CBD Surge Puts Pressure on Cultivation Supplies

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Growing demand for CBD is increasing pressure on companies that provide key cultivation equipment and industry supplies.

As part of its commitment to build a large and well-supplied sales channel, hydroponic supplier Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) (SGMD Profile) is in the process of making acquisition of companies that supply the hemp industry. An increasing need for supplies is coming from companies such as Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC), a major cultivator and processor making moves on the CBD drinks and well-being markets. Cronos Group Inc. (TSX: CRON) (NASDAQ: CRON) has entered into a supply agreement with another provider to ensure the materials it needs for its products. Global efforts by companies such as New Age Beverages Corporation (NASDAQ: NBEV) and Aphria (TSX: APHA) (NYSE: APHA) may further strain U.S. supply chains, due to greater cultivation restrictions in other parts of the world.

Many hemp growers use hydroponic techniques for indoor propagation.
These techniques allow greater control over genetics and produce higher quality plants.
The extraordinary rise in the North American cannabis sector is creating unprecedented demand.
Suppliers are responding with growth and mergers.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

CBD Popularity Pushes Agricultural Supply and Demand

The popularity of CBD is creating new trends in the agricultural supply sector. Thanks to legal changes in Canada and the United States, farmers and agricultural companies are rushing to increase production of hemp and other CBD-bearing plants. For some, this involves a shift from growing other crops to hemp, as struggling farmers chase the profits promised by the sector. For others, it means expanding existing hemp production to make the most of the staggering rise in demand.

This concentrated movement is fueling demand for equipment, in particular the specialist equipment used for indoor growing. The agricultural supplies industry faces the possibility of real shortages, and companies that act to solve that problem by meeting the need could seize upon a chance to make this moment work for them.

Hydroponic Agriculture — Is a Supply Shortage Looming?

Growing hemp is a sophisticated business. Aside from the legal, licensing and security issues surrounding the process, growers need specialist equipment and seeds or clones from which to grow crops. It’s on the equipment side that companies such as Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) are getting involved.

Sugarmade has moved into hemp equipment from another support sector — restaurant supplies and packaging. As with its more recent work, the company didn’t make its mark in the restaurant world by providing products directly to customers, but rather by providing businesses with the materials they needed to get their products out into the world. It may not be as glamorous or high profile as producing the end product itself, but the supporting the backend of the business is vital to keeping those industries going.

With the dramatic expansion of interest in CBD over the past few years, Sugarmade has taken the opportunity to diversify its work. Still focused on growth through brand expansion and acquisition, the company is now making those expansion and acquisition moves in the Hemp sector, where it provides cultivation equipment and supplies.

There are two approaches to growing hemp: outdoor cultivation using soil and indoor cultivation using hydroponic equipment. The choice often means the difference between quantity and quality of plants, with the latter increasingly dominant because of the improved reliability of supplies.

Providers of hydroponic equipment such as Sugarmade have therefore seen a surge in business from hemp growers. As cultivators look to increase their hemp harvest, they also need to increase the size and effectiveness of their growing spaces, and that means a higher demand for equipment.

The Benefits of Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a catch-all term for a number of indoor growing techniques. Sometimes the plants are grown in an inert layer that substitutes for soil, providing something for the roots to grow through. In other approaches, such as deep-water culture and nutrient-film techniques, plants that would naturally grow in soil are instead grown in liquid settings, with their roots floating free. Aeroponics goes a step beyond this, with the roots exposed and fed by sprays of artificial mist.

What each of these approaches have in common is that food for the crop is provided in the form of nutrient solutions direct available to the plants’ roots, instead of those plants having to take nutrition from the soil. This technique gives growers more control over what goes into their plants. Because hydroponic cultivating takes place indoors, farmers also gain greater control over the conditions in which the plants live, including temperatures and quantity and quality of light. Together, this allows for more consistent, higher quality growth, which can also be tailored to increase the quantity of CBD in a plant. It’s that quality and consistency that drives demand for the products offered by companies such as Sugarmade.

Sugarmade provides a wide range of products. These include equipment needed for setup, nutrients used to feed the plants, lighting systems and tools for testing the quality of the environment, which are essential to getting the desired results. The surge in demand caused by rising interest in CBD has put serious pressure on hydroponic suppliers. There have been reports of extensive back ordering and customers having to wait for supplies to come in. In a fast-growing industry where new or expanding cultivators are rushing to establish their positions, that could become a serious problem.

So what are supply companies doing to prevent an equipment shortage?

