in EV popularity has created a rush to buy and create new supplies of battery metals because, unlike a normal auto, EVs require large amounts of nickel, cobalt and lithium. Investment bank Goldman Sachs predicts that sales of batteries to power EVs will rise from under $10 billion to $60 billion by 2030, which will require that the global availability of battery metals expands to meet swelling demand.

In addition to creating new demand for battery metals, EVs are also challenging nations to compete in order to expand battery-producing capacity. Chinese, Japanese and South Korean companies are all working to build-out their battery production infrastructure at a rapid pace. China’s BYD Auto. Company is currently one of the largest producers of both EVs and batteries for EVs. The company plans to expand its battery manufacturing capacity to 60 gigawatt hours by 2020, nearly half of China’s total battery manufacturing capacity in 2017.

BYD is part of the Chinese government’s plan to become a world leader in EV production. Beijing has spent billions of dollars to support the EV industry over the last decade. According to Chinese research company Gaogong Industry Research Institute, Chinese battery makers held seven of the top 10 slots on the list of the world’s largest suppliers of lithium-ion batteries for EVs last year. BYD ranked third globally, and China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. (CATL) ranked as the world’s top EV battery manufacturer. Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates that China will produce 70 percent of the world’s electric-vehicle batteries by 2021.

China Isn’t Alone in the Battery Build-Out

China wasn’t the first country to build large-scale battery manufacturing facilities for EVs. Both Japan and South Korea have extensive battery fabrication operations, and major companies in both nations plan to expand their capacity over the next decade. According to JATO Dynamics, only 668,000 battery-powered cars were sold worldwide in 2017, but year-over-year growth was strong at 78 percent. Roughly 82 million passenger cars were sold in the same year, which offers some idea of the potential market size for EVs.

There is neither a lack of government support nor a lack of demand for EVs. One of the only areas where EV growth could face problems may be the supply of battery metals such as nickel, lithium and especially cobalt. Until recently, cobalt was a by-product metal and hadn’t been mined as a primary mine product since the World War II. In addition, currently, more than 60 percent of the world’s cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Not only is the DRC difficult from a labor-rights perspective, the country also has a long history of violence and an inconsistent record of shipping mineral resources.

Battery producers located in Asia are eager to secure access to cobalt supplies outside of Southern Africa. Pacific Rim Cobalt Corp. (OTCQB:PCRCF) (CSE:BOLT) is in a unique position to support these battery producers grow their operations. The company controls the Cyclops Nickel-Cobalt Project in Indonesia, which is in proximity to all three major battery-producing nations.

As an initial step in that direction, Pacific Rim recently signed a preliminary offtake agreement with Beijing Easpring Material Technology, recognized as an industry leader in China, to purchase nickel sulphate and cobalt sulphate from the company’s Cyclops project for an initial term of five years. Indonesia’s record on allowing the development of large-scale mines is strong, and the Cyclops Nickel-Cobalt Project is closer to Asian ports than either Africa or Australia, boding well for the success of this venture.

Occupying a Unique Position

Asian battery producers have limited options when it comes to sourcing essential metals regionally. Pacific Rim Cobalt’s Cyclops Nickel-Cobalt Project occupies a unique location, which is within 4,500 km of accessible ports in Shenzhen, Seoul and Tokyo. The 5,000-hectare property also benefits from excellent local infrastructure allowing for year-round access, with an airport and city nearby. The project is a relatively new development, unlike many cobalt projects in the West, which have been mined-out sporadically over the last century.

In addition, further exploration work at Cyclops is planned. After the company’s exploration results from a mini-bulk sample were announce last year, Pacific Rim Cobalt CEO Ranjeet Sundher commented that “we expect the near-surface nature of cobalt/nickel mineralization at the Cyclops project will lend itself well to low-cost, logistically straightforward drilling. We thus anticipate the opportunity to undertake a resource calculation study, as well as ongoing metallurgy and process option testing, will present itself in the near future. It’s going to be a busy year ahead, and we look forward to getting the drills turning and building value.”

Pacific Rim Cobalt’s Cyclops Nickel-Cobalt Project has returned positive initial sampling results. Further exploration work may help the company delineate a resource and build its way towards a definitive resource estimate. There appears to be no shortage of demand for battery metals, and the Cyclops Project is well placed to potentially service nearby battery-producing companies.

A Global Drive for Vital Resources

Pacific Rim Cobalt is exploring for cobalt in a jurisdiction that has produced some of the biggest mines in human history. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) developed the Grasberg mine in Indonesia. It is the world’s largest gold mine and second-largest producer of copper. The mine operates in the remote highlands of the Sudirman Mountain Range in the Papua province, located on the western half of New Guinea. Freeport-McMoRan and its predecessors have been the only operator of exploration and mining activities in the area since 1967.

Major miners such as BHP Group Limited American Depositary Shares (NYSE:BHP) and VALE S.A. American Depositary Shares (NYSE:VALE) are also looking for ways to leverage the growth in demand for battery metals. BHP is a world-leading resources company that extracts and processes minerals, oil and gas. The company is headquartered in Australia but sells its products worldwide. BHP announced last year that it would be trying to sell as much as 90 percent of the output from its Australian Nickel West operations to the battery sector.

With its primary focus on mining, Vale is expanding production at its Voisey’s Bay nickel mine in Canada, and the cobalt produced there is already under contract to waiting buyers, including Wheaton Precious Metals Corporation. The company is the world’s largest iron ore and nickel producer, with operations in other mineral sectors as well. VALE invests in research studies around the world to identify new mineral reserves, and its teams of geologists and engineers use techniques ranging from rock-sample collection and subsoil drilling to satellite image analysis to identify the presence of minerals.

Despite production expansions by major miners, companies such as Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) that rely heavily on batteries will be competing against the EV industry to buy these essential materials. Cobalt is a critical ingredient in the tech giant’s core product line, including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch and MacBooks. Recognizing the growing demand for the mineral used in its lithium-ion batteries, Apple may be negotiating directly with miners to secure acquisition of the precious metal annually for at least the next five years.

For more information about Pacific Rim Cobalt, please visit Pacific Rim Cobalt (OTCQB:PCRCF) (CSE:BOLT).

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Political Breakthrough Heralds the End of the Prohibition on Hemp

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Source: NetworkNewsWire

Denver CO – December 12, 2018 – With federal legalization of hemp expected in the United States by Christmas, the farming and cannabidiol product industries are anticipating great changes in their future.

Hemp farming, which has been illegal in the United States since 1970, is about to be made legal under the newest Farm Bill legislation.
Pilot projects and work in Canada have allowed companies to prepare for U.S. hemp farming by developing their techniques, science and crop strains.
With legalization promising great growth, companies are seeking paths to investment opportunities.

Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC:MCOA) (MCOA Profile) is among the innovating companies carrying out cultivation, research and development projects on sites in the United States and Canada. Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC) (TSX:WEED) has been expanding its operations through partnerships with other companies, covering investment, supply and research. Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX:CRON) has expanded its cultivation and markets while negotiating for fresh investment. Aphria, Inc. (NYSE:APHA) (TSX:APHA) has partnered with a company specializing in branding to develop new consumer-driven brands and products for the cannabis market. Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (NYSE:ACB) (TSX:ACB) is putting out new products in the United States and looking to export those products abroad, following the successful export of medical cannabis into Europe.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

The End of an Era?

For decades, hemp has been locked out of agricultural development in the United States. Once a vital crop used to produce the rope and canvas on which the American naval and merchant shipping forces relied, it was made illegal in 1970 under legislation designed to reduce drug addiction. For nearly half a century, farmers have been unable to cultivate this crop despite growing evidence of its usefulness.

Now that is set to change. After months of haggling, politicians in Washington have finally brokered a deal to pass the legislation that will make hemp legal. For the past four years, a small band of farmers and university researchers have been involved in pilot projects, testing the potential of the hemp market. The profitable outlook, together with growing demand for health and wellness products derived from hemp, have led politicians to change their stance.

Could 2019 be the year that hemp’s cannabidiol (CBD) derivativesbecome household commodities?

Legalization Legislation

The past decade has produced considerable growth for companies working in the hemp sector, such as Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC:MCOA). Hemp is a form of the cannabis plant with very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in the marijuana strains of cannabis. Despite hemp’s essentially innocuous nature, it was made illegal under sweeping federal regulations that classified all forms of cannabis as Schedule I substances, among the most dangerous and least medicinally helpful of drugs.

Since 1996, the legal landscape has been changing as states have introduced pro-cannabis legislation in defiance of federal drug policy. This allowed companies such as MCOA to emerge and start looking at the potential of industrial hemp. However, these companies were caught in a no-man’s-land industry sector between conflicting state and federal legislation. Under those circumstances, building a commercial hemp industry had limited practicality.

A change at the federal level began four years ago, when the 2014 Farm Bill made it legal for companies to carry out pilot projects to grow hemp. Companies moved quickly to make the most of the opportunity, setting up facilities such as the farm MCOA established in Oregon. From 9,650 acres in 15 states in 2015, hemp production grew to 77,000 acres under 3,500 licenses in 23 states in 2018.

During the course of that change, the hemp industry has gained widespread acceptance in Washington and throughout the country, leading to cross-party support for hemp’s inclusion in the new Farm Bill as an agricultural commodity. But conflict over other aspects of the bill held the legislation up until late November. Then, in the waning days of a lame-duck Republican House, an agreement in principle was finally reached.

Once the farm legislation is passed as expected, growing hemp could become fully legal in the United States as early as January. That would be huge news for farmers and a great start to the new year for the fast-growing industry.

Farming Hemp

The anticipated legislative changes may lead to a new agricultural phenomenon for United States farmers, but it will be far from the first hemp crop in North America. Aside from the pilot projects in the United States, more liberal legislation in Canada has allowed farmers to get a head start on hemp production. For MCOA, this has meant pursuing profitable crops and supporting farmers on both sides of the border.

In Canada, MCOA’s efforts have taken the form of an innovative joint venture in New Brunswick. There, MCOA teamed up with Global Hemp Group, Inc. and four local farmers to experiment with techniques for hemp farming. This has led to practical developments, such as the use of a bean harvester to strip leaves and inflorescence from plants, improving the efficiency of the harvest. It has also led to more academic results, including research on plant nutrition with Dr. Ron Smith at the University of New Brunswick.

The company’s U.S. project at Scio, Ore., is earlier in its development and proportionally smaller. The Oregon cultivation benefited from good weather in 2018, extending growing time and leading to an improved harvest. Here, MCOA is already growing hemp with a higher CBD content — 6 to 12 percent. Large greenhouses were used to dry out these plants, with staff continuing to learn and refine their drying techniques with each batch.

On both sides of the border, partnering with other companies is helping MCOA maintain a high pace of innovation and expansion. The company is currently looking for opportunities to work with a cannabinoid extraction player in the United States to make the most of its crops.

Preparing for a Boom Market

With legalization around the corner, hemp companies are moving to strengthen their positions for market expansion.

For MCOA, this has meant a move into mainstream advertising. The company’s hempSMART™ subsidiary has partnered with asseenontv.pro to launch a television advertising campaign for its Full Spectrum Pet Drops, a pet well-being product using CBD.

CEO Donald Steinberg said, “As our hempSMART brand continues to grow, MCOA will continue to search for and utilize new partnerships that will uniquely market our incredible collection of all-natural CBD product formulations. We feel that our strategic partnership with ASONTV is an important milestone for the Company that will help promote our hempSMART Pet Drops to consumers across the country.”

The company has also filed an application to uplist its shares from OTC Pink to the OTCQB tier on the OTC markets. This strategic move should provide better access to institutional investors to raise funds targeted to help the company grow along with the wider industry. A new CFO and independent director were appointed over the summer to ensure strong leadership during this period of huge potential.

Like MCOA, Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC) (TSX:WEED) has been partnering with other companies to support its growth. This includes an investment and supply deal with 48North Cannabis Corp., a strategic supply agreement with MediPharm Labs Corp. and a research and development collaboration with Battelle. One of the factors fueling Canopy Growth’s expansion has been an investment from Constellation Brands, which pumped billions into Canopy Growth earlier this year. This financial move should give the American drinks giant a way into the cannabis and hemp markets, including the production and sale of CBD-infused drinks.

Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX:CRON) has also been pursuing growth, with expansion into Latin America, an increase in the scale of cultivation and a collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks to develop innovative products for the cannabis market. This has drawn the attention of outside investors, and the company is now in talks with Altria Group, Inc. about potential investments that could provide additional funds at a strategic turning point for the market.

Aphria, Inc. (NYSE:APHA) (TSX:APHA) aims to carve out a distinct space in the market through innovative consumer products. Aphria recently announced the creation of a joint venture with Perennial, Inc. to develop original consumer-driven brands and products for the cannabis market. This will join Perennial’s experience in brand development with Aphria’s expertise in cannabis to explore edibles, beverages and other new lines of products.

Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (NYSE:ACB) (TSX:ACB) is already busy putting new products out. The company has recently announced the release of cannabis softgel capsules for the Canadian market and expects to export them to international markets next year. The company already works on an international scale, having announced its first shipment of medical cannabis to the Czech Republic in November.

Pending hemp legalization in the United States is only the latest in a series of shifts in the wider cannabis sector, shifts that appear to have opened the way for a wave of expansion and innovation.

For more information about MCOA, please visit Marijuana Company of America (OTC:MCOA).

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Cannabis Industry Stays in Spotlight with Ongoing Developments

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Source: CannabisNewsWire

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage

Denver CO – November 29, 2018 – Profitability and more widespread legality are drawing fresh investment to the cannabis sector.

Major investors and outside companies are putting big money into cannabis.
Undervalued companies provide good opportunities for new investors in the sector.
Following the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada, companies in the United States are seeing even larger market caps.
As attitudes change, more cannabis companies are expected to soon be listed on major U.S. exchanges.

With a strong pick-and-shovel strategy alongside recent direct investment in cannabis, Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTC:GNAL) (GNAL Profile) is among the cannabis companies seeing good growth. Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) is moving to benefit from fresh investor interest through public offerings in Canada and the United States. Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC) (TSX:WEED) has benefited from a substantial investment from Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ), the result of a trend in which U.S. alcohol and tobacco companies eye up cannabis. The industry’s upward trend is also reflected in the soaring revenues of Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX:CRON).

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

The Mainstreaming of Cannabis

A state-legal cannabis industry has existed in North America for more than 20 years. Since the legalization of medical marijuana in California in 1996, the industry has spread at a growing rate. The majority of U.S. states now allow its sale for medical purposes. One-fifth of the states, plus all of Canada, have legal recreational cannabis markets. Yet the cannabis industry remains on the fringe of the American economy, largely separate from the work of mainstream businesses and investors.

That’s now changing. Growing numbers of investors are putting money into cannabis, cannabis companies are able to raise substantial capital for growth initiatives, and large enterprises have taken an interest in cannabis-focused ventures with a view to establish partnerships and make investments. With these changes, cannabis becoming fully integrated into financial markets appears to be a logical next step.

The Acceptable Face of Cannabis

Over the past few years, the cannabis industry has seen growing acceptance of its place in society and the economy. This is due in no small part to the professionalism of the companies working in the sector, including companies such as Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTC:GNAL).

Generation Alpha started out as a support provider for the cannabis industry, taking a basic supply approach to the business. A vertically integrated technology innovator, the company developed, manufactured and distributed products and solutions for cannabis growers, which were springing up across the United States. As a supplier of horticultural and lighting equipment, GNAL provided essential supplies that cannabis cultivators relied on to grow their businesses.

Generation Alpha has seen rising investment in its organization. As recently as April, it announced a $25 million in investment from an existing shareholder under its previous name of Solis Tek. Other cannabis companies have also seen substantial investments over the past year.

The most practically and symbolically significant is the investment of $4 billion in Canadian company Canopy Growth by American beverage giant Constellation Brands. Not only does this move represent a huge financial boost for the company, but it also signifies an important moment for the entire industry. This massive investment from a beverage manufacturer reflects the growing interest of tobacco and alcohol companies in cannabis and their willingness to risk money in a relatively new industry, possibly signifying a bigger wave of change coming down the line.

Undervalued Assets

There’s a marked disparity between Constellations Brands’ investment in the sector and that recently received by Generation Alpha and other cannabis brands. The reason is likely because Constellation has recognized what others have not — many cannabis companies may be undervalued.

It’s hard to judge the value of assets in an industry that’s going through such big changes. But looking at the fundamentals, it’s easy to spot places where value may not yet be recognized.

Generation Alpha’s move into cultivation and processing of cannabis is an example of this. The company recently acquired a cultivation and processing facility in Phoenix, Arizona. GNAL is using its experience in the support side of the industry to turn this 70,000-square-foot space into a technologically advanced growing facility. With the site scheduled to become operational in the first half of 2019, the profit from this is decision should soon be realized.

The recent legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada this October showed the stark imbalance between supply and demand in the cannabis market. Within weeks, the country was facing a cannabis shortage as consumers rushed to enjoy a legal high. Similar patterns are likely to play out in U.S. states as legalization — whether for medical or for recreational purposes — spreads across the country. If, as many expect, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ departure leads the Trump administration to a more liberal stance, then rising demand is even more likely, ensuring both an eager market and a good price for the product coming out of Generation Alpha’s facility.

And then there’s the long view. Big businesses now have a vested interest in cannabis. This interest will naturally lead to heavier lobbying for reform of anti-cannabis laws; not just in the United States, but around the world. The next decade will likely be a time of huge global growth for the industry, thanks to social and political change. The value of companies such as Generation Alpha could grow significantly as these pioneering cannabis companies set their sights on becoming the backbone of a mature global industry.

The Canada Effect

Events in Canada provide the surest signs of the coming shift.

As the first G8 country to legalize recreational cannabis, Canada is setting an example for the world, converting cannabis consumption from a drain on law enforcement into an asset that provides tax income for the government. The change hasn’t just affected Canadian companies; it has also touched those in the United States, including Generation Alpha. Both north and south of the border, the market cap for cannabis has grown as investors strategically place their money into the burgeoning industry.

Canada is now leading the way in cannabis. While it might take time for the United States to catch up at a federal level, American companies are already feeling the benefits.

Onto the Exchanges

All this growth means more companies listing on major markets. Together with a broader social shift in attitudes towards cannabis, a change at the top of the economy is extremely likely. As the power of cannabis companies grows, it’s surely only a matter of time before major U.S. exchanges add more American cannabis companies. With that, these companies will be able to tap into even more resources through the finance of major investors. And once the inconsistency between federal and state law is addressed, major banking will add another route to funds.

Companies with strong, proven strategies will be best placed to benefit from this surge in funding. With its core pick-and-shovel strategy, Generation Alpha fits the bill. By supplying goods and services to cannabis growers, GNAL will be ideally positioned to profit from the growth while keeping a buffer between its core business and shifts in the price of cannabis. With innovations such as its high-efficiency LED lighting system, the company will be a strong competitor among other cannabis support companies.

One of the companies looking to turn cannabis’ credibility into financial resources is Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY). A prominent provider of medical marijuana, Tilray has used a well-developed research and design program to gain an edge in the fast-growing industry. It’s currently using public offerings in Canada and the United States to seek fresh funds from investors, but its ambitions aren’t limited to North America. The company has customers on five continents, thanks to the growing international acceptance of medical cannabis.

Through early moves in the sector, Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC) (TSX:WEED) has established itself as one of the big names in Canadian cannabis. Working both alone and in partnership with others, Canopy Growth has evolved into a multifaceted company with a strong investment in brand and product differentiation.

Canopy Growth Corp. made news earlier this year when it received a second substantial round of investment from U.S. beverage company Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ). That $4 billion investment has made Constellation Brands a substantial shareholder in Canopy Growth, owning a third of the company. The investment was a major coup for the cannabis company, giving it the sort of resources that most of its competitors only dream of. But it may also prove to be an important moment for Constellation Brands, as it adds cannabis and cannabis-infused products to its repertoire of alcoholic drinks.

As tobacco and alcohol companies look for ways to deal with their own falling sales, it’s likely that a growing number will turn to cannabis, providing fresh investment for the market. When they do, there will be plenty of strong options. The growth of medical and recreational markets has led to impressive revenue growth for companies. For example, Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX:CRON) saw revenues increase by 186 percent in the third quarter of 2018. By partnering with other businesses, increasing its cultivation space, and getting involved in the Latin American cannabis market, the company has been able to keep expanding its operations.

Big money is flowing into the cannabis industry. As its prestige rises, those funds are set to keep growing for a long while yet.

For more information about Generation Alpha, please visit Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTC:GNAL).

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Why Companies Are Buying Up Assets in the American Cannabis Market

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Denver CO – November 27, 2018 – Canada became the first country in the G8 to legalize recreational cannabis. With all the buzz surrounding Canada’s cannabis boom, savvy investors have begun to assess the U.S. market, focusing on companies such as Chemistree Technology, Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTC:CHMJF) (Profile), which in July 2018 purchased a suite of physical assets, currently under lease to Sugarleaf Farm LLC, a I-502 Tier 3 licensee located in Sedro Woolley, Washington. This moved was fueled by movement north in Canada, including large Canadian cannabis companies such as Origin House (CSE:OH)(OTCQX: ORHOF) and Namaste Technologies (TSX.V:N) (OTC: NXTTF), which are already seeing major success as their products continue to sell well across the country. While newer entrants in the cannabis industry such as CannTrust Holdings (TSX:TRST) (OTC:CNTTF) and iAnthus Capital (CSE:IAN) (OTC:ITHUF) are creating their own product lines and playing catch up with major brands that consumers are already familiar with.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Establishing Brands Early

Large-scale cannabis legislation has never existed to the extent that it now does in Canada. With major Canadian companies creating brands that resonate with cannabis consumers.

The legal U.S cannabis market is worth an estimated $8.5 billion, claiming 90 percent of the entire $9.5 billion global market. Of that, sales of legal marijuana in Washington State have climbed up to $1.3 billion in the fiscal year 2017, up from $786 million in fiscal 2016, and $259 million the year before. The Canadian market was worth only 6 percent of that $9.5 billion total in 2017. In Canada, competition is heating up as the larger cannabis companies battle for their share of the market. They are relying on their brands and name recognition to help them achieve success.

However, the U.S. cannabis market is shaping up differently. Due to cannabis being federally illegal in the United States, cannabis companies are unable to ship their products across state lines. The unique state-by-state approach to legalization has provided Chemistree Technology, Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTCQB:CHMJF) with an ideal environment to build its brands through the production and sale of premium cannabis in California and Washington. It has also shielded American companies from an influx of foreign product.

Chemistree is another company that is focused on establishing quality brands. The company originally acquired Sugarleaf’s assets in Washington in order to augment its product line with a desirable premium brand. Sugarleaf is already featured in over 50 dispensaries within the state, with estimates suggesting that it will penetrate over 100 stores by 2018 and as many as 200 stores by 2019.

Sugarleaf’s signature White 99 strain has a THC level that registers between 28–32 percent. This is incredibly high even when compared to some of the premium cannabis strains that are being grown in Canada. Sugarleaf’s master grower, Jason Flynn, is one of the many reasons Chemistree chose to acquire the brand. Flynn and his team have won two consecutive cannabis cup competitions for their strains, including the 2014 People’s Choice (Presidential Kush) and 2015 People’s Choice (White 99).

Chemistree also managed to purchase property in the middle of California’s cannabis-friendly Desert Hot Springs for a reasonable $1.23 million. The site is large enough to support up to 205,000 square feet of greenhouses spread out across three facilities. Once fully operational, the company could produce nearly 50,000 pounds of cannabis per year. Desert Hot Springs is a popular cannabis region where there are 3.78 dispensaries for every one thousand people, which is the second highest pot shop density in the state.

Premium Cannabis Is the Real Asset

The demand for premium products exists as cannabis enthusiasts desire THC-rich strains in order to achieve a vivid sensory experience. Growing high-quality cannabis at scale is a challenge that many large producers struggle with as it costs more to produce, and the margin of error is higher.

Health Canada predicts that nearly 2.2 million pounds of cannabis will be consumed within Canada in 2018 alone. The majority of that cannabis will be low- and mid-grade quality, which wholesales for a lot less. Premium cannabis, while more difficult to grow, does provide companies that can grow it with higher profit margins. According to Deloitte, high-quality cannabis could sell for up to 12 percent more than lower quality flower.

The majority of the provinces have supply agreements in place with various licensed producers in the industry. These supply agreements were established in order to provide additional premium cannabis to those provinces.

Demand Will Only Increase

The U.S. cannabis sector is currently in its formative stages. Established companies within the industry that are preemptively laying the framework before the federal government legalizes recreational cannabis should have the ability to build brand recognition and scale them as the floodgates open.

Grand View Research predicts that the global cannabis market could be worth $146.4 billion by 2025. Companies such as Chemistree may be ideally positioned to take advantage of a larger global market because of its focus on building long-term brands that appeal to cannabis users.

Major Players in North American Cannabis

Origin House (CSE:OH) (OTCQX: ORHOF) is focused on creating global brands. It currently holds more than 50 brands including Bhang^TM, Soul Sugar Soul Kitchen and Green Rock Botanicals, among others. The company has a distribution network of 4500plus dispensaries across the United States. With a suite of established brands across key markets in North America, Origin is actively developing infrastructure to support the proliferation of its brands internationally, initially through its acquisition of Canadian retailer 180 Smoke.

