Author: CannabisNewsWire (CNW)

About CannabisNewsWire CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) CannabisNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where news, content and information converge. To receive SMS text alerts from CannabisNewsWire, text “CANNABIS” to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

420 with CNW – Vote on Marijuana Legalization Measures in Montana Scheduled for November

On Thursday, the secretary of state of Montana reported that marijuana advocates had gathered enough signatures, hence qualifying two legalization measures for the November ballot.

In one of the initiatives mentioned, a legal change is cited that would form a structure for adults to access cannabis legally. In addition to this, a different constitutional change will make certain that only individuals who are at least 21 years or older could engage in this market. If voters accept this statutory measure, it will make it legal to cultivate a maximum of four seedlings and four mature plants in one’s home as well as have in your possession approximately one ounce of cannabis.

Issuance of business licenses would begin on January 1 in 2022 with medical cannabis companies that already exist being among the first to penetrate the market. The legal industry would be overseen and regulated by the Montana Department of Revenue which would also be in charge of issuing the licenses.

It is also noted that tax rate on medical cannabis goods would be decreased to 1% from 2% while a 20% sales tax would be imposed on recreational marijuana. The revenue collected from sales made legally would be directed to water, wildlife and land conservation programs. It is estimated that by the fiscal year of 2025, the legal cannabis market will produce approximately $38,500,000 in taxes.

Research conducted also showed that most of the voters in Montana have no qualms with legalization and with the chance for voters to pass the law, this would lead to the formation of new jobs and the generation of more revenue for the state of Montana.

Additionally, in the amendment it was stated that the state constitution would be modified to read that individuals of 18 years and older are adults by law but the initiative may increase the legal age for consuming, purchasing or possessing marijuana and alcoholic beverages. The vote looks promising from previous legalizations of medical cannabis in the year 2004 and a following expansion measure in the year 2016 of the same.

Petitions for the cannabis measures were proposed in June and on Thursday, the state secretary officially stated that both initiatives have been certified to be on this year’s General Election Ballot scheduled for November.

In conclusion, Montana voters have the chance to pass a policy that legalizes recreational marijuana use which will generate revenue, allow the police to focus on other crimes as well as create jobs. Analysts say Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR) will be hoping that Montanans get accurate information upon which they will vote appropriately.

About CNW420

CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.

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420 with CNW – Weed Vending Machines in Colorado: The Future of Non-Contact Highs

With many companies going online in order to cater for the increased demand for online ordering with some offering additional curbside pickup due to the pandemic, one company in Colorado is making sure people can also purchase their cannabis without fear of getting infected with COVID-19.

Anna, a company founded by Matt Frost, who is also the CEO, makes vending machines designed to fill and take marijuana product orders.

The first vending machine debuted at the Strawberry Fields dispensary, located in central Pueblo. Consumers now have the option of purchasing edibles, vape oils, and flower, all without any interaction with a budtender. Later this year, a second vending machine will be installed in the Starbuds dispensary located in Aurora.

This concept was originally developed by Frost, who has a background in healthcare data analytics to adapt the efficiency of a market self-serve system to the cannabis industry. In his home state, Massachusetts, waits in dispensaries range from a few minutes to a few hours with some shops recommending that customers pre-order online then schedule pick-up times for ease of purchase.

Vending machines offer an added advantage to cannabis consumers who have no need to speak to a budtender as they already know what they want. This opens up more time for customers who may have questions and need to interact with a budtender for help and enquiries.

There are four vending machines set up in Strawberry Fields. To access them, consumers are required to display identification in order to check in to use them. Each vending machine shows a digital form of the menu on the 27-inch touch screen where customers can stock up on their purchases virtually. The system also offers the option to pay using cash or a debit card. The machine, dubbed Anna, then dispenses the goods, providing a grab-and-go experience.

The Anna app by the same company, will be launched and may be used if consumers wish to pre-order then check out using the vending machine. For now though, only weed is stocked in these vending machines so you’ll have to find another substitute for when the munchies hit.

Frost has his eye set on the cannabidiol market, with the hopes of putting up Anna machines that sell non-psychoactive cannabis products in retail stores and gas stations in the near future. He also hints at a very lucrative partnership with a company that has significant CBD distribution opportunities. He states that the release is scheduled for fall. If you asked sector players like The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) if they thought 2020 would be the year cannabis starts being dispensed by vending machines, it is likely that none of them would have expected this to happen so soon, a sign of how fast the industry is becoming mainstream.