Ensuring Flow of Hydroponic Supplies

It might sound obvious, but one of the answers is larger businesses. Companies such as Sugarmade are dramatically expanding their operations, thus seeing an increased level of power over their supply chains and the capacity to both stock and sell greater volumes of agricultural equipment. The efficiencies and reach of larger companies, along with their financial capacity to order supplies in larger volumes, will invigorate the hydroponic supply chain and ensure that growers’ needs are met.

To support this goal, companies have been undertaking mergers and acquisitions. Sugarmade has made two such moves — and the company isn’t stopping there. As CEO Jimmy Chan said, “Sugarmade is expecting to realize exceptional revenue growth this year from all of our hydroponic-related market sectors. . . . We continue to seek additional acquisitions to further boost our already-expected robust revenue growth rate.”

Scale brings advantages beyond efficiency. Larger companies can provide a wider range of products, and so cater to the needs of cultivators trying out different hydroponic techniques. This supports innovation in hemp cultivation, as equipment from a single supplier can be used to experiment with best practices, from inert beds and water flows to aeroponics. Variety of resources also allows growers to experiment with their nutrient mix, thus obtaining the best possible results from their plants.

By providing a large supply base and a wide range of products, Sugarmade is helping to tackle equipment shortages and get hemp growers up and running.

Relying on Hydroponics

Hydroponics are now feeding into a huge sector growing hemp and other CBD-bearing plants.

One of the biggest companies in the space is Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC). Already a major player, the company’s purchasing power has been further expanded over the past two years by billions in investment from drinks giant Constellation Brands. This is seen as part of a wider trend of companies looking to produce CBD drinks, which could create yet another surge in demand for hemp and the equipment to cultivate it. Canopy Growth is currently pushing forward with a multifaceted hemp and CBD strategy and, as part of that focus, has acquired skincare and well-being company This Works.

The equipment needed by the CBD industry isn’t just about agriculture. The founding of a new R&D facility by Cronos Group Inc. (TSX: CRON) (NASDAQ: CRON) appears to be good news for companies equipping biotech researchers. In addition, Cronos has also entered a supply agreement to ensure a steady flow of concentrates needed for its products, ahead of changes in rules on foodstuffs that will expand the market in Canada later this year.

While much attention is on North America, New Age Beverages Corporation (NASDAQ: NBEV) announced in April its push to become a global brand. Selling CBD products including oils, creams and lotions, as well as its specialist beverages, the company is targeting an international customer base increasingly interested in the potential of CBD. Only three years old, New Age Beverages is already making a splash with its vibrant brand and growing product range.

Aphria (TSX: APHA) (NYSE: APHA) is also expanding globally, with the introduction of CannRelief, a CBD product line targeting Germany. The emergence of a European market is likely to increase demand for CBD from North America, at least in the short term, as many European countries have not yet seen legal changes to ease the production of CBD.

With CBD demand growing around the world, demand for cultivation supplies is also increasing. Companies that put in the work to expand their supply channels may establish profitable ongoing relationships with a new generation of hemp cultivators.

For more information on Sugarmade, visit Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD)

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Hunt for Perfect Acquisitions Reshapes Cannabis Industry

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Cannabis companies are using increasingly refined acquisition tactics to create vertical integration.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (XETR: TH8) (TCAN Profile) has developed a refined acquisition strategy, assessing more than one hundred targets before settling on a select few to acquire. Cresco Labs Inc. (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF), one of America’s leading multistate cannabis companies, has recently announced its agreement to acquire CannaRoyalty Corp. (OTCQX: ORHOF), giving it control over a vast distribution platform. In Canada, HEXO Corp. (TSX: HEXO) (NYSE American: HEXO) has been given approval to acquire Newstrike, as the country’s vibrant industry consolidates following recent dramatic growth. For those without vertical integration, companies such as DionyMed Brands Inc. (CSE: DYME) (OTCQB: DYMEF) provide vital support services, including logistics and distribution.

The cannabis industry is worth tens of billions of dollars and expected to reach more than $146 billion by 2025.
Legal and social changes mean that companies are working to tap into larger consumer bases.
Acquisitions create opportunities for integration and efficiency.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Cannabis Consolidation

The cannabis industry is going through a period of transformation. As more jurisdictions around the world legalize some form of products — whether it’s recreational cannabis, medical cannabis or CBD — the market is seeing explosive growth. Global spending on legal cannabis, which was worth $14.3 billion in 2016, has been predicted to reach $146.4 billion by the end of 2025. This means big profits and big growth for leading cannabis companies, which a decade ago looked like strange novelties to wary investors.