CannTrust Holdings (TSX:TRST) (OTC:CNTTF) is a relatively new Canadian cannabis company specializing in medical cannabis products including CBD- and THC-infused capsules and oils. CannTrust recently partnered with Breakthru Beverage Group’s subsidiary company Kindred to secure distribution through the Canadian adult consumer market.

Namaste Technologies (TSX.V:N) (OTC: NXTTF) operates the largest global cannabis e-commerce platform with more than 30 websites in 20 countries under various brands. The company product offering through its subsidiaries — such as CannMart Inc., VapeBR, VaporSeller, etc. — includes vaporizers, glassware, accessories, CBD (cannabidiol) products and medical cannabis in the Canadian market.

iAnthus Capital (CSE:IAN)(OTCQB:ITHUF) is a U.S.-based licensed producer and cannabis retail company. iAnthus currently owns a 200,000-square-foot facility in Lake Wales, Florida, and a 4,500-square-foot dispensary in Palm Beach County, Florida. It is also planning to scale to more than 30 locations throughout the state in the coming years.

For more information on Chemistree Technology, Inc., please visit Chemistree Technology, Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTCQB:CHMJF). Please also read and review the following article, With Cannabis Now Legal in Canada, Investors Are Turning South to the Largest Emerging Cannabis Market in the World.

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Political Wins Hold Promise for Strong Cannabis Strategies

Denver Colorado – November 14, 2018 – State ballots and the departure of Jeff Sessions have led to fresh confidence in the cannabis sector.

The cannabis industry is going through a period of huge growth.
Two states recently voted to legalize medical cannabis and one voted to legalize recreational cannabis.
The departure of Jeff Sessions removes a significant block for the industry.
A variety of strategies—some focused on product and others on support services—are emerging to make the most of this market.

Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTC:GNAL) (GNAL Profile) has developed a dual strategy to make the most of this opportunity, investing in both product and supplies for producers. MedMen Enterprises, Inc. (CSE:MMEN) (OTC:MMNFF) is financially supporting further legal reform while building up a cultivation and retail business across several states. KushCo Holdings Inc – Ordinary Shares (OTC:KSHB) has grown from a packaging company to one providing a range of support services. As new niches emerge, Green Organic Dutchman (OTC:TGODF) (TSX:TGOD) is staking its claim through a focus on organic, sustainably grown cannabis. Even non-cannabis companies are profiting from this growth, with Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (The) (NYSE:SMG) investing in hydroponics offerings that will supply crucial equipment to cannabis cultivators.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

A Blooming Industry

Cannabis companies are in a jubilant mood following the results of last week’s events in American politics. At the polls, two states voted to legalize medical cannabis while another voted to permit its recreational use. Though Congress lost several pro-cannabis Republicans, a majority for the Democrats, America’s less conservative party, is a good omen for reform. And with President Trump’s sacking of Jeff Sessions, the country is now rid of a staunchly anti-cannabis attorney general.

This opens the way for companies with strong cannabis strategies to make bold moves in the coming year. From entering new states to producing fresh product lines, the options for growth and development are many. A few key considerations define the strategies of the current cannabis players.

Product Versus Infrastructure

Two basic approaches to business strategy currently dominate the cannabis market — one based on infrastructure and the other based on product. However, these strategies don’t have to be separate, and Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTC:GNAL) is building strong businesses by combining them. And the way this strategy plays out shows a lot about where the industry is at.

The product strategy is an obvious one and typically garners the most public attention. Companies going down the product path focus on the production, processing, and retail side of cannabis. These are the companies setting up farms and dispensaries, feeding the growing demand from consumers across North America. It a strategy that Generation Alpha recently moved into, under its previous name of Solis Tek, with the acquisition of cultivation and processing facilities.

The other strategy is to provide support services and supplies for product-oriented companies. As the market grows, there will be more and more need for such services, which profit off cannabis but are better insulated from shifts in the market and its political oversight. Generation Alpha started out with this strategy, as a vertically integrated technology innovator, developer, manufacturer and distributor bringing products and solutions to cannabis growers. Providing horticultural and lighting supplies, the company grew by providing cannabis growers with the equipment they needed.

Each strategy can work well on its own, but running a double strategy, while more complex, has real potential benefits. As both supplier and customer for cultivation equipment, companies such as Generation Alpha can create great efficiencies in their supply chains. And by developing both business streams, they can benefit from the security of a picks-and-shovels approach while also accessing the growing profits of the front-line cannabis trade.

Location, Location, Location

Choosing which states to operate in is an important consideration for American cannabis companies. Although it is widely anticipated to change, cannabis currently remains illegal at a federal level, and it is only through state-level initiatives that the market has been allowed to emerge. Cultivation and retail effectively operate on a statewide scale at best, so looking at where a state stands now and where it is likely to go in the future is vital to making savvy business decisions.

Arizona, where Generation Alpha recently acquired cultivation and processing facilities, provides a useful example of how local conditions shape the market. The state made medical cannabis legal in 2010. Despite a closely fought vote, opponents of cannabis have failed to overturn or limit the market despite ongoing campaigns. The state’s supreme court even overturned a rule keeping medical cannabis off college campuses. Arizona’s medical cannabis market seems secure.

In 2016, an attempt to legalize recreational cannabis in the state failed by a narrow margin. Medical legalization faced a similar setback in 2002, only eight years before passing. As recent generations are generally more liberal toward cannabis than their elders, it is likely that a similar pattern will play out for recreational cannabis, with a successful vote almost inevitable. Companies that have become established under the medical licensing laws will be in a strong position to make the most of this.

“We are excited about this opportunity in Arizona and its growth and profitability potential,” said Generation Alpha CEO Alan Lien. “We are pleased to have partners such as Future Farm Technologies and Yorkville Advisors to collaborate and support the build-out and growth of this facility. Our collective experience and knowledge in cannabis will position this Arizona operation for success. We are excited to commence Phase 1 of the development and construction of our state-of-the-art cultivation and processing facility and look forward to many additional opportunities in the cannabis industry.”

Expanding Operations

The potential of the Arizona market hasn’t gone unnoticed by other companies. MedMen has invested heavily in getting into the state, acquiring a top Arizona medical cannabis wholesaler.

This is part of a wider pattern of companies spending big to secure their spots in a burgeoning cannabis sector. For example, drinks giant Constellation Brands has spent billions investing in a Canadian cannabis company to give itself a foothold in the industry. Canadian and American companies are looking at cross-border investment, while outsiders are moving into the market as well.

This big spending only adds to the strength of infrastructure plays such as Generation Alpha’s strong position in cultivation equipment. Much of the money being invested will go into growing more cannabis. That means more hydroponics, lighting and related services will be needed across the legalized states. Any investment in cannabis cultivators ultimately becomes an investment in their suppliers.

Where Next for Cannabis?

The next few years promise solid growth for the cannabis industry in North America. Even before this month’s political upheavals, analysts projected that the $9 billion industry would grow to $47.3 billion by 2027.

The fallout from the mid-terms means that investors can be even more confident about what happens next. The forced resignation of Jeff Sessions removes one of the biggest obstacles to growth for the cannabis industry in the United States. Sessions, a staunch opponent of cannabis, had rescinded the Obama-era memo committing federal law enforcement to non-intervention in state-level cannabis industries. With him gone, cannabis shares rose as businesses and investors looked forward to a more tolerant regime.

This won’t mean an end to campaigning for MedMen Enterprises, Inc. – Ordinary Shares – Class B (Sub Voting) (CSE:MMEN) (OTCQX:MMNFF), the largest financial supporter of progressive marijuana laws, but it does mean that the company’s campaigning efforts are more likely to pay off, creating space for expansion of its cultivation and retail business. The company already operates 19 facilities in four states and has recently announced the addition of a fifth, through a move into Arizona. Despite the limitations created by federal laws, MedMen is showing that cannabis companies can operate on an inter-state level.

Like Generation Alpha, KushCo Holdings Inc – Ordinary Shares (OTC:KSHB) entered the sector by providing support services to cannabis producers, in the form of packaging solutions. The company has since expanded its operations, creating a one-stop shop for the cannabis market. Seeing the huge potential currently available, it has recently formed an advisory board to guide strategic growth initiatives, making the most of a constantly expanding market.

While KushCo provides another example of the infrastructure strategy, Green Organic Dutchman (OTC:TGODF) (TSX: TGOD) is focused on product. A producer of organic, sustainably grown cannabis, the company is making the most of the connection between cannabis consumption and concern with environmental issues. In a market large enough to start dividing into specialist niches, it is tapping into the higher prices people will pay for organic products.

Not every company profiting from cannabis is focused on that market. Lawn, garden and outdoor living company Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (The) (NYSE:SMG) has been benefiting from the demand for cultivation equipment that cannabis’s success brings. It recently acquired the United States’ foremost distributor of hydroponic equipment, which is crucial to the cultivation of cannabis. As the cannabis industry grows, so too does hydroponics.

Political change offers further growth for an already flourishing industry, allowing profits from a wide range of strategies.

For more information about Generation Alpha, please visit Generation Alpha, Inc. (OTC:GNAL).

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CNW & FNM 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 and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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Industrial Hemp Floodgates Open as CBD Demand Grows

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage

New York NY – November 6, 20198 – The growing popularity of cannabidiol (CBD), a powerful but nonpsychoactive cannabinoid found in plants of the cannabis family such as industrial hemp, has a lot to do with consumer experience roundly validating the increasingly body of scientific evidence for CBD’s therapeutic value.

CBD demand is increasing rapidly as consumers run ahead of the studies.
Branding is key to capturing market share while formulation quality drives consumer loyalty.
The global potential for the CBD market is immense and largely untapped.

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTC:MCOA) (MCOA Profile) has taken several key steps to set itself up as a power player in the burgeoning CBD space, acting as a cultivation site landlord while also developing revolutionary products containing proprietary CBD compounds via its wholly owned subsidiary, hempSMARTÔ. CV Sciences Inc. (OTC:CVSI) just introduced PlusCBD Oil™ Gummies at the Natural Product Expo East 2018. Los Angeles-based MedMen (CSE:MMEN) (OTCQX:MMNFF) just signed a $33 million deal to acquire Kannaboost Technology Inc. and CSI Solutions LLC, collectively known as Level Up, an Arizona-based vertically integrated marijuana firm. OrganiGram (TSX-V: OGI) (OTC:OGRMF) has just has signed a supply agreement with BC Liquor Distribution Branch, the sole, wholesale distributor of nonmedical cannabis for British Canada.

And symbolic of its presence in the cannabis market, Aphria (NYSE:APHA) (TSX:APH) debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last week.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

CBD Already Hot and Getting Hotter

No doubt about it, the CBD market is hot right now. With analyst projections ranging from $2.1 billion to $3 billion within the next three to four years, historic change in the form of a 2018 U.S. Farm Bill that could make CBD and industrial hemp legal nationwide might send the market into hyperdrive.

Diverse Approach Focused on Legal Market

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTC:MCOA) has constructed a business model around the immense potential of the industrial hemp-based CBD market and just recently applied for an uplisting to the OTCQB in conjunction with an S-1 filing and anticipated access to a $10 million line of equity financing. The company also tapped former Price Waterhouse and Deloitte & Touche man Jesus Quintero for its CFO job, where his extensive public company reporting and SEC/SOX compliance experience should help expedite matters handily.

The success of the company’s hempSMART line comes from its innovative products, such as HempSMART Brain, a unique formulation of Ayurvedic herbs and botanical compounds with premium CBD designed to enhance brain function. The company’s success also stems from its affiliate marketing program, which allows people to earn income via commissions and bonuses, assisted by a sophisticated networking architecture that was engineered to maximize customer loyalty and market penetration.

Global Potential, Next Level Moves

MCOA has even tapped 35-year direct sales industry veteran Ian Harvey to spearhead hempSMART’s upcoming international product launch starting in Europe at the outset of 2019. As the company’s global sales director, Harvey will seek to deliver the same kind of success with the hempSMART network marketing program as was demonstrated throughout his career in the direct sales industry.

Recently the first of many regional events to be held across the country took place, and the hempSMART South West Regional Event showcases how quickly MCOA has built up its CBD product brand and leveraged its advanced affiliate marketing platform to harness the might of the $189.6 billion direct sales industry.While the company is busy breaking new ground at the forefront of direct sales and CBD, MCOA continues to advance its property interests as well and is focused on leasing turnkey facilities to sector operators in appropriate states and jurisdictions. The latest news from the company’s CBD hemp farming joint venture in New Brunswick, Canada, with Global Hemp Group Inc. demonstrated the ingenuity of MCOA’s farming group. An OXBO bean harvester was used at the New Brunswick project to maximize target yields of the parts of the plant with the highest CBD concentrations, despite unusually difficult crop conditions created by this year’s drought.