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CannabisNewsBreaks – Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQX: PLPRF) Announces Q2 2020 Financial Results

Plus Products (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQX: PLPRF), a cannabis branded products company in the U.S., on Thursday released its unaudited financial and operational results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, expressed in U.S. dollars. “The first half of 2020 has been about creating a sustainable economic foundation for the business and continuing to lay the groundwork for current and future growth. We are very happy with the progress we have made on both of these fronts,” said Jake Heimark, Plus Products co-founder and CEO, in the press release. “Compared to the second half of 2019, in the first half of this year PLUS grew net revenues 29% from $7.0M to $9.0M, improved gross margin from 19% to 36%, and reduced cash burn 89% from $18.9M to $2.1M.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/fT62H

About PLUS

PLUS is a cannabis food company focused on using nature to bring balance to consumers’ lives. PLUS’s mission is to make cannabis safe and approachable – that begins with high-quality products that deliver consistent consumer experiences. PLUS is headquartered in San Mateo, CA. For more information about the company, visit www.PlusProducts.com.

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

About CanadianCannabisWire

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

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420 with CNW – Cannabis Extraction Market Experiences Continued Growth

As recently as a few decades ago, the legal cannabis market was dominated by flower and hash products. Then, the industry experienced a shift.

Cannabis smoking was on the decline and consumers were heating the plant’s oily extract to obtain higher THC concentrations. Now, when you enter any retail dispensary, you’ll find shelves fully stocked with a variety of extract options. For those who aren’t familiar with extracts, there is a lot to learn.

Extracts are more effective than their plant-based counterparts and easier and more convenient to consume discreetly. Formerly a very narrow niche in the industry, the portability and potency of extracts continue to rapidly expand.

Although traditional flower sales have had a stronghold on the market for years, cannabis extracts are eclipsing flower sales in several markets. New technologies and techniques are enabling producers to cultivate a wider variety of extracts in more efficient and effective ways.

The extracts market is therefore rapidly increasing. According to a recent report from Grand View Research, extractions alone could make up $28.5 billion of the global cannabis industry by 2027.

According to Steve DeAngelo, co-founder and chairman emeritus of the Oakland, California-based Harborside cannabis chain, most active ingredients in cannabis are contained in trichomes: the sticky crystalline structures that sit on the plant’s surface. “The point of every extraction method is to detach the trichomes from the underlying vegetable material, taking away as little of the underlying vegetable material as you can,” DeAngelo explained.

Many categories of cannabis concentrates are primarily defined by their final form:

Shatter, a clear extract. Its texture ranges from what has been described as “snappy and toffee-like” to “brittle and glass-like.”
Wax, also known as budder or frosting, has a consistency that is much softer than shatter.
HTFSE, or High Terpene Full Spectrum Extract, is rich in flavor. Conventional extraction methods with harsh heat environments can destroy terpenes. HTFSE, however, is a new extraction method that shifts focus from cannabinoid potency, to terpene preservation. New technology enables techniques like flash-freezing plant material and exposure to extremely low temperatures and the proper light solvents.

Most extracts in today’s market use solvent-based extraction techniques, where solvents are flushed through a high-pressure chamber to wash cannabinoids and terpenes from the flower. One company seeing great success with this method is Pure Extracts. The company’s Vitalis CO2 Extraction system produces Full Spectrum Oil (“FSO”), which is one of the purest and highest quality oils. Pure Extracts is nicely positioned to offer a variety of different product formulations in the near future, each with specific functionalities.

Considering how far the industry has progressed in recent years, it will certainly be interesting to see what the industry looks like in the future.

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420 with CNW – Patients Request to Share About Marijuana and Pain Management in Meetings With CDC

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) published a notice in the Federal Register asking stakeholders like patients, their families or caregivers as well as health workers to request to participate in conversations about the alternatives to the use of opioids in chronic pain management. These meetings will help to educate the federal government about how marijuana and other alternative treatments can be helpful in managing or treating pain.

In response to the notice, Americans for Safe Access, through its staffer Heather Despres, has written to the CDC requesting to get an individual session during one of those meetings which are expected to last between 45 and 60 minutes.