The growth of the industry and in particular some bigger players has led to a period of consolidation. Smaller firms are being swallowed up by their larger competitors as business leaders and investors seek economies of scale, greater brand reach and the higher profits these can bring. From an industry defined by small-scale production and experimentation, cannabis is turning into one of big brands powered by mergers and acquisitions.

Getting Acquisition Right

For those involved in the cannabis industry, it’s easy to get sucked into a gold-rush mind-set. The slightest whiff of marijuana promises fat profits, and every company with a leaf logo looks like a sure thing. But as in any sector, one can find both good and bad options for purchase and investment. For companies set on a strategy of mergers and acquisitions, such as TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (XETR: TH8), it’s just as important to be smart as it is to be buying.

Having performed a successful IPO on January 9, 2019, TransCanna is still a relatively new player in the market — but one that appears to be well positioned to make the most of both big markets and industry expertise. Headquartered in Canada, the only G7 country to have nationally legalized recreational cannabis, TransCanna has access to the talent pool and wealth of expertise that Canada has developed. The company has developed a two-year, four-phase plan aimed at developing proprietary brands and creating a self-contained ecosystem that ensure reliability, consistency, quality and scale.

At present, the cannabis industry is in turmoil. Production, branding and distribution are often carried out separately or by small companies, each reaching a fraction of their potential market. TransCanna’s strategy is built around using vertical integration to create a closed-loop cannabis ecosystem, one which more efficiently taps into this exciting market.

To create this integrated system, the company recently purchased a 196,000-square-foot vertically integrated, cannabis-focused facility, which recently went through an $8-million renovation. In addition, the acquisition included five additional acres adjacent to the facility. Once required licenses are in place and the facility is operational, TransCanna will have the following divisions: nursery, cultivation, manufacturing, bottling, extraction and distribution. The facility is also designed to allow up to 10,000 square feet for a third-party, laboratory-testing company to lease space.

Strict Vetting

Over the past 18 months, TransCanna has evaluated more than 100 Californian companies with an eye to acquisition. Strict vetting has whittled these options down to a handful of qualified deals, which TransCanna’s leadership team is pursuing. The company’s evaluation process is deliberate and selective, with an eye to ensuring that every addition plays an essential part in TransCanna’s long-term strategy.

It appears the company’s extreme due diligence on each potential transaction is paying off. In the past 30 days, TransCanna has announced two significant acquisition targets with signed LOIs: Lyfted Farms and SolDaze. It is reasonable to assume more acquisitions are in the works that, conditional upon closing, could certainly bring top-line revenue into the company before year end.

Quality Control

One of these recent acquisitions is also indicative of what makes for a good addition to a cannabis company in the current climate. Lyfted Farms, based in Modesto, California, is another indoor cannabis producer. The company’s three state licenses allow the production and distribution of cannabis from its facility. TransCanna has signed a letter of intent to acquire the company’s business and assets, adding them to its existing operations.

“The proposed acquisition includes an exceptional brand, with a range of high-end flower, growing revenues, fifty exotic and unique genetic strains and a team that’s been a staple in the Modesto valley with over two decades of cultivating experience,” said TransCanna CEO Jim Pakulis. “In short, this is another example of an ideal acquisition candidate for TransCanna that offers SKU velocity, growing revenues and branded products that differentiate from others in the marketplace.”

That focus on quality plant strains is important for TransCanna. Cannabis consumers value quality in their products, and the legalization of the market makes it easier to measure and control this. While the feeding and facilities in which it is cultivated will affect a plant’s outcome, good breeding stock is the fundamental element that will determine its quality. With a variety of great strains in its arsenal, TransCanna will be better placed to expand its vertically integrated cannabis business.

Expansion Across the Cannabis Sector

Another company with a vertically integrated approach to cannabis, Cresco Labs Inc. (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF) is one of the leading multistate cannabis companies in the United States, a country where federal laws make it difficult to operate across state boundaries. The company covers the whole value stream of cannabis, from cultivation through processing, packaging and shipping, to sales in dispensaries across the country, some of them owned by Cresco itself. Thanks to its worker-friendly approach, the company has been earning positive publicity for the cannabis sector and was recently singled out as one of the best workplaces in Chicago for employees.

To expand its interstate operations, Cresco recently announced its agreement to acquire CannaRoyalty Corp. (OTCQX: ORHOF), which does business as Origin House. A leading distributor and provider of support services for cannabis companies in California, Origin House will provide Cresco with a vast distribution platform, giving it greater reach across California and expertise and experience in distribution. Origin House adds to the company’s ability to retain control of its business from growing facilities all the way to customers’ hands.