Just the Beginning of the Property Leasing Ladder

At the partnership’s Covered Bridge Acres joint venture in Scio, Oregon, work is proceeding apace of expectations. The facility will comprise when completed, some 19,000 square feet of greenhouses for year-round production, paired up with traditional outdoor orchard-style cultivation on the remaining square footage of the 109-acre site. MCOA plans to continue to expand its property footprint in both the United States and Canada as the overall cannabis industry heats up. The company may hold an ace up its sleeve in the form of a close working relationship with British Columbia-based Global Hemp Group. Both companies share a common vision about the disruptive potential of industrial hemp, particularly as evinced by the growing popularity of CBD.

And while many in the mainstream media may still be skeptical about what consumers seem to be discovering firsthand about CBD’s health benefits, a growing body of scientific data appears to back up popular sentiment. Research regarding the ability of cannabinoids such as CBD to regulate homeostasis by impacting the body’s endocannabinoid receptors found throughout nearly every tissue system suggests that consumers are not just experiencing some kind of placebo effect.

Two-Pronged Solution to Soaring Demand

MCOA has put together a noteworthy approach to the overall space, emphasizing immediate access to legal areas of the market. On one hand, Marijuana Company of America has a dynamic affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products. In addition, the company has put together a growing property-based presence that looks to increasingly benefit its hempSMART brand’s performance metrics. CBD continues to be costly to produce, and the demand for cultivation sites will likely continue to increase proportionally.

A preeminent supplier and manufacturer of hemp-derived phytocannabinoids, CV Sciences Inc. (OTC:CVSI) added to its leading brand, PlusCBD Oil™, with the release of its gummy product. CV Sciences operates two distinct business segments: a drug development division focused on developing and commercializing novel therapeutics utilizing synthetic CBD, and a consumer product division focused on manufacturing, marketing and selling plant-based CBD products.

By acquiring control of Level Up, MedMen (CSE:MMEN) (OTCQX:MMNFF) gains access to two vertically integrated operations in Arizona, which include retail locations in Scottsdale and Tempe, as well as 25,000 square feet of cultivation and production capacity in Tempe and Phoenix, and a stake in the top-selling K.I.N.D. Concentrates (“K.I.N.D.”) brand, which is currently distributed in more than 90 percent of Arizona dispensaries. The acquisition strengthens MedMen’s presence in one of the top cannabis markets in the United States.

A leading licensed producer of cannabis for the medical and adult-use recreational markets, OrganiGram (TSXV: OGI) (OTCQX: OGRMF) has now secured cannabis distribution agreements in eight of ten provinces in Canada. Organigram also recently signed an agreement with to acquire 8,333 common shares of Alpha-Cannabis Germany, representing a 25% stake in ACG’s capital. ACG has been preparing the development and production of further cannabis-based products for the swiftly growing German and European markets.

In addition to uplisting on the NYSE, Aphria (NYSE:APHA) (TSX: APH) recently closed acquisitions of assets in Latin America and the Caribbean from Scythian Bioscences. As a result of the transaction, Aphria has solidified an important foothold in Latin America and the Caribbean by acquiring industry-leading cannabis-related companies in Colombia, Argentina and Jamaica as well as a right of first offer and refusal to a majority interest in a Brazilian entity seeking a cannabis cultivation and sales license.

CBD is quickly establishing itself as the darling of the booming cannabis industry. Investors will want to keep a close eye on companies such as MCOA that are able to operate within the sizeable, already-legal portions of the overall cannabis market and that have a specific emphasis on products containing CBD derived from industrial hemp. However, the entire cannabinoid market is worth examining in greater detail, while those companies with unique advantages deserve special attention, as they could be tomorrow’s brightest stars and richest buyouts.

For more information about MCOA, please visit Marijuana Company of America (OTC:MCOA).

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CNW & FNM 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 and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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Payment Solutions Among Innovations in the Fast-Growing Cannabis Industry

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Source: CannabisNewsWire

New York NY – November 5, 2018 – The legal cannabis industry, which anticipates massive growth over the next few years, is seeing constant innovation as companies move to provide essential services needed for that growth.

The global cannabis industry, which was worth $7.7 billion in 2016, is expected to reach $65 billion by 2023.
The industry’s upward trajectory is happening despite legal restrictions that have forced cannabis businesses to seek alternative payment solutions.
These solutions are among many innovations in the sector, which has a strong strand of research and design.

Net Element (NASDAQ:NETE) (NETE Profile) recently launched a compliant, secure payment processing solution focused on serving the legal cannabis industry. Medical cannabis company Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) is supplying materials for a range of research projects around the world that are studying cannabis’ potential in medicine. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) (TSX:WEED) has received massive investment from a beverage company and is likely to be one of the first companies selling cannabis-infused drinks. And the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cannabis-based drug has just gone on sale from GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ:GWPH). Meanwhile, new uses for the plant are being found, as exemplified by Cronos Group, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX:CRON) research on the use of cannabis in skin cream.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Cannabis Payment Solutions

The cannabis industry is currently growing at an astonishing rate. Since 1996, its use for medical purposes has become legal in 31 U.S. states and Canada as well as a number of other countries around the world, most recently the United Kingdom. This remarkable pace of change has been accompanied by the emergence of related industries producing industrial hemp, cannabidiol (CBD) oil and support services for cannabis growers.

Despite this, legal cannabis sellers in the United States face serious problems in accessing basic business services. Because banks and payment providers are often wary of working with cannabis companies — even legal ones — these companies are forced to either accept the risks and inefficiencies of a cash-based business or seek alternative payment options. Fortunately, payment solutions are becoming increasingly viable.

The Challenge — And Opportunity

The challenge — and opportunity — with cannabis payment processing is significant enough to have drawn in businesses from outside the sector, such as global technology company Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE).

With the growth of the medical cannabis market has come more people are looking for one of the sectors most in-demand products — CBD oil, which is the concentrated liquid extract of the cannabis plant. Previously most CBD products were sold in head shops, but increasingly these products are found on the shelves of natural food stores, beauty aisles, cafes and doctors’ offices. This spread to other venues has created an even greater need for smooth transactions between merchants and consumers.

While the majority of states now allow the legal sale of some form of cannabis or its derivatives within their boundaries, cannabis providers may still find it challenging to find payment options that allow mobile payments, offer value-added transactions, and are easy for both the business and the end user. Fortunately, companies such as Net Element are positioning themselves to provide exactly what this underserved industry is looking for.

These alternative solutions, including Net Element’s Aptito and Unified Payments systems, solve the problem by offering a compliant, seamlessly integrated payment solution that is simple to use. The systems rely on the latest digital technology, which allows retailers to accept payments outside of conventional routes while remaining user friendly for customers.

More Sales, More Payments

It’s a good time for companies to expand their reach in the cannabis market, as Net Element is doing. The industry is experiencing a period of huge growth. According to recent research, the legal cannabis market was worth $7.7 billion in 2016 and is forecast to reach $65 billion by 2023, a staggering 37 percent rate of compound growth per year.

Various factors are playing into this. Cannabis is already a huge industry, but one historically run by criminal gangs. One of the reasons for wide legalization is to take that trade out of criminals’ hands. In the United States, 70 to 75 percent of the cannabis trade is still illegal, but only 30 percent of it is illicit in states with legal options on the books. As legal cannabis from regulated suppliers becomes more widely available, the expectation is customers will move away from illegal businesses. The customer base is already there, and it’s huge.

Ongoing changes in the legal landscape are also a factor. The White House has hinted that it is considering liberalizing federal cannabis laws. Shifts in medical-use cannabis are taking place in Germany and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the current Farm Bill has enough support that it is expected to legalize the widespread cultivation of industrial hemp for nonrecreational cannabis uses.

This last change ties into an unexpected and significant trend in the cannabis industry. Hemp, a nonpsychoactive form of cannabis, was used in manufacturing rope and cloth before being made illegal during the political campaign against marijuana. Now, it’s returning to legality as a source of a new material — CBD oil. This active ingredient of cannabis is used in a growing number of health and well-being products. The hemp and CBD parts of the industry alone are set to reach $22 billion by 2022. While CBD sales are still largest in the stores supported by companies such as Net Element, these products are moving towards the mainstream via health stores, beauty aisles and cafés.

Rising to the Problem

A growing sector with a need for innovative solutions is the perfect place for a company such as Net Element to act on its vision.

“We are excited to launch a legal cannabis payment acceptance solution to meet the needs of sales partners and merchants for this emerging market,” commented Vlad Sadovskiy, president of integrated payments for Net Element. “Addressing the needs of our merchants is our number one priority and we work closely with various vendors to bring our merchants state-of-the-art payment acceptance solutions.”

The cannabis sector is more than just cultivators and retailers. It also includes the companies that support those businesses, companies that are set to thrive if the industry maintains its spectacular growth. The industry’s circumstances have ensured that it has become a forward-looking one.

A Future-facing Industry

Cannabis companies constantly have an eye on the state of the legal landscape and the new opportunities it may create for the market. Because those companies are working in an industry that has been illegal, industry-building techniques and products are only beginning to be properly discussed now, with innovations in research and design being announced as a result. Constraints such as those established by the U.S. government are forcing them to find technological solutions to problems other companies don’t face.

Medical cannabis company Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) prides itself on the part it plays in pushing the industry forward. With a strong emphasis on industry and innovation, Tilray is committed to research that will expand the possibilities of cannabis, carried out in partnership with hospitals and universities. It is currently supplying products for a range of clinical trials in Australia and Canada that promote the safety and effectiveness of cannabis use in tackling ailments such as childhood epilepsy and chemotherapy-induced nausea.

Research and design work at Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) (TSX:WEED) has been super-charged by a recent investment of billions of dollars from American drinks company Constellation Brands. One of the reasons for Constellation’s move into cannabis is the potential for drinks infused with cannabis and CBD. The partnership with Canopy Growth is likely to lead to novel products that will become part of Canada’s large licensed cannabis market next year.

GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ:GWPH), a company with a strong history of research in the cannabis sector, has created the first plant-derived cannabinoid medicine to be approved by the FDA, which has just become available by prescription in the United States. This introduction of a federally approved cannabis-derived medicine is an important moment for the industry and may lead to the softening of political and regulatory attitudes that have previously held business back.

Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX:CRON) is investigating the use of cannabis in a relatively new area – skin care. The company has announced that it will be working with the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology to research the use of cannabinoids in skin care, research with potential to carry cannabis into more parts of the high street and the consciousness of more consumers.

From payment solutions to new products, the cannabis sector’s growth is fueling a rich wave of innovation.

For more information about Net Element, please visit Net Element (NASDAQ:NETE).

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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, FNM, 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 & FNM 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 and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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Bumper Hemp Crops Promise Profit for Farmers and Cannabis Companies

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Source: CannabisNewsWire

New York NY – November 1, 2018 – This year will see the largest U.S. hemp crop since changes to federal law created an avenue for production to start again, turning over decades of fallowed industry.

Thousands of acres of hemp will be harvested across 19 states.
Kentucky is seeing particularly good crops, due to near-perfect growing conditions over the summer.
The main product taken from these crops will be cannabidiol (CBD) oil, used in a growing range of health and wellness products.
Crop production is set to continue increasing in light of high demand and legal changes.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) is profiting from this development by expanding from hydroponics into investment in hemp production, broadening its cannabis-related portfolio. Other companies are expanding internationally. Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) is now working with affiliates and subsidiaries in Europe, South America and Australasia. Cannabis grower Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC) (TSX: WEED) has drawn billions of dollars in investment from the beverages industry as big companies look to get into the market. And Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (NYSE:ACB) (TSX:ACB) has established an extensive network of supply agreements across Canada, which will help to raise sales and awareness of cannabis and related products. New uses are also set to increase demand, thanks to research by companies such as Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX: CRON).

Farmers Count the Green from Growing Hemp Harvest

As summer turns to fall, a small number of U.S. farmers are bringing in a new harvest — hemp. For some states, this is the first time that the crop has appeared in more than 50 years because hemp had been outlawed under sweeping anti-cannabis legislation. The last few years have seen significant changes, primarily because the nation’s 2014 Farm Bill funding provisions authorized limited hemp cultivation, and several states began supporting the crop. Now hemp is making a comeback.

This promises to be a good year for hemp. Early indications are that farmers will see a robust crop with a high market value. The growth of the market for CBD oil means that there are plenty of outlets not just for hemp fibers but also for the plant’s other derivatives. And these first successful harvests, accompanied by pending legal change on the federal level, are set to establish hemp as an important crop over the next decade.

The 2018 Hemp Harvest

The past year has seen big growth for hemp. In 2017, the acreage of hemp production expanded by 163 percent through agricultural sites in 19 states. Now the largest hemp harvest of the new era is expected. It’s good news for companies invested in hemp, such as Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD).

Like several of the companies involved in the hemp industry, Sugarmade was drawn to the sector by an interest in the wider cannabis market. The company’s main business is the supply of hydroponic equipment used for indoor agriculture. The growth of the legal cannabis market has fueled profits for Sugarmade as growers have valued its supplies. Now the company is diversifying its presence in the thriving sector.

