420 with CNW – 4 Roadblocks in the Way of Marijuana Franchises

Franchising is one of the giant economic forces in the U.S. given the fact that this business model generated approximately $451 billion in 2018. Are we about to see cannabis enterprises built upon this model? Anyone intending to enter cannabis franchising needs to think about and find remedies to the following major bottlenecks.

Conflicts Between State and Federal Laws

Despite the legalization of marijuana for recreational or medical use in various states across the U.S., cannabis remains a Schedule 1 substance at the federal level. This creates major legal issues for businesses which wish to operate franchises in the cannabis industry. For example, a franchise owner cannot ship products across state lines in order to sell the excess products from one state in another state where supply is limited. This makes the possibility of prices nose-diving a real concern since gluts inevitably result in plummeting prices.

Tax Issues

According to the federal tax code, marijuana businesses aren’t eligible for any deductibles on the costs that they incur during the execution of their business activities. For example, marijuana businesses cannot deduct the cost of buying business premises and yet other enterprises which don’t transact in Schedule 1 substances can claim tax deductions on this business expense. These tax disadvantages mean that cannabis businesses will struggle to be profitable unless they can find ways to be super-efficient regarding non-deductible expenses.

Limited Consumer Awareness

Marijuana has been prohibited for long and certain stereotypes about the substance still exist even where prohibition has ended. Cannabis franchisees would therefore have to do a lot to educate their prospective customers in order to make sales on a consistent basis. This added challenge of performing customer education on an ongoing basis isn’t faced by franchises in other industries, such as the fast foods industry.

Limited Investor Interest

Currently, investors aren’t too eager to put their money in an industry which still faces legal uncertainties. This explains why US-based marijuana companies are generally undervalued when compared to their Canadian-based counterparts, for example. While this limited investor appeal exists, any cannabis franchisers that set up shop may struggle to attract investors unless the legal space changes for the better.

In the true entrepreneurial spirit, every challenge presents a business opportunity. The cannabis franchise space is therefore open for the taking for those individuals who devise ways to bring a franchise concept into the cannabis space in a way that ensures that investors will earn a return despite the challenges above. Sproutly Canada Inc. (CSE: SPR) (OTCQB: SRUTF) (FRA: 38G) and SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) hope that enterprising individuals will take up this challenge and devise franchises which will spur the growth of the cannabis industry even more.

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 – Congressional Report Raises Issues on Marijuana Impaired Driving

A Congressional research body has released a report whose findings bring into question a common assumption which has always been made by legislators that the legalization of marijuana leads to more accidents on roads due to impairment.

The experts, who were instructed by Senate and Congress to study the issue of impaired driving, didn’t find any conclusive evidence that marijuana can cause a driver to be impaired.

While law enforcement agencies have tried and true tools to identify people who are driving while impaired by alcohol, developing similar tools for dealing with marijuana driving impairment has proved to be very challenging.

The problem isn’t just the lack of appropriate technology. Additional questions also exist regarding how much THC can cause impairment and how that impairment is caused. The CRS (Congressional Research Service) writes in its report that while laboratory tests have proved that one can be impaired after consuming marijuana, conflicting results were found when studies were done to ascertain the degree of added risk of fatal crashes resulting from marijuana consumption.

Both opponents and advocates of legalizing marijuana agree that a lasting solution should be found to the issue of how to detect marijuana-impaired driving. However, the experts still doubt whether it will be possible to develop appropriate technology to detect impaired driving since what is currently available can only test whether someone has recently consumed cannabis.

It is remarkable that the Congressional report mentions several times that it isn’t clear cut that marijuana consumption is associated with a heightened risk of traffic accidents. This runs counter to the assumption which has been commonly held by Congress that when marijuana restrictions are loosened, there will be a rise in traffic accident fatalities.

This line of thinking also appeared in the wording of a recent House Appropriations Committee report in which funds were allocated to law enforcement agencies to identify drivers impaired by marijuana as a way of reducing the fatal accidents resulting from the increasing legalization of marijuana by states around the country.

Different researchers have reported that fatalities on the road don’t increase after marijuana has been legalized by a state. However, this doesn’t alter the reality that both sides on the marijuana legalization issue advise against driving after one has consumed cannabis.

The deputy director of NORML explained how hard it is to determine impairment from marijuana. He says that the effects on the psychomotor system are normally less acute and take a shorter time if one consumes marijuana, unlike the opposite case after alcohol consumption. Furthermore, THC remains detectable for a longer time, so a positive test doesn’t prove that one is impaired or consumed cannabis recently.