Americans for Safe Access is a nonprofit which has been advocating for access to medical marijuana since 2002. Despres wants to be selected for one of the 100 planned sessions so that she can talk about pain management from a personal as well as from a professional perspective.

On a personal level, she says she developed chronic pain as a result of pregnancy-related complications as well as from a broken leg she suffered. She reveals that she has been using medical marijuana to deal with this pain on days when it isn’t so intense, then she uses prescription opioids on those days when the pain is severe. Medical marijuana has therefore helped her to use fewer prescription opioids while maintaining a better quality of life.

Professionally, Despres says she interacts with patients on a daily basis and these patients share how marijuana has been instrumental in helping them to manage the pain they suffer from. In some cases, medical marijuana was the only option that could bring any relief.

Heather Despres therefore looks forward to being given an opportunity to share these experiences with the federal officials in the conversations to be hosted. She also calls upon patients, caregivers and other stakeholders to write expressing their interest in sharing their stories with the CDC so that the federal agency can have extensive stakeholder input while formulating policies on how chronic pain can be managed without making the current opioid crisis worse than it already is. Interested parties have until Friday to submit their request for participation in the planned meetings.

This isn’t the first time that the federal agency is seeking public input on pain management. The CDC’s injury prevention and control center previously asked for stakeholder input on their preferred method of pain management and they received more than a thousand comments on marijuana and kratom.

It is highly likely that cannabis companies like Cannabis Global Inc. (OTC: CBGL) will be following the decisions that the CDC makes after receiving the public input the agency has called for.

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CannabisNewsBreaks – MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSX: LABS) Secures C$37.8M in Private Placement

MediPharm Labs (TSX: LABS), a global leader in specialized, research-driven pharmaceutical-quality cannabis extraction, distillation and derivative products, has closed a private placement with an institutional investor for aggregate gross proceeds of C$37,822,500. According to the update, MediPharm Labs intends to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, including building on the launch of its cannabis 2.0 offerings with new product formats and expanding its product and active pharmaceutical ingredient exports. In addition, the proceeds will strengthen the company’s balance sheet in successful navigation through the economic recession created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Roth Capital Partners acted as sole placement agent for the offering.

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

About MediPharm Labs Corp.

Founded in 2015, MediPharm Labs specializes in the production of purified, pharmaceutical-quality cannabis oil and concentrates and advanced derivative products utilizing a Good Manufacturing Practices certified facility with ISO standard-built clean rooms. MediPharm Labs has invested in an expert, research-driven team, state-of-the-art technology, downstream purification methodologies and purpose-built facilities with five primary extraction lines for delivery of pure, trusted and precision -dosed cannabis products for its customers. Through its wholesale and white label platforms, MediPharm Labs formulates, consumer-tests, processes, packages and distributes cannabis extracts and advanced cannabinoid-based products to domestic and international markets. As a global leader, MediPharm Labs has completed commercial exports to Australia and is nearing commercialization of its Australian extraction facility. MediPharm Labs Australia was established in 2017. For more information, please visit www.MediPharmLabs.com.

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CBDNewsBreaks – The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) Appoints Accomplished Brand Strategist as Director of Corporate Marketing

The Alkaline Water Company (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER), a producer of premium bottled alkaline and flavored-infused drinking waters and CBD-infused products, today announced its appointment of Rosie Cousino as director of Corporate Marketing. Cousino brings over 20 years of experience working with national brands, including Clorox, Del Monte Foods, Nature Made Vitamins, and, most recently, Medterra CBD. “Rosie is an accomplished CPG marketer and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our growing team,” said The Alkaline Water Company president and CEO Ricky Wright in the press release. “She brings a wide range of strategic brand-building knowhow to The Alkaline Water Company with insight across several CPG categories, including launching CDB products for a leading ingestible brand. Her deep digital experience and long history of building incredible brand strategies are precisely what our growing national lifestyle brands, Alkaline88, A88 flavor-infused, and A88CBD need.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/E9pTf

About The Alkaline Water Company

Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkaline88(R), is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88(R) delivers perfect 8.8 pH-balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts its trademarked label “Clean Beverage.” Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88 launched A88 Infused(TM) in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused water is available in seven unique all-natural flavors, with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the company launched A88 Infused Beverage Division Inc., which includes the company’s CBD water and flavor-infused water. For the company’s topical and ingestible offerings, A88 Infused products include both the company’s lab-tested full-spectrum hemp salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, and bath salts, along with broad-spectrum hemp beverage shots, powder packs, oil tinctures, capsules, and gummies. To purchase A88CBD(TM) products online, visit www.A88CBD.com. To learn more about The Alkaline Water Company, visit www.TheAlkalineWaterCo.com.