When it comes to driving business, hemp is a beast that is very different from recreational marijuana. While both are forms of cannabis, industrial hemp has very low quantities of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the ingredient in cannabis that gets users high. In Kentucky, for example, hemp plants must have no more than 0.3 percent THC. Hemp is also grown differently, using large-scale outdoor cultivation rather than the intensive indoor methods used for other forms of cannabis.

Moving into this part of the market involved a different approach by Sugarmade. Instead of simply relying on its presence as a supplier of tools and equipment for profits, the company has committed a million dollars to investment in Hempistry, Inc. Hempistry’s hemp cultivation is based in Kentucky, the state with the third largest acreage of hemp growth, just behind Oregon but far behind Colorado, which is home to nearly as much hemp as the next three states combined.

While the top states have thousands of acres of hemp under cultivation, others are just starting to get involved, thanks to smaller scale projects. Washington State saw its first 175 acres of hemp planted in 2017, while Minnesota went from 51 acres in 2016 to 1,205 acres in 2017.

Kentucky has seen a particularly good year for hemp. Almost perfect growing conditions over the summer and early fall are setting it up for a bumper harvest. Sugarmade executives, including CEO Jimmy Chan, have visited the Hempistry project to inspect it and found that it lived up to the hype. It is seen as ultra-premium-grade hemp, perfect for extracting one of the biggest products to come from hemp — CBD oil.

CBD — Key to the Hemp Market

Hemp isn’t a new crop, even if its appearance in current markets seems like a novelty. As long ago as the Mayflower pilgrimage, hemp fibers were used in North America to produce rope and canvas for sailing ships. Even in the early 20^th century, just before it became illegal, it was mostly grown for these fibers.

Now, that has changed.

Hemp fiber still has value in producing everything from cloth to construction materials. But the real wealth is in CBD oil. This is why Hempistry has built a crop labeled as ultra-premium and why Sugarmade determined to invest one million in the business.

While CBD doesn’t have the psychoactive effects of THC, it’s still an active ingredient in cannabis that produces a chemical response in users. Research into its effects is in its infancy, thanks to so many years without businesses backing. But studies over the past decade have led to its use in a wide range of health and wellness products. Some of the highest-profile research has focused on its potential use in tackling epilepsy, but CBD oil is turning up in a huge range of products that appear to impact everything from pain management to improving mental processes.

The CBD market is growing enormously in the United States and beyond. The large, healthy harvests coming out of Kentucky should find no shortage of demand for the oil extracted from its plants. Sugarmade’s first foray into CBD has all the signs of success.

Where Next for Hemp?

Based on these results, Sugarmade has already begun plans to significantly expand its hemp operations next year. Hempistry has optioned 23,000 acres for potential hemp cultivation, more than is currently growing in the top five states put together.

Statistics taken from the Hemp Business Journal show that the U.S. hemp industry saw at least $820 million in revenues in 2017. Some experts forecast that number to increase to more than a billion dollars in 2018 and continue to grow at a compound rate of 14 percent per year until 2022. This increase is driven in part by growth in demand and in part by changes to the status of the hemp industry.

Central to this is the new version of the Farm Bill currently being considered by the U.S. Senate. The bill includes clauses with cross-party support for hemp cultivation that would expand the potential for farming. Hemp is currently restricted to trial crops and scientific studies, but under the new bill, it could be grown as a regular crop by farmers across the country.

This legal change will let companies such as Sugarmade support the cultivation of large quantities of hemp to meet the huge demand for CBD oil. And if that demand keeps growing, the industry could take off at an exponential rate.

Reaping the Benefits

This growth isn’t just taking place in America. Demand for CBD oil and other cannabis-related products is expanding around the world, as is the industry meeting that demands. Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) manufactures products used by thousands of patients, researchers and physicians across the globe, and is building that international reach. In addition to affiliates in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and Portugal, the company recently acquired Alef Biotechnology SpA in Chile.

One of Canada’s largest cannabis companies, Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) (TSX: WEED) has drawn jaw-dropping financial backing from beyond the cannabis industry. American beverage company Constellation Brands’ $4 billion investment will allow the two companies to develop CBD-infused drinks, building a leisure market for ingredients derived from hemp. With a corporate giant such as Constellation taking an interest, pressure is likely to grow for further reform in Washington, easing the way for growth in the hemp industry.

Canopy Growth isn’t the only big player in Canada, where the recent legalization of recreational cannabis is set to supercharge the industry. Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (NYSE:ACB) (TSX:ACB) is one of the big players and has already established supply agreements that will let it sell products in provinces across the country. Increasing public awareness of cannabis, driven in part by such supply channels, will also increase awareness of related CBD-based products, with a supplemental boost for hemp.

Meanwhile, researchers continue to find new uses for CBD and other cannabinoids. Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON) (TSX: CRON) has recently announced new work with the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology to explore the use of cannabinoids in skin care. Not only are existing markets expanding, but new ones are being created as additional promising uses for cannabis-based products are found.

This year’s bumper hemp crop looks to be just the beginning of a burgeoning industry with an exciting future.

For more information about Sugarmade, please visit Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC:SGMD).

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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, FNM, 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 & FNM 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 and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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Rising Global Economic Tide Lifts Yacht and Boat Firms High

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Source: CannabisNewsWire

New York NY – October 23, 2018 – With the global economy booming, the wealthy are making the most of their earnings by buying boats.

Yacht sales are rising, with both new and pre-owned yachts in high demand.
This trend is creating a boom for associated services such as brokerages, consultancies, financing, aftermarket extended warranties, and trailer manufacturers.
Other boat-building businesses are also profiting, including yacht charters, boat rental clubs and other sea-based leisure activities that offer people a break from everyday life.

Savvy companies in the boating and yacht industry are recognizing these unparalleled opportunities and exploring ways to position themselves to make the most of them. Victory Marine Holdings Corp. (OTC:VMHG) (VMHG Profile) has expanded its brokerage team and is looking into commissioning specially designed boats. America’s largest retailer of yachts and recreational boats, MarineMax, Inc. (NYSE:HZO), is expanding through the acquisition of companies in the northeast. Malibu Boats, Inc. (NASDAQ:MBUU) is maintaining its edge as a manufacturer through state-of-the-art design and new technology, including its award-winning docking trailer camera, as well as its latest acquisition of Pursuit Boats based in Ft. Pierce, Florida, for a sum of $100 million. The sale of a wide range of pleasure boats has led to financial dividends for Marine Products Corp. (NYSE:MPX). And Brunswick Corp. (NYSE:BC) has incorporated boats into a wider set of recreational holdings, developing new boats and new technology for a growing market.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

The Popularity of Yachts

Yachts are among the world’s greatest status symbols. Luxury items affordable only by the wealthy, yachts represent both having the money needed to purchase them and also having the time and the skill to sail them — bringing great prestige to the owner. Someone who can afford a yacht can clearly afford much more.

There are reportedly almost 4,500 individuals around the world who own high-end “superyachts,” worth an average of $10 million each. But there are plenty of yacht enthusiasts living on more modest budgets, and for those who can’t own their own yachts, rentals or charters offer opportunities to spend a few weeks at sea.

The State of the Yacht Industry

The growing success of the yacht industry is great news for companies such as Victory Marine Holdings Corp. (OTC:VMHG). A surge in the global economy has put more money in the hands of the world’s rich. More people than ever can afford to buy and run a yacht, and many of those individuals are looking for a chance to enjoy their money. In America in particular, a yacht appears to be a symbol of a happy, healthy life among the nation’s elite.

The economic upturn has led to increased sales of both new and pre-owned yachts, each of which offers a different set of advantages for buyers. New yachts are more expensive to buy and insure than used models but less likely to need repairs or refurbishment, while pre-owned yachts may need work to become ocean ready and generally require more maintenance. This makes used yachts a natural entry point for first-time yacht owners or those looking for a more affordable options.

Pressure on demand is also buoying up the pre-owned market. Many boat manufacturers are currently working at capacity, with lead times of 18 months or longer to produce a new boat. Speed of delivery as well as price favor the pre-owned market, on which Victory Marine Holdings subsidiary Victory Yacht Sales is currently focused. With 25 years of experience selling yachts in Miami, the yachting capital of the world, the company has developed a wealth of knowledge and contacts to ensure a steady supply of high-quality yachts to a market that keeps expanding.

Investing in a Yacht

The main reason for investing in a yacht isn’t financial, it’s quality of life. For those who enjoy the seas, yachts are an ideal way to get away from the pressures of the world. Whether relaxing off the coast of a Caribbean island or racing through choppy seas, yachts offer those on board a range of pleasures from active sporting to gentle cruising.

Making a profit from owning a yacht is difficult without the support and expertise of a professional yacht firm such as Victory Yacht Sales. Upkeep costs amount to around 10 percent of the buying price per year, meaning a steady drain of money. And like cars, yachts depreciate in value over time.

However, there are viable ways to make a yacht pay for itself or even to turn a profit, including purchasing a yacht and using it part-time but offering it as a charter vessel during times when it is not in use. This can cover costs such as maintenance, insurance and anchorage.

A second option is to buy a second-hand boat, renovate it and sell it at a profit. Repainting and replacing soft goods can make a significant difference to the value of an existing yacht, much like flipping a house after making basic upgrades.

Whether made with an eye to a financial investment or a leisure enjoyment, buying a yacht is a complicated business. The purchasing process itself involves a memorandum of understanding, an offer, financing, insurance, survey, sea trial and potential renegotiation based on the results. Knowing what sort of boats are available and when prices will be lowest is invaluable information. Consequently, most buyers go through yacht brokers, specialists who understand the details of these deals and are in demand. Victory Yacht Sales recently added veteran broker Gary Beaver to its team, bringing his 20 years of experience and large portfolio of yacht listings into the company, according to a Sept. 13 shareholder update.

Yacht Companies

For those looking to invest in yachts for profit, an even better option may be to invest in a yacht company.

The best yacht companies don’t simply act as brokerages. They provide all the services needed to buy, sell or run a yacht. For example, Victory Yacht Sales does this by offering brokerage and consultancy services as well as a range of boats. And as the market continues to grow, the company is increasing its options.

In response to the growing demand for boats, Victory Marine is expanding beyond its current sales of pre-owned yachts into new models with its own custom design. “Victory Marine Holdings is currently in negotiation with several yacht manufacturers to build and distribute our own unique, private label design, which would allow us to deliver a superior product in the most expeditious fashion,” CEO Orlando Hernandez stated in the shareholder update press release. “In pursuit of this opportunity, our management team will be visiting several manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe and the Middle East to continue these talks and pursue a final deal.”

The company also owns a subsidiary, Excalibur Trailers USA, which is soon to produce and sell custom aluminum trailers for boats of all sizes . Excalibur recently received approval from the Society of Automotive Engineers to produce custom trailers for recreational boats, expanding its range of products.

With consultancy services to help with the running of yachts, a brokerage selling both new and used models, and subsidiaries providing equipment such as trailers, Victory Marine Holdings is now positioned to cover all the needs of potential yacht owners.

A Rising Tide

The saying that “a rising tide lifts all boats” is particularly relevant for the yacht industry, where rising demand is benefiting a range of boat-related companies.

America’s largest retailer of yachts and recreational boats, MarineMax, Inc. (NYSE:HZO) is using the market’s good fortune to expand its operations. Following a successful merger with Boston’s Russo Marine in 2016, the company is now acquiring Bay Pointe Marina in Massachusetts. This expands the company’s ability to provide services to its customers, including winter storage for more than 300 boats. Storage is one of the larger expenses of owning a yacht and a potential valuable source of income for yacht companies.

Since its inception, state-of-the-art boat manufacturer Malibu Boats Inc. (NASDAQ:MBUU) has been focused on using technology to provide the best possible designs in the boating sector. Its docking trailer camera, which improves captains’ views of what’s happening, allows safer docking and handling, and the company won an Innovation Award for Safety Equipment at this year’s International Boat Builders Exhibition and Conference. In addition, Malibu Boats is also expanding, with the acquisition of Pursuit Boats.

Yachts aren’t the only boats doing well in the current economic climate. Marine Products Corp. (NYSE:MPX), a manufacturer of jet boats, pleasure boats and outboard sport fishing boats, has been using premium brands and an increasingly diverse product line to capture a good share of the market. Its success has led to regular dividends for shareholders over the past year, as well as giving the company the cash to repurchase its own shares.

A market leader in the marine, fitness and billiards industries, Brunswick Corp. (NYSE:BC) combines an investment in boats with other recreational and lifestyle brands. Its Sea Ray brand is heading to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show this October to show off its latest developments in boating technology. This includes Sea Ray Connect, a system that provides peace of mind by letting users check the location of their boats and the condition of the systems.

From boats and trailers to consultancy services, the continued strength of the global economy is providing opportunities for all sorts of yachting and marine leisure company investment.

For more information about Victory Marine Holdings, please visit Victory Marine Holdings Corp. (OTC:VMHG).