The Congressional researchers offer a number of recommendations on what Congress can do in light of the information gathered by the researchers. One recommendation is that more research should be done to determine whether a quantitative standard is feasible when determining cannabis impairment.

Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTCQB: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4), Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) welcomes the report of the Congressional Research Service because it helps to dispel some of the misconceptions about marijuana use.

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 – Rhode Island Invites Blockchain Tech to Help Track Medical Marijuana

According to a notice published on Monday (June 3), Rhode Island hopes that blockchain technology can be harnessed to help the state to track medical marijuana and identify illegal actors.

The state has called on blockchain technology developers to submit concepts from which the state will select a provider to develop a system that is customized for the medical marijuana program in Rhode Island.

In a press release, the department of Business Regulation revealed that the call for concepts is a challenge to the blockchain companies to showcase their value to government institutions by testing blockchain technology applications within government entities.

The notice published was categorical in stating that Rhode Island was seeking technology which would increase the visibility of the medical marijuana industry from seed to sale so that opportunities for fraud and abuse could be reduced.

Additionally, blockchain technology could also assist different government agencies in designing an authoritative record of the chain-of-custody during the gathering of evidence while criminal investigations are conducted. This is particularly needed for the enforcement of marijuana laws.

Rhode Island looks at this as the first step towards understanding how blockchain technology can facilitate the improvement of government processes now and in the future.

Bijay Kumar, Rhode Island’s CIO added that he was “excited to see the possibilities regarding the ways in which this technology is helping public and private entities become more innovative in security, business and other areas.”

Developing new technologies to track cannabis sales has taken on an increasing level of urgency given that financial institutions are reluctant to work with marijuana businesses for fear that the federal government will take enforcement action against them. A reliable tracking system can provide assurance that only state-legal marijuana is passing through the system, and this can provide a basis for banks and other institutions to defend themselves.

Jared Moffat, Marijuana Policy Project’s political director in Rhode Island, welcomed the move by the state government to explore new ways to make the medical cannabis program more efficient.

While the notice doesn’t make any reference to medical marijuana banking, Rhode Island seems interested in using the encryption of the blockchain technology system to track the transactions which take place within the industry. This will provide a trail for regulators to confirm that the companies are paying the requisite taxes and no marijuana from licensed growers is leaking out to the black market.

Organigram Holdings Inc. (TSX.V: OGI) (NASDAQ: OGI) and Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) commend Rhode Island for being forward-looking and seeking to deploy blockchain technology in the nascent medical marijuana industry.

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 – Bipartisan Governors Write to Congress Calling for Marijuana Policy Reform

The governors of 12 states across the U.S. penned a letter to leaders in Congress on Monday (June 3) urging Congress to pass bipartisan legislation which will make it possible for states to pass their own marijuana laws and implement them without any fear that the federal government will interfere in their jurisdictions.

In their letter, the Democratic and Republican governors noted that the majority of the states in the country have taken steps to legalize marijuana either for recreational or medical use. The governors also stated that state legislators had gone to great lengths to draft and pass regulations which would protect consumers, eliminate illegal marijuana sales, promote public safety and regulate the nascent marijuana industry.

Despite those great lengths to which states have gone to ensure that the emerging cannabis industry grows in a responsible way, those states only have Congressional funding riders as safeguards against federal interference in the marijuana industry. Such riders aren’t sufficient, and the governors want Congress to codify those protections into law.

The governors make specific reference to the STATES (Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States) Act. The governors describe this bipartisan bill as a logical step for the federal government to take since the bill would protect marijuana businesses which are operating in accordance with state law.

They also write that the STATES Act doesn’t seek to take sides regarding whether cannabis should or shouldn’t be legal. The Act simply recognizes that states have a right to pass and implement laws which respond to the needs of their people.

In short, the governors write that the STATES Act would make the federal government a partner of the constituent states which make up the union instead of being an impediment. The governors would wish to see the federal government constantly seeking to be a partner of the different states.

The governors of Colorado, California, Maryland, North Dakota, Massachusetts, New York, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington State signed the letter.

This letter is similar to another which was also signed by 12 governors. The version sent last year didn’t have Vermont and Utah as signees but it included New Jersey and Alaska (whose governors didn’t sign this latest letter).

The letter from the bipartisan governors adds to the long list of groups which have written to Congress calling for federal marijuana law reform. The other groups include the association of banking institutions, the association of cities and local authorities as well as attorneys general.

