CBDNewsBreaks – The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ: WTER) (CSE: WTER) Partners with CBD Emporium, Inks Largest Order to Date

The Alkaline Water Company (NASDAQ: WTER) (CSE: WTER) announced that its entire A88CBD(TM) product line, including topical and ingestible consumer offerings, will be available in 17 of CBD Emporium’s retail stores. WTER produces premium bottled alkaline water, flavor-infused waters, and CBD-infused products sold under the brand names Alkaline88(R), A88 Infused(TM) and A88CBD, respectively. “We’re excited about A88CBD’s partnership with CBD Emporium, which represents the largest order to date for our in-demand A88CBD products,” said WTER president and CEO Richard Wright. “Our online presence has been increasing, and we’re equally thrilled to be expanding our national presence with brick-and-mortar retailers like CBD Emporium. Emporium is a fast-growing retail chain with storefronts across the U.S. Given their ambitious expansion plans, we look forward to serving their growing customer base.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/aWdh1

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(R) launched A88 Infused(TM) in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused(TM) flavored 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 includes 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

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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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CannabisNewsBreaks – Cannabis Global, Inc. (MCTC) Outlines Parameters for Upcoming Research Designed to Study Effectiveness of THC-V in Weight Loss

Cannabis Global (OTC: MCTC), a cannabinoid and hemp-extract, science-forward company developing infusion and delivery technologies, recently updated its shareholders regarding selected protocols for its planned animal study. MCTC will conduct research focused on determining if the administration of rare cannabinoid Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THC-V) promotes appetite suppression and/or weight loss in diet-induced obese mice. “This study is a first step to investigate if THC-V is, in fact, a weight loss or appetite suppressant,” said Cannabis Global CEO Arman Tabatabaei in a press release. “While the popular and industry press widely outlines THC-V as such, scientific research is severely lacking. We plan to take the industry a step forward relative to THC-V via this study. We also hope to shed some light on the potential effectiveness of our highly loaded nanoparticles of manufactured THC-V versus the botanically derived cannabinoid.”

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

About Cannabis Global Inc.

Cannabis Global is a Nevada registered, fully reporting and audited publicly traded company. With the hemp and cannabis industries moving very quickly and with a growing number of market entrants, Cannabis Global plans to concentrate its efforts on the middle portions of the hemp and cannabis value chain. The company plans to actively pursue R&D programs and productization for exotic cannabinoid isolation, bioenhancement of cannabinoids and polymeric solid nanoparticles and nanofibers for addition into consumer products and for dermal application. The company was reorganized during June of 2019 and announced its intent to enter the fast-growing cannabis sector. The company is headed and managed by a group of highly experienced cannabis industry pioneers and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.CannabisGlobalInc.com.

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

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

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420 with CNW – What Potential Marijuana Entrepreneurs Need to Know

The cannabis space is one of the most exciting industries at the moment. At least 30 states have legalized cannabis, with several more considering legalizing it in the near future. Valued at $13.6 billion in 2019, the industry is projected to reach. $73.6 billion by 2027. These crazy numbers have attracted entrepreneurs and investors looking to cash in on cannabis’ popularity in droves. The fact that most states that allow cannabis declared it essential at the start of the pandemic made the industry even more attractive to entrepreneurs.

Like every other industry, cannabis has its own set of risks, especially for an entrepreneur who doesn’t know the ins and outs of the cannabis space. While there is plenty of demand for cannabis products, the fact that it is still federally prohibited poses quite a challenge. Here are a few of the issues you will have to contend with if you decide to start a cannabis business:

Regulatory nightmare. One of the biggest challenges you will have navigating the cannabis industry is the wide-ranging regulations. The federal government prohibits cannabis and the states that allow it all regulate their programs differently. In California, for instance, there are three different cannabis regulatory agencies, each with their own regulations on how to handle cannabis waste. Additionally, most states with cannabis programs allow cities and municipalities to enact their own cannabis policies.

The legal cannabis landscape is also constantly shifting, and with laws and regulations constantly changing, you will have to keep an eye on them to make sure your business is always in compliance.

Banking issues. Another issue you will have to deal with is lack of access to banking services. Fearing retaliation from the federal government, financial institutions have avoided working with cannabis businesses, and you may have a hard time securing loans as well as setting up cashless payment services. The Secure and Fair Enforcement (“SAFE”) Banking Act, which would grant cannabis businesses access to banking services, was passed by the House in a historic vote but it is stuck in limbo in the Senate Banking Committee.