Across the border in Canada, HEXO Corp. (TSX: HEXO) (NYSE American: HEXO) has also been pursuing an acquisition strategy. Having entered the cannabis market as a medical provider, the company has added the recreational market to its work, thanks to Canada’s groundbreaking national legislation last year. HEXO announced earlier this year that it will be acquiring Newstrike, the parent company of Up Cannabis Inc., a licensed producer and distributor of cannabis. With the acquisition having received regulatory approval, the companies are set to bring their business together, expanding HEXO’s already impressive work.

For cultivators without TransCanna and Cresco’s level of integration, companies such as DionyMed Brands Inc. (CSE: DYME) (OTCQB: DYMEF) provide essential support services. DionyMed provides value-added services such as logistics, software, packaging and distribution. Rather than acquiring other companies, DionyMed is adding to its value by striking deals with them. The company has recently signed a multimillion-dollar with Blue Kudu, giving DionyMed an exclusive multistate position as distributor for Blue Kudu’s award-winning edibles.

Deals with other cannabis companies can help producers and distributors expand. But acquisitions seem to be the key to real integration and are likely to create cannabis’s future powerhouses.

For more information on TransCanna Holdings, visit TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (XETR: TH8)

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420 with CNW – 50 State Banking Associations Urge Congress to Act on Marijuana Banking

Banking associations from all the 50 states across the U.S. have written a letter to the Senate Banking Committee to pass and advance the bipartisan bill before it seeking to protect financial institutions from federal penalties for doing business with licensed marijuana businesses.

In their letter delivered on April 20, the state banking associations observed that forcing cannabis businesses to operate on a cash-only basis exposes the businesses, their employees and the public to serious safety risks.

The banking associations also added that regulation and enforcement has been very difficult, something that can have adverse effects on the economy. Tax collection becomes inefficient and expensive since modern methods of remitting payments cannot be used. Compliance audits also become expensive because there is no clear paper trail to follow when looking into the financial records of marijuana businesses.

The banking associations also complained that while the Congressional Financial Services Committee passed a similar bill in March, other committees haven’t acted on the companion bills since then.

In their letter, the banking associations were quick to point out that they are neither in favor of nor against the legalization of marijuana. Their sole purpose is to serve the communities in their areas, including jurisdictions which have opted to legalize marijuana.

They added that there are many legitimate concerns which have to be considered on the subject of marijuana, but they were calling on Congress to narrow their focus for now on the issue of the banking sector with respect to the marijuana industry while other broader issues on marijuana policy are debated.

The Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Sen. Mike Crapo, revealed that he wouldn’t commit himself to bringing the marijuana banking bill before his committee until the Department of Justice had pronounced itself on the matter.

However, the banking association from the senator’s own home state seems to disagree with him and signed the letter. The association of attorneys general also disagrees and sent their own letter urging federal action to be taken to ease marijuana banking.

The National Association of State Treasurers has also written a letter calling on Congress to enact legislation which will make it possible for the cannabis industry to receive basic banking services in the states where such businesses are legal and licensed. Their reasons mirror the reasons stated by the 50 banking associations from all the states in the country.

Redfund Capital Corp. (CSE: LOAN) (OTCQB: PNNRF) (Frankfurt: O3X4) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) look forward to the day when the federal government will listen to the voices of the different associations asking for enabling laws to allow cannabis businesses to thrive in the states where they are licensed to operate.

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420 with CNW – California Senate Passes Bill to Create Cannabis Banks

The senate in California passed a bill on Tuesday (April 21) paving the way for the creation of state-chartered banks for the cannabis industry. These banks will help the cannabis industry to get around the banking restrictions resulting from the federal status of marijuana.

Under the bill, credit unions and private banks can apply to the state for a limited purpose charter to provide depository services to legitimate marijuana businesses within the state. This bill was passed with a 35-1 vote and now awaits approval by the Assembly and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Currently, all marijuana businesses, such as cultivators and retailers, are forced to accept only cash because federally-chartered banks are afraid to accept them as clients. California will therefore exert pressure on the federal government to consider easing its marijuana banking regulations since California is the most populous state in the nation.

Robert Hertzberg, California’s Senate Majority Leader, remarked when introducing the bill last month that while the proposed law wasn’t an ideal remedy to the dilemma facing cannabis banking, it was a good step to take along the journey of treating cannabis businesses as legitimate businesses like all others. The bill would allow money from the cannabis industry to be taken from the streets to bank accounts.

The financial institutions which get the special-purpose charters would print special checks that marijuana businesses can use to pay rent, local and state taxes as well as any other fees. The financial institutions created to work with cannabis businesses will not offer any loans to their clients, so marijuana businesses will still have to get funding using other methods.