For how long will the federal government remain impervious to all these calls? Nabis Holdings (CSE: NAB) (OTC: INNPF) (FRA: 71P) and MustGrow Biologics Corp. hope it doesn’t take much longer than it already has for the federal government to listen and act upon the voices calling for cannabis law reform.

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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CannabisNewsBreaks – HempFusion Progressing with $30M Funding Initiative

On Tuesday, HempFusion, a leading U.S. hemp-based CBD company with distribution to over 3,400 retailers and an expanding product catalog, announced its engagement of RADD Capital, a partner of NetworkNewsWire, for advisory services related to its 2019 private funding initiative of more than $30 million. HempFusion co-founder and President Jason Mitchell noted in the release that the capital raised through the initiative is expected to be “a key building block to (HempFusion’s) planned growth and help accelerate (its) expansion throughout the United States and global markets including Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, the Middle East and South America.” HempFusion is currently targeting over 26,000 new retail outlets, including conventional grocers, drug and convenience stores, vitamin and fitness shops and doctor and practitioner networks, in a global CBD industry that’s forecast by Brightfield Group to reach $22 billion by 2022.

Per the company’s website, HempFusion has been credited with creating a new category with the introduction of hemp-based nutritional supplements. Its product line is all natural, plant-based and predicated on the “amazing health benefits of (the company’s) proprietary Whole Food Hemp Complex derived from full-spectrum nutritional hemp as well as other botanicals and naturally occurring dietary hemp phytocompounds.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/F9IoL

About HempFusion

HempFusion is a Life Sciences company engaged in advancements of the therapeutic benefits of hemp-based CBD products, through research, collaboration, sourcing, innovation, extraction, developing and marketing of products targeting Endocannabinoid System support. The Company’s primary focus is formulating and marketing consumer-specific product lines across multiple channels and distribution platforms. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.HempFusion.com

About CannabisNewsWire

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

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CannabisNewsBreaks – MjMicro Conference to Kick Off With Key Sessions to Stir Industry Buzz

MjMicro Conference (www.MjMicro.com) will kick off at the Westin Grand Central in New York City on June 25, 2019, with key sessions to stir cannabis industry excitement. The initial lineup for the event will feature keynote presentations by Canopy Growth Corp., Sadis Goldberg, Acreage Holdings Inc. and Virdian Capital Advisors. “MjMicro will kick off with very intentional and specific sessions prior to the core corporate presentations from 21 exciting publicly traded opportunities,” George Jage, president and COO of MjLink.com and producer of MjMicro, stated in a news release. “When designing a well-run conference, it is key to include content that creates excitement, provides clarity and validates the growth potential of the cannabis industry.”

To view the full press release, visit http://cnw.fm/xmFF1

About MjLink.com Inc.

Social Life Network, a cloud-based social media and social network technology company based in Denver, Colorado, announced on Sept. 25, 2018, the Company had spun its cannabis technology division out of the parent company and incorporated MjLink.com Inc., a Delaware Corporation, as its wholly owned subsidiary. MjLink operates as a multinational cannabis technology and media organization with two separate social networks: WeedLife.com, a consumer-to-consumer network and MjLink.com, a business-to-business social network. On April 4, 2019, the president of MjLink, George Jage, announced the launch of a new division of the company that is focused on providing the industry with best-in-class financial, B2B and B2C cannabis centric events that complement these global social networks. For more information, visit the event’s website at www.MjMicro.com

About CannabisNewsWire

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

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Products for Pets Gain Prominence in Hemp Market

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: As the hemp and CBD markets grow, a wide variety of CBD- and hemp-based products are becoming available, including products for pets.

Geyser Brands Inc. (TSX.V: GYSR) (GYSR Profile) has recently announced an acquisition that provides the company with two brands of hemp and CBD products. Indiva Ltd. (TSX.V: NDVA) (OTCQX: NDVAF), which provides infused products for humans, is working on a new extraction facility to increase its production. Viridium Pacific Group (TSX.V: VIR) (OTCQB: VIRFF) is supporting the growth of the hemp and cannabis industries through investment, both in acquisitions and in partnership with smaller companies. Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) (WLDFF Profile) has raised the public profile of CBD through celebrity associations and entry into prestige shops. Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) is producing CBD products for both humans and their furry companions.