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

About CBDWire

CBDWire (CBDW) is a specialized information provider focused on (1) reporting CBD-related news and updates, (2) releasing CBDNewsBreaks crafted to keep investors abreast of the latest and greatest in the CBD market, (3) refining and enhancing corporate press releases, (4) delivering end-to-end distribution and social media services to client-partners and (5) constructing effective corporate communication solutions based on the unique requirements of CBD companies. CBDW is exclusively positioned in the burgeoning CBD sector with a proven team of journalists and researchers working to deliver high quality content to an expansive target audience of investors, consumers and industry news outlets. Our dissemination network of over 5,000 downstream distribution points allows us to deliver unparalleled reach, visibility and recognition to companies operating in both cannabidiol and the wider cannabis space. CBDWire (CBDW) is where CBD news, content and information converge.

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HempNewsBreaks – Cannabis Global Inc. (CBGL) Outlines Upcoming Product Launches in Different Channels

Cannabis Global (OTC: CBGL), a cannabinoid and hemp-extract, science-forward company developing infusion and delivery technologies, is preparing for two different distribution launches: a new affiliate marketing program that emphasizes its Hemp You Can Feel(TM) alcohol replacement cocktail mixers and coffee products, and a joint venture with RXLeaf, a physician-led medical cannabis website focused on education and information dissemination, which will include CBGL’s new Hemp You Can Feel sweeteners product line. Both launches are slated to kickoff in the next week. “Our corporate emphasis is to utilize our unique intellectual property to bring to the marketplace a unique set of hemp-infused products,” said Cannabis Global CEO Arman Tabatabaei in the press release. “We believe we have accomplished this goal via our Hemp You Can Feel infusion technology, which provides meaningful effect at nearly undetectable levels of cannabinoids. We are now preparing to launch this unique product line on multiple platforms and on our website at www.HempYouCanFeel.com.”

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

About Cannabis Global Inc.

Cannabis Global, formerly known as MCTC Holdings Inc., is a fully audited and reporting company with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. The company is an emerging force in the area of cannabinoid sciences and highly bioavailable hemp- and cannabis-infusion technologies. The company does not engage in the production, distribution or sales of any controlled substances, including marijuana. CBGL has an actively growing portfolio of intellectual property, having filed six patents in the areas of cannabinoid delivery systems and cannabinoid polymeric nanoparticles. The company markets its consumer products under the Hemp You Can Feel brand name. Cannabis Global launched its Project Varin early in 2020, designed to develop new delivery methods for rare cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabivarin (“THV-C”) and to develop products based on this cannabinoid. For more information about the company, visit www.CannabisGlobalInc.com.

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

About HempWire

HempWire (HW) is a dedicated information provider focused on (1) aggregating hemp-related news, (2) issuing HempNewsBreaks designed to update investors on the latest developments in the hemp market, (3) enhancing corporate news releases, (4) providing full-service distribution and social media offerings to public and private client-partners and (5) designing and implementing all-inclusive corporate communication solutions. HW is strategically positioned within the rapidly expanding hemp sector with a team of journalists working to help a growing roster of public and private companies reach a wide audience of investors, consumers and members of the media. We leverage a vast network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets to deliver unparalleled visibility, recognition and content to the hemp industry. HempWire (HW) is where HEMP news, content and information converge.

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420 with CNW – Virginia’s Medical Marijuana Program is Set to Be Launched

The state-legal cannabis industry has been growing steadily over the years, with the sector worth an estimated $13.6 billion as of 2019. At the moment, 33 states have legalized medical cannabis and Virginia is set to join the club. The state’s medical marijuana law had been a constant source of confusion and frustration for reform advocates until Gov. Ralph Northam recommended an amendment to revise the language of the legislation to expand patient access to the plant and grant them legal protections.