The lack of banking services has made it very difficult for regulators and law enforcement to stamp out illegal marijuana businesses since both legitimate and black market activity is cash-based.

It isn’t clear whether financial institutions will warm up to cannabis businesses once this bill becomes law. Banking institutions are wary of working with cannabis businesses because they are exposed to enforcement action by the federal government, so it is not yet clear whether this proposed law will allay their fears.

Currently, more than 30 states have legalized medical marijuana while 10 states, plus the District of Columbia, have legalized recreational cannabis. More are considering bills or petitions to pass their own marijuana laws. The step taken by California will therefore be watched closely since other jurisdictions may follow its lead if the measure produces tangible results.

Organigram Holdings Inc. (TSX.V: OGI) (OTCQX: OGRMF) and Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) look forward to the enactment of SB 51 so that cannabis businesses in California can access the limited banking services envisaged in that draft law.

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420 with CNW – New Jersey Legislators Approve Several Marijuana Bills

As plans to legalize recreational marijuana seem to have hit a dead end, lawmakers in different New Jersey legislative committees have advanced the expansion of the medical marijuana program, marijuana criminal expungement and marijuana decriminalization bills.

On Monday afternoon (May 20), the Appropriations Committee of the Assembly debated and advanced a decriminalization bill. This bill seeks to make the possession of less than two ounces of cannabis a civil offense punishable by a $50 fine. The same committee also passed a bill to expunge marijuana convictions.

The version of this bill passed by a senate committee didn’t mention decriminalization. The intention was to include this provision at a later stage of the process after the different bills make their way through the different committees just before they are combined into one bill ready for presentation to the entire Assembly or Senate.

The Health and Human Health Services Committee of New Jersey’s senate also passed a bill to expand the state’s medical marijuana program. This bill proposes several changes to the existing law. For example, health professionals would now issue a prescription for medical cannabis for an entire year instead of just 90 days as has been the case under the current law.

The bill also allows patients to buy medical cannabis from any dispensary they choose within the state. Previously, patients could only buy medical marijuana from the dispensary where they were registered as they joined the medical marijuana program.

Patients will also be allowed to buy up to three ounces of medical cannabis at a go. The current law imposes a limit of one ounce, and this forces patients to make several trips to a medical cannabis dispensary to replenish their medical cannabis supply. This bill had earlier on been approved by the Appropriations Committee of the state Assembly.

While medical marijuana advocates see the bill to expand the medical marijuana program as imperfect, they recognize that it is far better than the existing legal framework so they will be happy to see it pass into law.

Patients and advocates were becoming increasingly frustrated by the delay to pass the expansion of the medical marijuana program even if it enjoyed universal support. The delays were intended to build consensus on the legalization of recreational marijuana, but there is a growing resignation to the possibility of putting the matter to a vote next year since lawmakers show no sign of agreeing on how full legalization should be implemented.

Steve Sweeney, the Senate President, also seems resigned to the fact that recreational cannabis is still a long way from being legalized legislatively. He revealed that while the bill to expand the medical marijuana program will soon be passed, he could not say the same for the bill to legalize recreational cannabis.

Nabis Holdings (CSE: NAB) (OTC: INNPF) (FRA: 71P) and MustGrow Biologics Corp. hope that the bills approved by the various committees are cleared by either House quickly so that patients can enjoy better access to medical cannabis.

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420 with CNW – Canopy Rivers Invests in New Zealand Agri-Tech Company

Canopy Rivers, one of the largest growers and suppliers of medical marijuana in the world, has invested $1.5 million in BioLumic, an agri-tech company based in New Zealand. The funds are intended to help the agri-tech company to develop UV treatments which can boost the performance and yield of marijuana plants.

Warren Bebb, the CEO of BioLumic, said that he was glad that companies from around the world were starting to pick interest in what his company is doing. Bebb attributes this interest to the results which they have already obtained for other flowering plants, such as tomatoes, soybeans, lettuce and strawberries.

The New Zealand parliament recently passed a law to give terminally ill patients a legal defense to possess and use cannabis (an illegal substance). This amendment has paved the way for companies with interests in medical cannabis to position themselves to get a share of the global medical cannabis industry which is predicted to grow to an $80 billion industry within the coming five years.

BioLumic is excited to take a shot at making a difference in the life of someone suffering from a terminal illness. The UV treatments developed by the company have already shown that performance and yield can increase by up to 40 percent. Test crops have been grown in various countries, such as Spain, Britain and Mexico.