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Hemp and CBD Set to Eclipse the THC Marijuana Market

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage

New York NY – October 17, 2018 – As the cannabis market continues to grow, hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) are occupying an increasingly large share of the escalating industry.

Hemp, the form of cannabis without psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is an important part of the cannabis market.
Hemp is common in many health and wellness products.
Total sales of hemp-derived products are expected to exceed $1 billion this year.
Some industry experts expect hemp products to soon exceed marijuana for their share of the cannabis industry.

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC:SGMD) (SGMD Profile) is taking advantage of this shift by making a heavy investment in hemp production. Medical marijuana company Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) bridges the gap between product types through its production of CBD oils. One of the largest cannabis growers in Canada, Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC) provides plants used in a wide range of products. GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ:GWPH) has created the first cannabis-derived prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Meanwhile, public acceptance and more positive perception of the cannabis sector are shifting, thanks at least in part to publicity efforts by shifted by cannabis companies such as Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (OTC:ACBFF) (TSX:ACB).

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

The Two Sides of the Cannabis Market

It’s all too easy to view the cannabis sector as a single market providing variations on the same product. In reality, it’s an increasingly complex and varied industry. Its primary plants and products can be divided into two groups: marijuana (and THC) in one category, and hemp (and CBD) in the other.

The marijuana piece of the cannabis market is the one more traditionally recognized. In this space, plants grown, cultivated and used contain THC, the psychoactive ingredient that gets drug users high. THC is the reason for cannabis’ ongoing popularity as a recreational drug worth hundreds of millions of dollars in both legal and illegal markets.

The other side of the market is centered around hemp. Hemp does not contain THC; rather it contains CBD, an active ingredient found in other cannabis plants. CBD has fueled the development of medical marijuana applications, but alternative products that utilize the substance are increasingly popular in the health and wellness markets, where they can be bought more widely than medical marijuana. As a result, some industry experts note that hemp may soon make up the larger part of the cannabis industry.

The Growth of the CBD Market

Though less well-known outside of specialist markets, CBD is becoming a more accessible way to benefit from cannabis. This has led to investment from companies across the cannabis sector, including Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC:SGMD).

Sales of hemp-based products in the United States reached $820 million last year, of which $190 million, or 23 percent of sales, consisted of CBD-derived products, according to Hemp Business Journal. That total for hemp is expected to pass a billion dollars this year.

Predictions for the future are even more promising. The same Hemp Business Journal article estimates that the hemp market will reach $1.9 billion in the United State by 2022, with $646 million of that coming from CBD and its derivatives. The Brightfield Group is even more optimistic in its assessment. The group’s industry specialists believe that CBD could outstrip the rest of the cannabis sector in size in the next few years.

For companies such as Sugarmade, whose business is closely tied to CBD, these developments create opportunities for expansion and innovation.

CBD Enters the Mainstream

A wide variety of end-use product potential is helping hemp gain mainstream use and acceptance. This market includes supplements, personal care products, textiles, and food and industrial applications, as well as CBD and the support services provided Sugarmade and other similar companies.

The hemp market has grown 15 percent per year over the past few years. Unlike marijuana sales, this growth isn’t driven by the medical and recreational sectors. Instead, body products and supplements have been key factors. Much of the hemp for these products has been imported from Canada and China, with imports totaling $78.2 million in 2015, not counting textiles, paper products or construction materials.

The hemp market is expected to be strengthened by the2018 Farm Bill currently making its way through the U.S. Senate. Legislation included in the act, supported by the Senate majority leader, would remove industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, making it easier for farmers to grow hemp for CBD and other agricultural purposes. Since the last farm bill was passed four years ago, some farmers have been able to legally set up test production of hemp for CBD, but widespread cultivation has not been permitted.

The extent of the change permitted by the expected agricultural law remains uncertain. Other issues unrelated to cannabis are currently holding up the Farm Bill, despite widespread bipartisan support for the hemp provisions. Once the bill passes, the impact for CBD will also depend upon decisions made by state authorities and the FDA. But the bill will certainly ease the way for potential hemp growers in states that support the CBD industry. Until now, national law only allowed the growing of hemp and harvest of CBD in state pilot programs and for academic research; in the 2018 Farm Bill, those limitations are eliminated.

Clearly, The legalization of hemp and CBD on the federal level will only benefit companies such as Sugarmade. Previously, access to financial and support services could be difficult for companies working in the cannabis sector. Marijuana retailers had to resort to cash payments or newly developed electronic systems because banks feared doing business with companies defying federal law. Making hemp legal will allow a wide variety of support systems to evolve.

Innovating with CBD

The success of companies such as Sugarmade that are working in the CBD space comes in large part through innovation. These companies recognize the need to research, offer, and implement new products, services and investments to drive growth.

New products will take CBD into new commercial categories. Hemp-derived beverages and pet foods are both on the horizon. Medicines are being tested. Paper, cloth and construction are also industries that stand to benefit from additional hemp offerings.

Sugarmade’s success comes through expansion in hydroponics, the company’s entry into the cannabis space. Hydroponic equipment is key to cultivating cannabis and, as a result, hydroponic companies have seen substantial growth over the past few years. Sugarmade is building upon its existing growth by acquiring two other hydroponics companies, a move that turned the company into one of the leading players in hydroponics. This move is also expected to raise Sugarmade’s revenues next year from $30 million to $75 million as the market for hemp and its support services grows.

Sugarmade has also reinforced its position in the market through more direct investment in CBD. The company recently committed to investing a million dollars in Hempistry, Inc. The investment is targeted to support Hempistry’s work on an ultra-high CBD-content hemp strain being grown in Kentucky. It also positions Sugarmade to profit directly from the staggering growth in CBD.

The impact of the hemp industry extends beyond the United States. Sugarmade has made moves into Europe as well, selling hydroponics in the United Kingdom. While the current hemp market in Europe is small, savvy companies are evaluating opportunities to get in now. Where America leads, Europe is likely to follow, which means the road towards legalized cannabis and a thriving CBD market may be imminent.

Cannabis Competitors

A number of companies are competing for a share of the CBD market.

For medical marijuana company Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY), CBD is a natural extension of its other work. The company has developed CBD oil for medical use and is one of the first to sell such a product into the United Kingdom after top politicians intervened to make CBD available for treating rare childhood forms of epilepsy. A strong program of research and development has led to growth for the company, which is now making initial public offerings in the United States and Canada to finance further work.

Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) is one of the largest cannabis companies in Canada, a leading market for cannabis and CBD. With 5.6 million square feet of growing space spread across its facilities and subsidiaries, three-quarters of it licensed by Canadian authorities to grow cannabis, Canopy Growth has become a powerhouse within the industry and is breaking new ground for cannabis companies, having completed the first legal transfer of cannabis from Canada to the United States using a DEA-issued permit. This transfer, for medical research purposes, seems to reflect a softening of DEA attitudes as the agency adjusts to the changing status quo.

Medical cannabis research is also important to GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ:GWPH). The company created the first cannabis-based prescription medicine to gain FDA approval and continues to innovate through its research and product divisions. Like Tilray, the company is committed to growth, having recently announced new shares to raise $300 million of finance.

Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (OTCQX: ACBFF) (TSX:ACB) isn’t just selling its own CBD-rich health and wellness products — it’s also working to raise the public profile of the cannabis industry. It has partnered with Elevate, the annual citywide Toronto festival, to create tracks discussing cannabis and health issues. These events will encourage discussion about the health potential of CBD and marijuana, as both sides of the industry continue to gain in size and public recognition.

The cannabis industry has seen huge growth over the past decade, and now it’s going through big changes. Commercial CBD and hemp, until recently existing in the shadow of medical cannabis and recreational marijuana, could soon be the leading products in a growing global market.

For more information about Sugarmade, please visit Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC:SGMD).

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CBD Exploding into Mainstream Wellness Products

New York NY – October 11, 2018 – Bolstered by millennia of anecdotal evidence and ever-mounting scientific validation, cannabidiol (CBD) is rapidly being integrated into myriad mainstream consumer wellness products around the globe.

Global cannabis market expected to quadruple to over $63 billion by 2024
CBD oil market to grow at CAGR of 39.19 percent through 2021
CBD products exploding into a wide variety of product lines
Diversified, sales-driven companies expected to outpace standard growth curve

Humans have used hemp, a variety of Cannabis sativa and a primary source of CBD, for more than 10,000 years in food, textiles and medicine. The world is again recognizing the therapeutic benefits of hemp extracts, and consumers are embracing cannabis-based products at a breakneck pace. Consumer demand has triggered an explosion of product innovations that range from oils and edibles to pet products and infused beverages. Intent on staying at the vanguard of the upsurge in CBD-based wellness products, sales and marketing powerhouse Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ:YGYI) (YGYI Profile) recently expanded its HempFX™ line with the launch of two new hemp-derived cannabidiol products. Others are entering the sector as well. Beer and spirits conglomerate Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) just made the largest investment to date in the cannabis industry. AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) was one of the first companies to enter the pharmaceutical cannabis space with Marinol, which is almost chemically identical to THC, the main component in marijuana. Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE:LXX) (OTC:LXRP) offers DehydraTECH, a drug delivery platform that could be a game changer for several industries, including the recreational and medical cannabis markets. And Neptune Wellness Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:NEPT) recently received a Confirmation of Readiness letter from Health Canada, a key milestone in its quest to become a licensed producer of cannabis oil in Canada.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

The CBD Boom

Cannabidiol is understandably generating worldwide interest from both the scientific and investment communities. It’s hard to ignore a market sector projected to nearly quadruple from about $16 billion last year to more than $63 billion worldwide by 2024. In just the United States alone, the marijuana industry could create an economic tsunami estimated to surge past $75 billion annually by 2022.

Explosive demand projections are attributed to increased public awareness about wide-ranging potential health benefits, natural pain mitigation and anti-inflammatory properties, advancements in cultivation and processing, plus the convenience and reach of online and direct retailing — all of which contribute to a global CBD oil market expected to grow at an eye-popping CAGR of 39.19 percent through 2021. The upward trend is indisputable, and corporations are jockeying for position, racing to produce a variety of CBD products, staking out distribution channels and opening a realm of possibilities in previously unimagined markets. All the projections and activity send clear signals of what’s to come.

The Mission Matters

With deep roots in health and nutrition spanning over 20 years, omni-direct lifestyle company Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ:YGYI) is still dedicated to the core mission of its founder: learning how to live younger, longer. Expanding on the pioneering biomedical research of Dr. Joel D. Wallach, Youngevity is aggressively and ethically growing its business through a unique admixture of direct selling, traditional marketing, mergers and acquisitions, and stellar organic growth. The direct sales model and international roll-out strategies of Youngevity provide synergistic leverage to capitalize on the immense potential in high-growth emerging markets, exactly what’s occurring in the CBD arena.

Youngevity’s recent announcement about the launch of two new hemp-derived cannabidiol products in its HempFX line intermeshes with the company’s explosive sales growth and its mission to provide nutritional and lifestyle solutions to achieve optimum health and wellness goals. “Plant-based nutrition is fundamental to our product development philosophy,” stated Youngevity CEO Steve Wallach.

The new HempFX products expand YGYI’s CBD line and join a vast stable of more than one thousand products and services the company already offers. The new tablet-based CBD products are designed to work in conjunction with Youngevity’s Y-DR8+ proprietary water bottle system. The company’s exclusive Y-DR8 filter utilizes activated carbon cloth designed to reduce chemicals and deliver CBD in great tasting water. The portable Y-DR8 filter holds cannabidiol tablets above the water line, and YGYI’s CBD formulations are infused into the water as it flows over the tablets.

“This bottle system is intended to provide people with a revolutionary point-of-use water system for great tasting water and enables consumers to customize tap water based upon their health and wellness needs. It is a beverage technology that we expect will have broad consumer appeal and we are extremely excited to combine this technology with the benefits of hemp-based CBD,” stated Vice President of Innovation and Emerging Markets Rick Anson.

Using patent-pending extraction and bioavailability processes, YGYI’s HempFX products contain only U.S. organically grown non-GMO hemp. The full-spectrum phytocannabinoids are third-party tested to ensure only the highest quality allergen-, gluten- and THC-free hemp oils are produced and sold to the public in compliance with good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards.

HempFX Hydration™ – Sleep is formulated to improve sleep patterns and deliver the health benefits of CBD. YGYI’s high-quality cannabidiol formulation contains melatonin and is administered using the company’s proprietary beverage enhancement tablet. HempFX Hydration – Pure contains 25 mg of organic, full-spectrum, hemp-derived cannabidiol oil per tablet and quickly dissolves in water as it is consumed.

“Plant-based nutrition is fundamental to our product development philosophy,” Wallach stated. “That’s why we’re especially excited to enter this rapidly growing market with two new products.”