The state’s medical cannabis program is set to launch soon with four medical marijuana dispensaries opening their doors this year, according to Virginia NORML. Dharma will open in Bristol in mid-August, Green Leaf hopes to open in Green Leaf while Columbia Care and Beyond/Hello have not yet provided opening dates. Under recent legislation, the five licensed processors will be allowed to open five more dispensaries called pharmacies in designated “Healthy Service” regions throughout the state. One license is currently vacant after MedMed Enterprises was recently forced to give up its license.

At the moment, medical cannabis products sold in the state will be limited to cannabis oils, edibles such as lozenges and lollipops and vape cartridges with single doses capped at 10 milligrams of THC. However, medical cannabis proponents are hoping for the addition of flower sales in a year or two under a Democratic-controlled legislature and Democratic governor. This would without a doubt increase opportunities in the industry which is estimated to reach a modest $50 million in sales by 2024.

According to projections from the new Marijuana Business Factbook, medical cannabis sales in Virginia will reach only $9 million in the first full year in 2021 and grow to $45 million-$55 million by 2024. The projections would increase tremendously if Virginia lawmakers allow the sale of flower. “There’s a good chance of flower and adult use in the next year or two,” says Erich Mauff, founder and co-president of Florida-based multistate operator Joshi Holdings. His firm holds one of the five vertically integrated licenses issued by the state.

New York based MGO Columbia Care, another license holder, said that it is “preparing for a dynamic market with high growth potential.”

A group of Round One applicants who didn’t secure one of the five licenses as well as firms interested in getting in the business have formed the Virginia Cannabis Industry Association. They are fighting to open the market to additional business opportunities such as stand-alone cultivation and retail licenses. “We think limiting the availability of the market to five companies doesn’t encourage the type of competition that would be helpful to consumers,” says Rebecca Gwilt, executive director of the industry association.

Industry watchers say the entire cannabis industry, including entities like Pure Extracts Corp., is hoping that the program finally takes off and patients get a chance to try cannabis products to alleviate their health challenges.

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420 with CNW – Wyoming Judge Throws Out Pot Charges Against Hemp Farmers

A mother and son duo of farmers who prominently advocated for the law that legalized hemp in Wyoming can finally rest easy after a judge dismissed the marijuana trafficking charges they were facing. Back in November 2019, agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (“DCI”) raided Debra Palm-Egle and Joshua Egle’s farm and found 700-plus pounds of dried plant material they assumed to be marijuana. The two were charged with a bevy of marijuana offenses alongside Brock and Shannon Dyke, a contractor and his wife who worked for the farmers and were on the property when it was raided.

However, Laramie County Circuit judge Antoinette Williams dismissed the charges on Wednesday, stating that prosecutors lacked probable cause that the hemp advocates intended to grow and distribute marijuana. The dried plant material found on the farm was actually hemp which the two had admittedly grown without a state license. While the judge reprimanded them for growing unlicensed hemp, she dismissed the charges of conspiracy to manufacture, deliver or possess marijuana, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of marijuana, and planting or cultivating marijuana.

The Egles may face a $750 fine for growing hemp without a license, a much lighter punishment than the decades of prison time they could have gotten if the prosecutors had their way. After testing the plant material they seized from the Egles farm, DCI agents found that most of it had less than 0.3%, although the highest result was 0.6% THC. According to Laramie County Assistant District Attorney David Singleton who prosecuted the case, any plant that tested over 0.3% is marijuana.

Circuit Court Judge Williams ruled that it was clear that the two intended to grow hemp and cited as evidence the Egles’ long history as hemp farmers. Additionally, on the day of the raid, Brock Dykes showed DCI agents the results of tests conducted on the crop that indicated it had less than 0.3%. Judge Williams said that while she understood why prosecutors had chosen to pursue the case, she did not believe there was any probable cause.

According to Joshua Egle, he began growing a “test crop of hemp” for research purposes before he got his license. It would take time for farmers to understand how to harvest at the right time to keep THC levels legal while working on new soil, he said after the hearing. Betting that officials would soon work out the new industry regulations and allow him to license the crop, he started growing hemp. “We had to get going,” he says. It would be interesting to hear what marijuana companies like Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) have to say about this case that should never have reached court.

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