Dr. Wargent, one of the co-founders at BioLumic, says that his company is unique because of the shorter time they need to treat plants. For example, they need just a week or two to treat seedlings and only a few minutes to treat seeds.

Once the scientists have treated the seeds or seedlings, no other treatment is required for the rest of the life of that plant.

Wargent, a photobiologist, explains that he started out by testing his revolutionary technology on just a few plants that he left within his bedroom. Last year, he and Bebb opened a state-of-the-art UV research and development facility at Massey University.

While the founders weren’t sure which exact direction their company would take, they were in agreement that it should become a unicorn (a start-up which grows to be worth at least $1 billion).

The investment by Canopy Rivers and other entities has helped BioLumic to get its journey to unicorn status underway. The funding from Canopy Rivers will also go towards expanding the Artificial Intelligence program of BioLumic in addition to upgrading security at their trial facilities around the world.

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) and Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) congratulate BioLumic upon landing such a major client in the cannabis industry and hope that their partnership results in a method to take medical marijuana production to a new level of efficiency.

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Growing Media Coverage, Celebrity Endorsements Lead to Soaring CBD Popularity

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Growing media attention and celebrity acceptance is fueling rising popularity of CBD.

Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) (WLDFF Profile) is one of the companies benefiting most from this attention, with its products featured in Kim Kardashian’s baby shower and the new Saks CBD salon. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) is working with the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and its athletes in clinical studies involving pain management, inflammation, injury, exercise recovery and mental well-being. Green Thumb Industries Inc. (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF) recently acquired Beboe, a luxury cannabis brand founded in California. With this growing CBD popularity, HEXO Corp. (NYSE American: HEXO) announced that it has become the first cannabis company to join Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC), the largest voice of the Canadian food, beverage and consumer products industry. And Aphria Inc. (TSX: APHA) (NYSE: APHA) has been awarded a fifth lot for the cultivation of medical cannabis in Germany as part of the company’s previously awarded license from the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices.

Kim Kardashian’s CBD-themed baby shower splashed across business wires, tabloids, and social media.
High-profile appearances and placement are boosting upper-end CBD brands.
Broad media coverage is normalizing and drawing ever more customers to the sector.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

CBD Whips Up Media Storm

Recent months have seen CBD in the media spotlight more than ever before. The relaxing natural compound, derived from hemp and cannabis plants but without the psychoactive qualities of THC, has been grabbing attention across the internet and in print and broadcast media. What was a fringe interest only a few years ago has now grown into the subject of unceasing mainstream attention.

Some of the coverage comes from news reports and opinion pieces, while the recent legalization of hemp in the United States has sparked interest from virtually every sector of society. With CBD products now on sale in a growing number of shops across a growing number of states, attention has also come from social media influencers, fashionistas and lifestyle writers. Even celebrities and athletes are in on the act, with CBD products appearing in the hands of the rich and famous — a sure signal of widespread popularity in the media age.

Garnering Celebrity Support

One of the brands reaping the benefits from this flurry of media attention is Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF), a premier creator and marketer of plant-based health and wellness products. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wildflower has rapidly expanded its footprint out of Canada and into the United States as the country has become increasingly hospitable to CBD products. The company is focused on building brands around plant-based products, appealing to those looking for natural way to relieve pain, relax and be healthy.

CBD is an important part of Wildflower’s stable of brands. Its Wildflower Wellness brand provides capsules, tinctures, vaporizing liquid and other CBD-infused products, all designed to support relaxation, health and wellness. With its unique combination of high-quality, effective natural products, the brand is designed to appeal to those looking to escape the stresses of modern life and has been embraced by consumers through North America.

Little wonder Wildflower products showed up at Kim Kardashian’s recent baby shower. Kardashian and her husband, Kanye West, recently welcomed their fourth child — and second born by surrogate. In preparation for the event, Kardashian threw an extravagant and well-reported baby shower. To help guests relax and prepare to celebrate the “calm before the baby storm,” the Keeping Up with The Kardashians star threw a CBD-themed baby shower, featuring a DIY makeup station and a group session sound bath. The event included such tranquil activities as massages, flower arranging and mixing CBD oils to create personalize shower gifts.

As part of the event, Kardashian encouraged her guests to enjoy a relaxing puff of Wildflower’s vaporized CBD products. A Wildflower vaporizer was featured in pictures from the party, as celebrities made the most of what CBD has to offer.