Stiff competition. State legal cannabis is one of the hottest industries right now, and its allure will increase exponentially when the federal government legalizes it. The sector is flush with firms looking to make a killing on the cannabis craze. You’ll be up against players who have been in the game for years and have amassed tons of experience and funding, and you will have to find a way to stand out from the pack.

These issues notwithstanding, savvy entrepreneurs can still earn big from this sector, as the success stories of companies like Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) clearly illustrate.

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420 with CNW – Navy Stops Sailors and Marines from Using Hemp Shampoo

Last year, the U.S. Navy issued a notice banning all sailors and marines from using products containing CBD. This ban covered ingestible products, such as tinctures. Last week, the Navy issued another notice expanding the hemp or CBD product ban to include topicals like shampoos, lotions, conditioners, and soaps.

This Department of the Navy (“DON”) update comes shortly after Congress passed an amendment to a spending bill stipulating that serving and reserve members of the U.S. armed forces could use products containing hemp derivatives, such as CBD. However, the Senate version of this spending bill doesn’t have the amendment contained in the House version, so negotiations will determine whether this provision makes it into the text sent to President Trump’s desk for enactment.

It isn’t clear why the Navy has expanded its ban on the use of hemp products given that hemp and its derivatives were legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill. However, the different branches of the military have been concerned that there is a risk that service members could accidentally use products having more than the legally permissible levels of THC since the FDA isn’t regulating those hemp products which are currently available on the market.

Friday’s memo, which was signed by Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite, mentions that sailors and marines cannot rely on the product label to be sure that a given product doesn’t have THC levels which could show up during a drug test on urine samples.

The memo adds that the service takes substance abuse seriously since it can compromise the performance, operational readiness and disciple expected of all service members. The notice also adds that the ban doesn’t include the use of FDA-approved medicines, such as Epidiolex. Marines and sailors can also use durable products made from hemp. These include clothing and rope.

The notice clearly indicates that while some of those banned products may be legally available to civilians in different states and localities, members of the U.S. Navy aren’t allowed to use them until the FDA starts actively regulating those products.

The Department of Defense, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Air Force, and even NASA (which isn’t part of the U.S. military) have all issued notices banning their members from using products containing hemp and marijuana derivatives.

If the amendment sponsored by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) makes it into law, the branches of the military may be compelled to reconsider their position on the use of hemp products. Otherwise, experts say firms like The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) may have grounds to think that military service members are being unfairly denied a chance to benefit from hemp ingredients which have been scientifically proven to be beneficial.

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CBDNewsBreaks – The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER) Announces Virtual Participation in the ECRM Beverage Program

The Alkaline Water Company (CSE: WTER) (NASDAQ: WTER), a producer of premium bottled alkaline and flavored-infused waters and CBD-infused products, today announced that it will participating virtually in the ECRM Beverage Program on July 29 -30, 2020. “We have had tremendous success at the various ECRM programs that our teams participate in throughout the year,” Frank Chessman, executive director of National Sales for The Alkaline Water Company, stated in the news release. “This year the ECRM Beverage program is virtual, and our team is approaching the event with the same vigor. With a strong slate of meetings, we are engaging with targeted companies that have expressed a keen interest in our brands and can help drive category success year-round. ECRM’s unique format of Efficient Program Planning Sessions creates highly productive one-on-one meetings with pre-qualified, key decision makers across a variety of retailers representing drug stores, grocery chains, convenience stores, and big-box stores.”

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

About The Alkaline Water Company

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420 with CNW – White House Official Admits Fewer Teens Are Using Marijuana Since Legalization

The road to cannabis legalization has been long and full of obstacles. While drug reform activists have preached the social and economic benefits of legalizing cannabis, proponents against legalization have argued that making cannabis legal and accessible to the public will lead to teens abusing the drug. However, according to an official from the White House’s anti-drug office, the consumption of cannabis by teens has fallen in Colorado and other states that have legalized marijuana for adult consumption.

Speaking to a committee of North Dakota lawmakers on Wednesday, Dale Quigley stated that “for some reason, the use rate among this age bracket is going down.” He is the deputy coordinator for the National Marijuana Initiative, a project of the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HIDTA”) program. Although he can’t pin down why use rates among teens has been reducing in the state, the trend has been seen nationally.

“In looking at the state of Colorado for 12 to 17-year-old current use, we had a spike in ’14 but overall the use rates in Colorado have been declining, and that matches what we’re seeing in other states and also the trend we’re seeing nationally,” says Quigley, currently a resident of Colorado and a law enforcement officer since 1979. His comments were made during a wide-ranging presentation on the impacts of cannabis legalization to the North Dakota lawmakers. He used data from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Organization (“SAMHSA”), which defines ‘current use’ as cannabis use within the past thirty days.