  • Hemp and CBD products are now worth billions of dollars each year and rising.
  • Alongside products for humans, ones for pets are appearing.
  • These products are designed to increase the health and well-being of those who take them.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Hemp for People and Pets

The hemp industry has come from almost nowhere to become one of the big business stories of the past ten years. With cultivation, processing and sales facilities setting up across North America and beyond, hemp and its extracts are increasingly important products. People use them for health, well-being and relaxation. Hemp has even started to feature in foodstuffs and cosmetics.

And as recent industry moves demonstrate, hemp isn’t just for people. Pet products have also been appearing, promising benefits such as pain relief, increased energy and broader well-being. Hemp is now for pets, and companies are moving to make the most of the opportunity this provides.

Consolidating Hemp

Hemp-based pet products made the news recently thanks to the acquisition of Solace Management Group Inc., owners of the Apawthecary Pets product line, by Geyser Brands Inc. (TSX.V: GYSR).

The acquisition, whose definitive agreement was announced on May 28, represents an important step for Geyser Brands. Providing the company with more than $2 million in gross revenues, it establishes Geyser as a leader in the health-focused hemp and CBD industry. It’s an industry that has grown massively over the past few years and is continuing to grow. Recent estimates state that CBD and hemp will exceed $20 billion in value in the next few years.

Solace, the target of the acquisition, is a significant business within this market. Its Apothecary Naturals is a leading brand within the Canadian market, and Apawthecary Pets is one of the few established brands catering to pets. By leveraging its brands, intellectual property and proprietary formulations through licensing and production agreements, Solace has successfully reached out into pet stores and veterinarian clinics across Canada.

With a portfolio of 23 products using organic, unrefined, cold-pressed hemp-seed oil extract, the brands can appeal to environmentally conscious consumers as well as those wanting something cleaner to help with their pets’ health. And with a recent move into a new 7,500-square-foot GMP production facility, Solace has ensured an ongoing supply of nano-hemp for pets.

Geyser, which is taking Solace’s products to global markets, is a leading consumer healthcare company, using hemp products to improve people’s lives. Geyser has its own Health Canada-licensed CBD production-and-distribution facility and has recently built a GMP manufacturing base near Vancouver. Like Solace, Geyser has focused on natural ingredients for its products, making the two companies a good fit.

But it’s Geyser’s NanoFusion technology that makes the company stand out. This advanced delivery system quickly and efficiently transports agents directly to the bloodstream, increasing the absorption of therapeutic CBD. The insoluble nature of the molecules means that, for most hemp products, a majority of the beneficial chemicals are never absorbed. Geyer’s nano-emulsions are manufactured to improve this absorption, thanks to droplets as small as a tenth of the size of normal molecules.

The acquisition of Solace might look like just one more in a series of recent acquisitions in the CBD sector. But for Geyser, the move is significant. “This is a transformational strategic acquisition for Geyser, which will establish ourselves as a leading provider of health-focused hemp and CBD wellness products,” said Geyser CEO Andreas Thatcher. “With the constant evolution of the national and international hemp and CBD landscape, and by combining our expertise in innovation and compliance with Solace’s experience and market recognition, we will be well placed to capitalize on what is predicted to be a multibillion-dollar industry.”

Pampering Pets

The opportunity that Geyser is leaping on isn’t just driven by the rise of hemp — it’s also about broader demographic trends.

Recent decades have seen growth in the middle class around the world. The growing strength of emerging economies means that more people across Africa and Asia have wealth to spend on goods beyond the essentials. And among the nonessentials many adopt are pets. Pet ownership is growing around the world, and that growth increases the demand for the items needed that come with owning a pet, including grooming, toys and food.

At the same time, concerns about health and chemicals that are consumed are on the rise. Awareness of environmental issues has spurred waves of protest, a swing toward green parties in recent European elections, and booming sales for locally and organically produced foods. As individual consumers, many people are trying to avoid manmade chemicals, both for the sake of the environment and for their own health. That concern now extends to feeding and caring for pets, with owners looking for more natural ways to support their furry companions. And that’s where the CBD products of companies such as Geyser come in.

Apawthecary Pets provides a range of CBD treats and oral drops designed to improve the health and well-being of dogs. These products have helped owners treat pain, anxiety and seizures, making life better for their pets. And now the company is adding a new brand, WildTails, with a range of treats for both dogs and cats. Freeze-dried meat treats infused with hemp or CBD, these products minimize processing and the addition of extra ingredients to make a snack that is both natural and good for pets.