This isn’t the first time that Wildflower products have found their way into celebrity hands. Wildflower goods were selected for inclusion in the 2019 Four Seasons Hotel Hollywood Swag Bags, given to nominees, presenters and actors staying at the hotel for this year’s Oscars. With CBD becoming not just acceptable but fashionable, Wildflower was a natural fit for a hotel wanting to make a good impression on its celebrity guests.

The cachet of CBD as a prestigious, high-profile consumer product has been further reinforced by the creation of a CBD salon within the shop at Saks Fifth Avenue. Directly connecting CBD with other high-end brands and the concept of luxury shopping firmly stakes out CBD’s place within the luxury goods market. And once again, Wildflower has garnered high-profile visibility among the products on display.

Media Eyes Up CBD

This move into celebrity culture and the high-end shopping market has come alongside growing media attention for CBD brands.

The arrival in Los Angeles of prominent Long Island beauty boutique Botanica Bazaar gave Vogue reason to cover a range of products including CBD tinctures. For this part of the article, the magazine focused on Wildflower’s products. The company’s strongest CBD remedies, its tinctures have been designed to counter one of the big problems with cannabinoid products — the sometimes unpleasant taste. Wildflower has tackled this challenge by adding natural flavorings to create a product that’s recognized for its flavor as well as its relaxing qualities.

The Vogue piece garnered positive coverage for CBD in general, with Botanica Bazaar’s owners talking about how the pain-relieving power of these products had won a growing number of loyal customers. The article also provided even more positive coverage for Wildflower, with the writers noting that “Wildflower’s CBD tinctures and vapes not only kill the aesthetics game, but also taste good.”

Coverage of broader cannabis culture has brought CBD brands to the attention of a receptive audience. When Vice presented an article on the best female-owned brands in the cannabis sector, the magazine included Wildflower in a section on pain-relieving spa products. A pain-relief product designed to tackle muscle, joint and back pain, the CBD+ Healing Stick was recommended in the article as a useful cure for menstrual pain.

Buzzfeed went so far as to publish an article on why readers should be buying CBD Christmas gifts for everyone, including featured recommendations for products their readers might want to pick. These included a lip butter, truffles and CBD-infused sparkling water, showing the wide range of options now available to the CBD consumer.

Wildflower once again stole the limelight. The company’s disposable CBD vaporizer pen proved to be just too good to leave out of the recommendations. All in all, the company has received mention in more than 15 different articles and media pieces, touting Wildflower and singing the praises of their CBD products.

CBD’s Growing Press Presence

It seems like hemp and CBD can’t help but make news. And other companies besides Wildflower are enjoying the media attention.

Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) has begun an exclusive, multiyear, multimillion dollar, global partnership with UFC to advance CBD research. The Edmonton-based cannabis producer said it will work with the fight league’s athletes to study the effectiveness of the plant in treating pain management, inflammation, injury, exercise recovery, and mental well-being. “This global partnership places focus squarely on the health and well-being of UFC’s talented and highly trained athletes,” said Aurora CEO Terry Booth. “The Aurora-UFC research partnership creates a global platform to launch targeted educational and awareness campaigns, while creating numerous opportunities to accelerate our global CBD business.”

With its acquisition of Beboe, Green Thumb Industries Inc. (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF) gains geographic exposure to the California and Colorado markets, as well as a high-end luxury brand to fill out its brand portfolio. Beboe was founded by fashion executive Clement Kwan and celebrity tattoo artist Scott Campbell and has been dubbed the “Hermes of marijuana” by The New York Times. Beboe products, which include rose-gold vaporizer pens, edibles, and CBD-infused drinks, have already earned their way into 125 retail locations in California and Colorado, and the company had already signed a deal with luxury department store Barney’s New York to open a luxury store called the High End, which opened on the fifth floor of Barney’s flagship Beverly Hills store in late March.

As the first cannabis company to join FCPC, HEXO Corp. (NYSE American: HEXO) continues on its journey to bring its brand value, cannabinoid isolation technology, licensed infrastructure and regulatory expertise to established companies. “HEXO is thrilled to be the first cannabis company to join the Food & Consumer Products of Canada, an established and industry leading association in the consumer-packaged goods space,” said HEXO co-founder and CEO Sébastien St. Louis. “We look forward to working with FCPC and all their members to forge new relationships and potential partnerships. It is an exciting time to be in the ever-evolving cannabis industry.”

Aphria Inc. (TSX: APHA) (NYSE: APHA) was provisionally awarded the fifth cultivation lot in Germany through its subsidiary, Aphria Deutschland GmbH, or Aphria Germany. The lot was secured following a review by a German court, which affirmed the BfArM’s decision. Aphria Germany has now won the maximum output from the German tender process — a total of five lots — and is the only licensed producer in Germany with permission to grow all three strains of medical cannabis approved by the BfArM.