The HDTA program, which funds the National Marijuana Initiative, was established under the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy after Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. According to the Marijuana Initiative’s website, it “strives to dispel misconceptions about marijuana and raise awareness of issues surrounding the drug.” It provides policymakers with speakers on cannabis issues, with presentations ranging from 60 minutes to 8 hours.

Quigley posits that youth may be scared of potent products and vaping. “We’re hearing anecdotal stories about kids that are afraid of the potency levels, you know, teens that have had adverse reactions to vaping and concentrates,” he says. Meanwhile, the committee of North Dakota lawmakers is expected to issue a report on marijuana legalization sometime this fall, most likely in November.

Experts say that when anti-marijuana officials like Quigley begin admitting that benefits are accruing from legalization at state level, companies like VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) get renewed hope that a change of policy at the federal level isn’t far off.

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420 with CNW – Congress Could Vote on Marijuana Legalization in September

Last year, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler teamed up with Senator Kamala Harris to file legislation that would end federal prohibition of cannabis in the country and seek to repair some of the damage done by the decades’ long war on drugs. The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (“MORE”) Act would remove marijuana and THC from the Controlled Substances Act, provide for the expungement and resentencing of prior marijuana convictions and prevent federal agencies from using cannabis as a reason to deny access to benefits or citizenship status for immigrants.

According to multiple sources familiar with the lawmaker’s plans, the Leadership of the House of Representatives is moving toward holding a floor vote on the bill in September. The bill has already been approved by the House Judiciary Committee, a move that observers stated would set the stage for a full floor vote. The coronavirus pandemic has already stalled legislative efforts on various issues, including cannabis legalization efforts in several states, but sources in the advocacy world and an aide to a key House Committee say that there are plans to hold a floor vote in September.

“Looking at the legislative calendar, realistically we have limited time to get this on the House floor for a vote before time runs out and Congress has to turn their attention elsewhere,” says Queen Adesuyi, policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance (“DPA”). The DPA is part of a coalition of drug reform advocates, including the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, and NORML, that circulated a letter to members of Congress urging them to pass the MORE Act.

“This Congress, the house-made history when it passed an industry-led marijuana bill,” says Adesuyi, referring to the passage of a marijuana banking bill by the House of Representatives late last year. The legislation protects banks that service the cannabis industry from being penalized by federal regulators. “It would be shameful for them, as one of the most progressive groups of electeds in recent memory, to end the war on drugs without addressing victims of the war on drugs or centering those most adversely impacted by marijuana’s criminalization. We need the MORE Act now.”

Aside from federally rescheduling cannabis, the bill would also expunge the records of those with prior marijuana convictions as well as impose a federal five percent tax on cannabis sales. This tax revenue will be reinvested into communities most impacted by the war on drugs.

Analysts say marijuana companies like Sugarmade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) are hoping that the legislation not only succeeds on the House floor but in Senate too.

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CannabisNewsBreaks – VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) Announces Scheduled Release of Q2 2020 Results, Conference Call

VIVO Cannabis (TSX: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) on Monday announced that it will release its second quarter 2020 results after the close of markets on Friday, August 14, 2020. According to the update, senior management will host a conference call to discuss the results at 11 a.m. ET on Monday, August 17, 2020. Interested parties may join the call by dialing 647-427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191 and entering conference ID: 8762205. Participants may register for and log into the live webcast at http://cnw.fm/JH267. The webcast will be archived for 90 days.

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

About VIVO Cannabis(TM)

VIVO Cannabis(TM) is recognized for trusted, premium cannabis products and services. It holds production and sales licenses from Health Canada and operates world-class indoor and seasonal airhouse cultivation facilities with proprietary plant-growing technology in Hope, British Columbia and Napanee, Ontario. VIVO has a collection of premium brands, each targeting different customer segments, including Canna Farms(TM), Beacon Medical(TM), Fireside(TM), Fireside X(TM), Lumina(TM) and Canadian Bud Collection(TM). The Company is expanding its production capabilities and distribution network. Harvest Medicine, VIVO’s patient-centric, scalable network of medical cannabis clinics, has serviced over 100,000 patient visits. VIVO is pursuing several partnership and product development opportunities and is focusing its international efforts on Germany and Australia. The Company has a healthy balance sheet and is well-positioned to accelerate its path to profitability. For more information visit www.VIVOCannabis.com.

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

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420 with CNW – Rhode Island Licenses First Lab to Test Marijuana Potency

Rhode Island legalized medical cannabis back in 2006, and it became one of the first states with a cannabis dispensary system when it introduced the system in 2009. As of 2020, there are 3 cannabis dispensaries in the state; Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence, Summit Medical Compassion Center in Warwick, and Greanleaf Compassion Center in Portsmouth. But Rhode Island’s medical marijuana program differed greatly from programs in other states.