HempFX Hydration – Sleep and HempFX Hydration – Pure are expected to be available next month, and sales may well outperform YGYI’s three other hemp-based products, which sold out of preproduction quantities during the company’s August sales convention.

Sales and Marketing Powerhouse

Recognized as one of the Top 100 Global Direct Selling Companies, Youngevity is a sales powerhouse that more than doubled revenues from $75 million in 2012 to $166 million in 2017. The company shows no signs of slowing down, posting an 8.7 percent revenue increase in Q2 YTD 2018 over Q2 YTD 2017 and a 9.6 percent increase in gross profits over the same period.

The NASDAQ-listed company, added to the Russell Index in June, operates in large, scalable global market segments driving significant revenue growth in skin care, anti-aging, weight loss, brain health and coffee. The expansion into CBD products appears likely to boost revenues even further, potentially placing the company at the forefront of the CBD boom. Making quality products is only one aspect of carving out space in this new sector; sell-through is the more important criteria to measure success during the upswing.

Youngevity’s unique marketing hybrid buttressing the direct-selling business model with powerful e-commerce and social selling initiatives has created a global panoply of products and services under one corporate umbrella that supports healthy, empowered lifestyles. Youngevity now offers more than one thousand high-quality nutritional and lifestyle products and services through a wide range of channels in fast-growing retail categories:

Health and Nutrition
Home and Family
Food and Beverage
Spa and Beauty
Fashion
Essential Oils
Photo and Scrapbooking
Services for Home and Business

“One thing that makes Youngevity so unique is our broad product offering,” President and CFO Dave Briskie stated during the company’s 2018 convention. “It allows us to reach many markets and gives our customers a wide range of high-quality lifestyle products. We will continue to do our best to align our products to the needs of our market.”

The Epiphany

There’s little doubt about the trajectory of the global CBD market. Some have likened the impending surge of industry players to the dot.com era — some will become Amazon.com while others will disappear faster than Pets.com. Investors looking to capitalize on the immense opportunity ahead are likely best served by strategic positions in diversified companies driven by sales and galvanized by a mission to excel.

Others in the Arena

Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) just made the largest investment to date in the cannabis space. The company is already a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits. With its $4 billion investment in Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC), Constellation looks to accelerate its market position and expand its portfolio in emerging cannabis markets around the globe.

Primarily a pharmaceutical company, AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) offers a synthetic cannabis-based drug on the market. Marinol is an FDA-approved, prescription drug used to alleviate nausea or vomiting for chemotherapy patients; it may also help AIDS patients who have lost their desire to eat.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp.’s (CSE:LXX) (OTC:LXRP) DehydraTECH drug delivery platform features a patented, cost-effective delivery mechanism that improves the taste and smell — as well as the bio-absorption — of ingestible substances. Cannabinoid-infused edibles and concentrates represent the fastest-growing segments of the cannabis industry, and DehydraTECH may position Lexaria as a prime partner for offerings in these spaces.

Working to develop unique extracts and formulations in the legal cannabis wellness field, Neptune Wellness Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:NEPT) is well on its way to obtaining official approval to move forward. The Confirmation of Readiness letter “brings us to the threshold of becoming a Licensed Producer of cannabis oil in Canada, and is a very exciting moment,” said Neptune president and CEO Jim Hamilton. “Our entry into the legal cannabis industry leverages our established expertise in the development of innovative Omega3 oil products, navigating global regulatory frameworks, worldwide commercialization of wellness solutions, and production of high-quality extracts.”

For more information about Youngevity International, please visit Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ:YGYI).

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Public Acceptance Fuels Growth of CBD and Support Industries

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CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage

New York, NY – October 9, 2018 – Growing public acceptance of medical marijuana is having secondary effects on other industries.

Products using cannabidiol (CBD) are increasingly popular in areas such as wellness and cosmetics.
Hemp production is growing, with experimental projects improving cannabis cultivation techniques.
Services needed to support these markets, such as payment systems, are growing.

Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC:MCOA) (MCOA Profile) is benefiting from this in many ways, having invested in hemp, CBD products, rentable cultivation space and payment systems. Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) is producing CBD oils and has become one of the first companies to sell these for medical use in the United Kingdom. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) has received a massive investment from a drinks company, with the aim of producing CBD-infused drinks. GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ:GWPH) created the first prescription medicine derived from cannabis plants to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and is now heavily involved in research into using CBD to tackle epilepsy. Such drugs may also become useful for fighting insomnia, the subject of a new study by Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRON).

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Public Acceptance of Medical Marijuana Growing

Attitudes towards cannabis and industrial hemp have shifted significantly in the United States in recent years, reflected by legal changes at the state level. The majority of states have legalized these substances for medical use, and a significant proportion now allow their sale for recreational purposes. Increasing access and legitimacy have encouraged an already existing trend toward more liberal views. As a result, 74 percent of Americans now support legislation that would protect states from federal prosecution for legalizing the drug.

Most tellingly, major companies are looking to tap into the popularity of industrial hemp. Coca-Cola, not a company known for taking great risks, is in talks with a major grower about a potential collaboration. This would involve producing drinks infused with cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive chemical found in industrial hemp. A growing body of research into CBD’s potential to relieve pain means that it is an increasingly popular part of the industry. As recreational marijuana use is legalized in Canada this month, companies such as Coca-Cola will use that country to develop and market test products that may later be sold in the United States.

Turning Public Approval into Profits

Reports about this shift in attitudes provide inherently useful information for politicians and public health officials. But for businesses such as Marijuana Company of America (OTC:MCOA), this information only becomes useful if they can turn it into profit.

MCOA is doing this by diversifying its activities and expanding upon existing work to strengthen its position within the market. The industry is now about much more than just growing and selling cannabis. It covers industrial hemp, plant processing, support services, technology and a wide range of products, some a long way from the smokable plants many people picture when they hear the word hemp.

The part of MCOA’s work that most obviously benefits from changing attitudes is its hempSMARTÔ line of products. These timely products are infused with hemp-derived CBD, the same chemical Coca-Cola is considering putting into drinks. But while it isn’t yet producing beverages, MCOA has found a wide variety of other ways to use CBD.

Most of the hempSMART brand is targeted at the wellness market. Products such as the recently relaunched hempSMART Brain are formulated to improve the well-being of consumers, in hempSMART Brain’s case by helping maintain mental clarity, alertness, focus and concentration. HempSMART has also entered the cosmetic and skin care realm with its hempSMART Face, a CBD facial moisturizer, which aims to refresh, replenish, and restore skin providing long-lasting hydration and balance.

The production and marketing of these products is made easier by the shift in public perceptions of industrial hemp. As it becomes more accepted, even consumers who aren’t interested in the substance itself are sometimes willing to try ancillary products.

Harvesting Hemp

For centuries, hemp was grown as a source of fiber. A plant related to marijuana but without its psychoactive properties, hemp is now seeing a revival, thanks to legal changes in both Canada and the United States.

In a joint venture with Global Hemp Group, Inc., MCOA has set up two separate hemp production projects — one in Oregon and the other in New Brunswick.

The purposes of these projects include increasing understanding of hemp, developing better cultivation methods, and creating improved strains. Staff at both sites are carrying out research, with support from the local government at the Canadian site. This work covers a range of issues important to hemp cultivation, including pest control and improving soil quality. Drones are used to oversee progress in New Brunswick, giving the company a good overview of how crops are progressing.

By gathering data on plants and cultivation methods, MCOA and Global Hemp are giving themselves an important advantage in a growing industry. Hemp fibers can be used to produce cloth and rope, adapting a historically popular use to the modern world. Perhaps more valuable financially, CBD oil can be extracted from the plants, providing biomass for the market. Growing strains with rich CBD content is an important part of the work at the Oregon site, work that could give the companies an edge over their competitors in the strains they grow.

The work on these sites is providing plenty of practical insights and experience, sometimes in unexpected ways. A bean harvester was recently used to harvest crops in New Brunswick, maximizing profits despite higher than normal weed growth. Experts such as Anthony Rushford, who has brought 20 years of experience in hemp breeding and genetics to the Oregon project — have also been recruited to provide insight on relevant issues.

Support Services

The growth of the marijuana, hemp and CBD markets has led to a need for support services. By expanding into these services, MCOA is further strengthening its position.

The company’s significant investment in MoneyTrac Technology represents a similar step toward diversification. MoneyTrac is a pioneer in alternative banking and electronic finance systems, using blockchain technology to power an accessible payment service. This can be accessed anywhere in the world and used by sellers to track their business and ensure legal compliance, as well as to easily take electronic payments.

As the industry grows, it will need technological solutions for the challenges it faces, and MoneyTrac provides one of those solutions. This technology has potential use beyond the cannabis market as a payment system for other under-served businesses. Both business practices and technology are changing as companies adapt to the emerging commercial environment in the United States.

The Commercial Power of Marijuana Derivatives

The growing acceptance of medical marijuana is providing impetus for many businesses within the sector that are exploring the other products these plants can provide.

Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY), a leading medical marijuana company, sells cannabis flowers and extracts to patients and medical providers on five continents. With a strong investment in research and development, Tilray has been creating other products derived from these plants, including a range of CBD oils. As a result, it is one of the first companies to sell CBD oil into the United Kingdom following a high profile legal change that allowed British patients access to these oils for the first time.

Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) is already one of the leading marijuana companies working in Canada, one with extensive deals to make use of that country’s growing market. Canopy Growth has received a significant financial and publicity boost thanks to a recently approved $4 billion investment from American drinks giant Constellation Brands. This collaboration between the two companies is expected to lead to CBD-infused drinks, another innovation within the industry.

A company with 20 years’ experience developing cannabinoid treatments, GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) created the first prescription medicine derived from cannabis plants to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. GW Pharma has been carrying out research on the use of CBD in tackling rare and dangerous forms of childhood epilepsy, and recently presented data on this work to the 13^th Annual European Congress of Epileptology. This research is creating greater support for the safety and effectiveness of CBD in dealing with these diseases.

Research is widening the number of ways in which cannabis and cannabis-derived products can be used. Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) recently announced a study to research the use of cannabis in tackling insomnia.

A diversity of products and uses is allowing marijuana companies to grow in strength, providing support services, medicines, research and rented cultivation facilities alongside their core products of cannabis and CBD oils. It’s a path that can only strengthen the industry.

For more information about MCOA, please visit Marijuana Company of America (OTC:MCOA).

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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 and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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Growth of Blockchain Provides Financial Services for Underserved Markets

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Source: CannabisNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage

New York NY – October 4, 2018 – The growing popularity of cryptocurrencies has led to a surge in payment systems built on the blockchain technological revolution.

Blockchain-based payments, which can be transacted directly between parties without bank involvement, allow those underserved by banks to access electronic payment.
These blockchain-based payment systems are growing in popularity and prestige, with celebrity endorsements and appearances on the high street.
They allow consumers to make fast payments and businesses to reduce payment processing fees.

The growing mainstream popularity of blockchain-based payments is reflected in a recent TV advertisement by SinglePoint, Inc. (OTC:SING) (SING Profile) for its cryptocurrency wallet. Online retailer Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) is also launching a digital wallet service that supports cryptocurrencies, following the path of Square Inc. Class A (NYSE:SQ), which is integrating bitcoin into its mobile payment systems. Electronic payment giant PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) has taken out a patent for a faster cryptocurrency payment system, reflecting the company’s interest in this sector. Meanwhile, the growth of blockchain is driving growth for NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), which produces graphic processing units used in cryptocurrency mining.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Serving Underserved Markets

The personal finance industry has undergone enormous change during the past generation. Electronic payment, once a rarity, has become the norm. Whether paying online, through chip and pin, or with contactless card services, people use cash less and less. Not being able to pay electronically becomes an unexpected inconvenience.

This has created challenges for some businesses and customers. Those who aren’t well served by banks and traditional payment systems struggle to access electronic payment. This makes it harder to make payments, sometimes forcing them to work with cash. This, in turn, creates inefficiencies and increases the risk of accounting mistakes for the businesses involved, as they don’t benefit from having their money and payment records connected in an electronic format.

Fortunately, a new technology has arrived to serve these underserved markets — blockchain.

Blockchain Hits the Big Time

Those who have watched the financial news at all over the past few years have seen the impact of blockchain, even if they didn’t recognize it. Blockchain is the technology underlying cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, which hit the news last year thanks to a huge surge in market value.

Cryptocurrencies are becoming so popular that they now feature in advertisements on national television. SinglePoint, Inc. (OTC:SING) recently released the first TV promotion for its bitcoin wallet application, SingleCoin. SingleCoin can be used to store cryptocurrency and make payments with that currency, giving consumers an easy way to use this new form of electronic money. It’s a straightforward, simple-to-use digital platform that allows everyone to benefit from blockchain payments. SingleCoin is available on both iOS and Android devices and is accompanied by a detailed cryptocurrency guide on the company’s website, making cryptocurrency more accessible for ordinary consumers.