Given the growing wealth of the Asian middle class, it’s not surprising that companies are looking to that continent as a major market for this type of product. Starting with the negotiation of orders and distribution contracts in Asia, Geyser’s release of WildTails is reaching a market beyond CBD’s core territory of North America.

Part of a Bigger Picture

Just as CBD isn’t just for humans, the infusing of food isn’t just for pets.

Companies such as Indiva Ltd. (TSX.V: NDVA) (OTCQX: NDVAF) have developed ranges of edible products targeted at humans and infused with CBD. These are part of a wider range of products in which cannabinoids, the active ingredients in cannabis, are introduced to food as an alternative way of consuming them. CBD is one of the two leading cannabinoids, alongside psychoactive THC, and Indiva offers products infused with one or both of these ingredients. The company is currently developing an extraction facility that will improve its ability to extract these natural chemicals from plants and put them into food.

The work of hemp and cannabis producers is supported by companies such as Viridium Pacific Group (TSX.V: VIR) (OTCQB: VIRFF). Viridium is a Canadian public capital company that has invested heavily in the cannabis industry, developing several wholly owned subsidiaries. In addition to production and distribution of cannabis, the company is involved in related property development and resource management. Like Geyser, Viridium is making use of mergers and acquisitions as well as collaborating with other companies in the sector. One of its subsidiaries recently supplied plant clones to one of Canada’s first micro-cultivators, helping the smaller business to establish its own crops.

A Vancouver-based health and wellness company, Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) is focused heavily on CBD. It produces capsules, tinctures, vaporizing liquids and other CBD-infused products. Aiming at an upmarket clientele, several of its products have achieved a prestigious status through their recent appearances at Kim Kardashian’s baby shower, in hotel swag bags for the Oscars and in the Saks Fifth Avenue store. The company is also reaching a wider audience, with the acquisition of City Cannabis providing more outlets in Canada.

Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) is firmly focused on functional food and beverages, a broad description for those containing active ingredients such as THC and CBD, with a particular focus on the health and well-being sector. The OKI product line is set to make beverages a central part of the business, as CBD drinks offer consumers an alternative recreational beverage to alcohol and caffeine. The company has also announced a line of CBD-infused products for pets, initially consisting of tinctures and an oral spray.

With the CBD market growing alongside that for pet products, it’s natural that the two should combine as the focus to serve expands to humans and their well-loved pets.

For more information on Geyser Brands, visit Geyser Brands Inc. (TSX.V: GYSR)

About CannabisNewsWire

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

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420 with CNW – French Medical Marijuana Experiment Starting Soon After Enabling Law is Passed

On May 28 this year, the French Senate passed a bill paving the way for marijuana to start being used therapeutically in the country. The health ministry is yet to give its approval to this law, but once it does, an experiment lasting two years will be launched to analyze the effects of marijuana on pain relief.

Patient groups put the estimate of people who would be eligible to access marijuana for pain at about 300,000-1,000,000 people. A committee is evaluating the measures which have been designed to implement the medical cannabis experiment. This committee will release their findings on June 26.

The experiment is likely to get underway in a few weeks, but the biggest challenge which will be faced is how to set up a supply chain for the industry. Initially, medical cannabis will be imported from countries where it is legal and produced to internationally acceptable standards.

As medical cannabis is imported, locally licensed producers will be busy at work setting up cultivation facilities in greenhouses or highly controlled fields. The sunlight, humidity and temperature will all be closely monitored and controlled in this unconventional agricultural undertaking.

The growers selected will be required to meet the EU rules on how to grow medical cannabis whose quality is consistent.

Medical marijuana will not be a bonanza for all who wish to use it. Physicians will only prescribe it if a patient hasn’t benefited from all the available pain treatments in the country. Of special interest will be people suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, some forms of epilepsy and patients undergoing palliative care.

When addressing the French Senate at the beginning of the debate on the medical marijuana bill, Senator Esther Benbassa revealed that the list of conditions for which medical marijuana could be prescribed is likely to be expanded in future to include more ailments.

Some senators, especially those from the Republican Party, fear that the medical marijuana program is being used as a Trojan horse in a bid to legalize recreational marijuana. Advocates disagree and assert that medical marijuana cannot be abused for recreational purposes since the two uses require different forms of cannabis. For example, the advocates say that therapeutic-grade marijuana is low in THC, so recreational users cannot get the psychoactive effects which they require to address their needs.

Marijuana advocates welcomed the new bill and hope that the way will be opened for exploring other purposes for which marijuana can be used. These include wellness products like supplements, oils and cannabis-infused vitamins.