For years, the state had not licensed any laboratories to test for marijuana potency. Either the growers in Rhode Island tested their own products, dispensaries tested the marijuana themselves or they contracted unlicensed, private labs. Finally, the Rhode Island Department of Health (“RIDOH”) has licensed a lab to test the marijuana produced by licensed growers and distributed at dispensaries for medical use in the state. Green Peaks Analytical, which has been testing cannabis products, water, and soil for environmental compliance since 1976, was awarded the license.

Patients will now have access to unbiased, third-party data on the potency of their medical marijuana. “Like all other patients in Rhode Island, people who use medical marijuana deserve to have access to safe medication, and they deserve to have accurate information about that medication. The increased oversight that RIDOH and DBR will be providing will help ensure that critical product safeguards are in place for medical marijuana patients,” says director of Rhode Island’s health department Nicole Alexander-Scott.

Over the course of six weeks, the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulations’ (“DBR”) Office of Cannabis Regulation will gather feedback from Green Peaks Analytical, licensed growers, compassion centers. The information the office gathers will be used by the DBR to establish a deadline after which all medical marijuana products in the state will be required to have labeling that displays potency totals verified by a licensed laboratory. The two departments will also work with licensed laboratories using a phased approach to create a certification that includes testing for contaminants, such as metals, pesticides, or solvents.

The state’s medical cannabis regulators have also started accepting applications for up to six additional cannabis dispensaries. However, unlike the three existing dispensaries which are vertically integrated and grow their own crop, the six new dispensaries will be required to buy their marijuana from the six currently licensed cultivators in the state. The licenses will be issued through a lottery process with one license for each of the six geographical zones. Applicants have until December 15 to submit their applications.

Sectors players like Pure Extracts Corp. may be surprised to learn that for all this long, Rhode Island didn’t have a licensed lab to test the cannabis products being purchased by patients in the state.

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420 with CNW – Opponents File Lawsuit against Arizona Marijuana Ballot Measure

At the start of the year, at least 10 states had plans to legalize either medical or recreational cannabis. But as the coronavirus took hold, lawmakers didn’t have enough time to discuss comprehensive marijuana reforms. This, coupled with the shutdown and social distancing measures, meant states like New York and Ohio had to postpone their legalization plans. In Arizona, however, activists were able to collect enough signatures to get marijuana legalization on the November ballot, but they are now facing another potential hurdle.

A group opposed to legal cannabis has filed a lawsuit arguing that the initiative used deceptive language when collecting signatures and is asking a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to declare the initiative invalid. The lawsuit was filed by Arizonians for Health and Public Safety. It claims that the sponsors of the initiative did not adequately describe the measure in a 100-word summary that was included in the petition that voters signed. The group argues that the summary should have included or at least expanded on a number of the details contained in the 16-page initiative.

The lawsuit argues that the summary should have made it clear to voters that legalizing marijuana under the proposed initiative would also legalize marijuana concentrate. “The proponent’s summary of the initiative is confusing and deceptive in numerous ways, beginning with the very definition of marijuana,” says former Congressman John Shadegg, one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit.

Additionally, the lawsuit states that the summary’s claim that the initiative would “protect employer and property owner rights” is misleading as well. The group also argues that the summary should have explained how governments could not tax marijuana on top of the proposed 16% rate. The lawsuit also states that the 100-word summary should have better explained how Arizonians under the age of 21 caught in possession of marijuana won’t receive felony charges. The initiative would set the legal age for possession at 21 and make underage marijuana possession a civil penalty.

According to Lisa James, Chairwoman of political action committee Arizonians for Health and Public Safety, “these omissions and statements misled voters who signed the petition about what the initiative would do.” However, Stacy Pearson, spokeswoman for the initiative campaign Smart and Safe Arizona, states that the lawsuit is without merit and only underscores what opponents would have wanted the 100-word summary to say, not what it was required to say. In 2018, the state Supreme Court ruled that although the 100-word summary of an initiative must state the initiatives ‘primary provisions’, it does not need to be impartial and does not need to detail every provision of a ballot measure.

Additionally, “there’s no way to incorporate a 15-page document or a 12-page document into a 100-word summary,” says Pearson. “We’re not particularly concerned and certainly the court has, over the years, favored direct democracy.”

Analysts say cannabis industry players like VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) will be interested in seeing how this legal battle pans out, as the outcome could reshape how ballot measures are drafted in future.

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