The advertisement, which features Shark Tank veteran Kevin Harrington, first aired on Fox Business. It focuses on how easily people can access cryptocurrency using the free SingleCoin app, allowing them to join the millions around the world already using cryptocurrency.

This move by SinglePoint is part of a wider shift in the way cryptocurrencies are used. Initially, these digital funds could not be used for ordinary commercial purposes; rather, they were a novelty for tech geeks and speculators. The first time someone paid for a pizza with bitcoin, it made the news. Over time, their use increased, as did speculation by investors. Cryptocurrencies soared in value but were still limited to payments within the internet.

Now, cryptocurrency is hitting the high streets. Companies from Japan to America and the Middle East are creating cryptocurrency ATMs and payment systems that allow cryptocurrency to be used in shops. These currencies have more practical value than before, increasing demand for applications such as SingleCoin, which let people buy, store and spend cryptocurrency using their phones.

The Benefits of Cryptocurrency

To anyone looking at this from the outside, it might seem a little pointless. Why would anyone use cryptocurrency when other currencies are already available and widely used? What’s the point of having an app such as SingleCoin?

Cryptocurrencies have several advantages over ordinary currencies, most of them stemming from the direct nature of cryptocurrency payments.

Conventional electronic payment takes place through banks, with payment processing companies as intermediaries. People can’t directly send money to each other. These electronic payments are actually requests to the bank to send money elsewhere. This creates delays in transferring the money, as the message filters through the system of separate banks and other companies. It also means incurring transaction fees, as set by banks and payment processors.

Cryptocurrencies get away from this. Consumers with cryptocurrency hold a special electronic key that allows them — and no one else — to access and transfer their funds. When they make a payment, the money is sent directly to the recipient. This cuts out the middleman and is often faster than a conventional payment.

This method can actually lead to lower payment processing costs. Instead of several banks and middlemen looking to make a profit on each transaction, there’s just the single company through whose exchange the payment is made. This means that companies such as SinglePoint can often afford to charge lower fees than their traditional competitors.

Cryptocurrencies can even be used to provide a blockchain backbone to other electronic payment systems. In these, consumers pay in traditional currency and merchants receive that traditional currency at the other end, but the transfers in between are made in cryptocurrency.

Dedicated cryptocurrency enthusiasts, with the technical skills to manage electronic finance directly, can use their computing skills to manage their cryptocurrency directly. But for the vast majority of consumers, systems such as SingleCoin may make a new and powerful form of payment accessible.

The Growing Credibility of Cryptocurrency

Until recently, cryptocurrency hasn’t been widely seen as a credible alternative to conventional payment, but that’s changing. A surge in the market value of cryptocurrencies last year drew widespread attention from investors. In the aftermath of the hype, prices fell, but these currencies were still left more valuable than they had been before. Serious investment sites now cover cryptocurrencies, and investors include them in their portfolios.

Celebrity endorsements have added to the credibility of crypto. When Harrington shows faith in blockchain by acting as a spokesman for SinglePoint, people pay attention. With his high public profile and reputation for savvy business dealings, he’s showing that business insiders believe in blockchain.

Even banks are paying attention. Though they are still wary of cryptocurrencies themselves, banks and other financial institutions have started researching how they can use blockchain in their own processes.

As cryptocurrency ATMs appear on the streets of Japan and SingleCoin wallets appear on ordinary consumers’ phones, it’s clear that blockchain is about to hit the mainstream. What was once a specialist payment tool for computer programmers, then a novel form of asset for investors, is now a widespread way of paying for goods and services.

A Different Approach to Finance

The increasing use of cryptocurrency is having secondary effects across the finance and tech sectors. The systems behind cryptocurrency are often data hungry, needing a great deal of processing power to run. This has driven increased growth for NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), a technology company primarily known for its computer hardware. Sales of graphic processing units have risen to meet the demands of cryptocurrency miners, leading to growth in NVIDIA’s stock prices.

Online retailer Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) has also become involved in payment systems. It recently announced the beta launch of a digital wallet service that will make it easier for consumers to bridge the gap between cryptocurrency and conventional payments. By connecting cryptocurrency wallets to their stores, retailers can make themselves the only intermediaries their customers need, increasing efficiency and gaining more control over their markets.

The biggest name in electronic payments, PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) has taken an interest in blockchain. It was one of the first companies to help merchants on popular websites take payments using cryptocurrency and has been keeping an eye on the progress of this technology. The company is looking at ways to speed up payments using blockchain, as shown in a patent filing from earlier this year.

Mobile payment company Square Inc. Class A (NYSE:SQ), whose technology can turn computers and phones into point-of-sale systems, has been working on integrating bitcoin into its systems. Its Square Cash app, which can be used to trade in cryptocurrency, saw growth in its user base even at a time when investor interest in cryptocurrencies was falling. Like SinglePoint, it’s building up a user base of cryptocurrency customers, getting ahead of competitors as cryptocurrency becomes more widespread.

Blockchain lets consumers and retailers regain control of their money from the banks. As cryptocurrencies grow in popularity, it could transform payments from Wall Street to the high street.

For more information about Singlepoint, please visit SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB:SING).

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Intangible Assets Power Growth, Acquisitions in the Pharmaceuticals Sector

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Source: NetworkNewsWire

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage

New York, NY – October 4, 2018 – Intangible assets such as patents increasingly dominate the global business landscape, especially in the pharmaceutical sector.

Intangible assets are estimated to be worth trillions of dollars in the United States alone.
These assets drive deals as companies acquire smaller patent holders.
In growing sectors such as cannabis, smaller companies are rushing to establish intangible assets ready for expected market growth.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE:LXX) (OTC:LXRP) (LXRP Profile) is one of the leaders in the world of cannabis, with applications made for more than 50 different patents and more to come. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) is also focusing on building its intellectual property (IP) portfolio including exclusive rights to at least 22 issued or pending patents. In wake of receiving FDA approval of its Epidiolex® (cannabidiol) oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ:GWPH) has applied for five new Epidiolex patents. Recently Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) announced that it has, alone or with its subsidiary or joint-venture partners, filed eight provisional U.S. patents pertaining to the delivery and application of cannabis and cannabinoid-based therapeutics. And through its ownership of CanniMed, Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (OTC:ACBFF) has obtained six patents related to cannabinoid delivery for pain management.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

The Power of Intellectual Property

Intellectual property is now one of the most important parts of the global economy. Copyrights, trademarks and patents are a vital weapon in the arsenal of many businesses. For some companies, this is a secondary consideration, a way to strengthen and protect their positions within their fields. For others, it’s their entire focus — a way to dominate a sector or provide valuable returns.

The power of IP means that no part of the economy goes untouched. New industries often arise off the back of new IP. Even when that’s not the case, the development of new techniques and technologies frequently lead to the creation of patents, as companies work to innovate and control techniques that give them an edge over their competitors. For relatively new sectors, such as the cannabis market, this means the sudden flourishing of IP and a race by companies to stake their claim on these valuable assets. As a sector matures, so will its IP market.

The Value of Intangible Assets

Patents are a big part of business for companies such as Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE:LXX) (OTCQX:LXRP), for whom developing and protecting new technology is fundamental to success. Whether it’s underlying technology such as DehydraTECH, the company’s system for increasing the body’s absorption of chemical compounds, or specific products derived from DehydraTECH, such as TurboCBD, Lexaria’s success is founded on its distinctive IP.

IP is part of a wider sector of the economy valued at trillions of dollars in the United States alone — intangible assets. This is the wealth provided not by physical assets and the processes that directly transform them but by less visible, more abstract resources. It includes IP, whose value is often examined and measured, as well as harder-to-pin-down elements such as business processes and reputation.

These factors have always played a part in business, but their growing recognition and analysis has led to the growth of companies whose main focus is on intangible assets, from investment research firms and reinsurers to patent licensing and enforcement companies.

Representing around a third of the U.S. economy, intangible assets are now consciously analyzed and developed by virtually every business, even if they don’t recognize the “intangible asset” label. Companies with a solid focus on these areas can place themselves in positions of great strength.

Patents in a New Sector

The speed at which intangible assets can develop is well illustrated by movements in the cannabis sector, where many of Lexaria’s patents apply.

The legal global cannabis market started to emerge only recently, thanks to a handful of countries allowing medical marijuana. The market has started to mature through a small but growing number of territories with legal markets for recreational cannabis, as well as the separate management and licensing of industrial hemp. Legal cannabis is now a multibillion-dollar business. Although Lexaria’s technology has other profound drug delivery applications, cannabis is where it looks set to have the most immediate impact.

This has led to a rush to control intangible assets around cannabis. It’s noteworthy that Chinese companies own more than half of the cannabis-related patents registered with the World Intellectual Property Organization, even though the cannabis trade remains illegal in China. China has a good eye for long-term developments and is setting itself up to control a growing global trade.

Outside of China, Lexaria is one of the world’s biggest holders of cannabis patents with eight patents already granted. The company currently holds four patents in the United States and four in Australia, covering aspects of its work to make beneficial drugs more palatable and effective. In addition, the company has further patent applications in process in more than 40 countries as part of a concerted strategy to expand its patent portfolio. This is made possible by the focused, tangible research and development being carried out by the company and is ultimately driven by the need to develop and control intangible assets.

Lexaria has disclosed it expects four more patents granted in 2018, bringing its total to twelve. Of note, all twelve of these are within just a single patent family — and Lexaria expects patent success across all nine families of its current applications. Indeed the company recently revealed that it has seven more patent families in the works. Lexaria’s goal is to have some 200 patents pending or granted which, if achieved, could turn the organization into an IP behemoth in the global cannabis industry.

The Value of Patents

The commercial value of patents, even those still pending approval, can be extraordinary, reaching billions of dollars. In 2011, Nortel sold 6,000 patents and patent applications for $4.5 billion. The following year, AOL sold 925 patents to Microsoft for more than a billion dollars. While some companies develop patents purely to protect their work, others develop them specifically to be sold.

This focus on intangible assets drives many mergers and acquisitions. The Craftsy digital network developed online shows such as “Man about Cake” with a focus on audience rather than immediate profit, leading to the company’s acquisition by NBC Universal. The intangible assets of the company’s identity, reputation and audience had become highly valuable in themselves.

Similar priorities can be seen on a far larger scale in SoftBank’s $31.4 billion acquisition of chip designer ARM Holdings, or roughly $7 million per patent or patent application. ARM’s revenues were only $1.5 billion per year, but its 4,500 patents cover technology of potentially incredible value. In just three years, the desire to control patented drugs and processes in the healthcare sector overall resulted in 58 mergers and acquisitions with values of a billion dollars or more.

In Lexaria’s field of pharmaceuticals, patents are crucial, representing both the outcome of years of R&D and also potential market share and control in the emerging global cannabis business. Lexaria is attempting to own enough IP in the global cannabis industry that patent royalty revenues begin to flow worldwide.

Because patents are among the most valuable assets a company can own, a small investment in research now may pay off in a huge way in years to come. In a sector with such huge growth potential as cannabis, Lexaria’s IP portfolio may generate cash flows regardless of whether other companies intend to license the technology or not; by owning core IP, other companies may be forced to pay royalties. If Lexaria’s goal of owning hundreds of issued patents becomes a reality, the company’s patent portfolio could have huge ramifications on its valuation.

Powered by Intellectual Property

Lexaria isn’t alone in its commitment to strengthen its IP collateral. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) is also focusing on building its IP portfolio including exclusive rights to at least 22 issued or pending patents. Tilray CEO Brendan Kennedy has observed that if cannabis companies are going to move forward, they’ll need to develop IP in both the medicinal and recreation aspects of the cannabis spectrum.

GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ:GWPH) has established a leading position in the development of plant-derived cannabinoid therapeutics through its intellectual property portfolio, proven drug discovery and development processes, and regulatory and manufacturing expertise. The company successfully developed the world’s first prescription medicine derived from the cannabis plant.

In addition to the eight provisional patents it has filed, Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE:CGC) has updated applications relating to earlier insomnia patent applications, bringing the total number of U.S. provisional patent filings to 39. The filings are part of a concerted plan by Canopy Growth to deliver to patients and healthcare providers innovative medicines and health products targeting disease areas with substantial medical needs.

Aurora Cannabis, Inc.’s (OTCQX:ACBFF) pain-management patents are only part of the company’s commitment to creating a stronghold in the cannabis market. Aurora has become one of the fastest-growing cannabis companies, as evidenced by Aurora Sky, the company’s 800,000-square-foot flagship facility; by launching the world’s only mobile app for ordering medically prescribed cannabis; and by being the only LP to service two metropolitan areas with same-day delivery.

With so much value placed on intangible assets, patents are fueling growth and acquisitions worth billions of dollars. In the pharmaceutical sector and beyond, patents definitely appear to be where the big money is.

For more information on Lexaria, please visit Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE:LXX) (OTCQX:LXRP).

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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, FNM, 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 & FNM 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 and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

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