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) and Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) welcome France into the fold of countries which are benefiting from the medicinal effects of marijuana.

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 – Medical Marijuana Patient Numbers Outpacing Canadian Doctor and Cannabis Supply

The skyrocketing number of patients on the Canadian medical cannabis program is outstripping the capacity of the health system and the product supply to handle that surge in patient numbers, according to doctors who participate in the program.

One year ago, 250,000 patients were enrolled on the medical cannabis program. By the end of December 2018, the number had ballooned to 350,000. Current estimates put the number of patients in the program at more than 400,000. This surge is partially attributed to the legalization of recreational marijuana because this removed the stigma associated with cannabis.

However, this change in cannabis law has created challenges for physicians who prescribe medical marijuana, according to Dr. Sana-Ara Ahmed (a chronic pain specialist). According to Dr. Ahmed, many people no longer view marijuana as a medicine ever since it became available for recreational use.

During a cannabis summit in Calgary last week, Dr. Ahmed revealed that the number of patients registered to use medical marijuana is expected to hit a million by 2025. While patients have been enthusiastic about the program, the same cannot be said about physicians with just 5 percent of them prescribing medical marijuana.

Ahmed added that he is bothered by that discrepancy between the patient number and the number of physicians available to attend to those patients. He would wish to see more physicians understanding the cannabinoid system in the human body and how that system interacts with marijuana.

This discussion has been stifled by the decades of prohibition, and the hangover of that era still lingers. To compound matters, the ongoing shortage of marijuana on the legal market has also affected the medical side and doctors have to deal with the frustration of knowing that the best products, such as dried marijuana flower and CBD oil, aren’t available and yet that’s what would give patients the best results.

Dr. Ahmed also says the supply shortage isn’t all the doctors have to deal with. Many times, they are compelled to prescribe less medical marijuana than a patient requires simply because the cost of the right amount of cannabis is prohibitive for many of those patients. He cites the example of the patients who aren’t working and rely on disability support.

The black market appears to have stepped up to address some of those gaps. One operator of an illegal cannabis operation revealed that he has been serving patients in Calgary who cannot get what they need from the licensed dispensaries. He even works out arrangements to help those who cannot afford to pay for the medical marijuana that they need.

Hemptown USA and Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) hope that the Canadian government does more to address the bottlenecks preventing the medical cannabis program from serving patients fully.

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 – Alabama Legislature Passes Medical Cannabis Commission Bill

On Friday (May 31), the legislature in Alabama passed a bill which opens the way for legalizing medical marijuana in the state. The Assembly voted 80-19 for the bill while the Senate approved the amendments made by the House by a 27-2 vote. All that is left is for Gov. Ivey to sign the bill into law.

While this bill can be lauded as a step in the right direction, it also comes as a setback for marijuana advocates because the original bill sponsored by Sen. Melson (R-Florence) sought to legalize medical cannabis by 2021 but the version passed by the Assembly and sent back to Senate opted for the creation of a Medical Marijuana Study Commission which will be charged with conducting meetings and compiling recommendations about the best way to kickstart the medical marijuana program.

The proposed commission will include a minimum of three attorneys, four physicians, business representatives and mental health counselors. This commission will hold at least three public hearings and have their report ready by Dec. 1.

For some unknown reason, the findings or recommendations of the commission will not be binding on the legislature regardless of the fact that early in May, the Senate had voted in favor of implementing a medical marijuana program. The framers of the bill probably felt that the legislature needs to have the ability to formulate an implementation law, if that step is ever reached, without having its hands tied by the binding recommendations of the medical marijuana commission.

When House members posed endless questions about the mechanisms through which the medical marijuana law will be enforced and how dosages would be controlled, the sponsors of the legislation decided to switch to the creation of a commission so that all those issues would be explored comprehensively before the matter comes before the Assembly again.

Other questions raised had to do with why Carley’s law was included in this bill instead of separating it. Under Carley’s law passed in 2914, the University of Alabama was authorized and funded to conduct research on the effects of CBD oil. Legislators wanted to know whether the commission would receive input from Alabama University, and they wondered why no report has yet been provided to the House regarding how the funds appropriated for the research have been used and the findings so far made. Carley’s law was renewed for another year despite these protests.

Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and Geyser Brands Inc. (TSX.V: GYSR) welcome the cautious approach to medical marijuana legalization taken by the Alabama legislature. Hopefully, this approach will enable the state to sidestep any avoidable mistakes during the eventual implementation of the program.

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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