As CBD’s cultural presence grows, companies with a strong media presence and the attention of celebrities and athletes seem certain to benefit.

For more information on Wildflower Brands, visit Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF)

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420 with CNW – Nebraska Legislators Start Debating Medical Marijuana

Lawmakers in Nebraska started debating a proposal to legalize medical marijuana in the state as cannabis advocates pushed to put the matter before voters next year.

Cannabis advocates are unhappy about the legalization bill because, in their view, it is too narrow and restrictive. For example, the bill bans the smoking of medical cannabis yet advocates see smoking as one of the cheapest ways for patients to get their dose of medical cannabis. Other forms require processed cannabis, which is more expensive, so medical marijuana will be out of the reach of many patients if smoking it isn’t allowed.

The activists also have serious concerns about what the bill has to say about qualifying conditions. The proposed law recommends that patients who want to use medical marijuana must have their qualifying condition certified every 90 days. This step is cumbersome and will inconvenience patients a great deal, they say.

Just having a listed qualifying condition will also not be enough to get one on the medical cannabis program. Other requirements must be met as well. For example, patients suffering from a terminal illness can only use medical marijuana if they have less than a year to live, while those with chronic pain must have had it for longer than three months without getting any improvement after taking non-opioid medications.

The debate on this bill was so polarized that the Speaker was forced to halt it barely three hours after it commenced. The sponsors of the bill, such as Sen. Anna Wishart, see no chance of the bill getting sufficient support to pass on the floor of the legislature after witnessing her colleagues spend more time talking about recreational marijuana rather than discussing the bill before them.

Supporters are now considering putting the matter before voters using a ballot measure during the elections next year. They feel that letting voters decide will result in a less restrictive law which is truly aligned with the needs of patients.

For example, the petition will include a call to allow home cultivation of medical marijuana so that patients can reduce how much they have to spend on medical cannabis products.

However, getting medical marijuana legalized through a ballot measure will not be a walk in the park as there are groups which are opposed to any form of marijuana legalization in the state. Some protestors have been describing themselves as “marijuana refugees” who fled from other states where marijuana is legal to Nebraska where the substance hasn’t been legalized either for medicinal or recreational use.

The activists will therefore have to do a lot of work to secure a majority vote if the initiate is to register success. Hemptown USA and Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) wish that the legislators had been more objective and spared the voters the lengthy process of using a ballot measure to give patients another treatment option for their conditions.

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420 with CNW – The Emerald Cup Expands to Europe

For those who may not know, the Emerald Cup can be described as the world championship for the outdoor cultivation of marijuana. This competition is held every year in California. This year, the Emerald Cup is debuting in Europe after the organizers teamed up with the organizers of Product Earth Expo-Fest held in the U.K each year.

The two entities announced their partnership at the start of this week and they plan to use the UK event in August to showcase what growers from the Emerald Triangle have to offer the rest of the world.

James Walton, the founder of Product Earth Expo-Fest, revealed that the partnership with the Emerald Cup was a natural result of the two entities sharing the common objective of showcasing the future of cannabis cultivation around the world.

Walton explains that he came up with the concept of the Expo-Fest after thinking deeply about how he could combine his love for music and his passion for the cannabis industry. He was therefore pleasantly surprised to learn that the Emerald Cup in California was doing exactly the same thing, hence the partnership.

Taylor Blake, the co-producer of the Emerald Cup admitted that he didn’t know that strains and brands from California were a big hit in Europe, and he was excited to learn that the Emerald Cup had played a big role in building those brands across the Atlantic.

Expanding to Europe will therefore give California cultivators a bigger stage on which to showcase their products, and this will result in a bigger footprint for those products in the global cannabis industry.

The August even will be held between the 23^rd and the 25^th of the month. The major highlights of the planned event include cannabis genetics panels which will discuss how cannabis strains have developed and continue to be developed in order to address the unique needs of different groups of consumers.

There will also be Question & Answer sessions with the best cultivators from California, workshops about cannabis production and harvest, as well as many focus groups on various aspects of the industry. And, of course, there will be plenty of music for the event attendees to enjoy as they soak up all the information that they can absorb about outdoor cannabis cultivation.

Come December this year, all eyes will be on Santa Rosa, California where this year’s edition of the Emerald Cup will be held. Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) and Geyser Brands Inc. (TSX.V: GYSR) wish the new partnership between the Emerald Cup and Product Earth Expo-Fest many years of fruitful collaboration.

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420 with CNW – New York Legislators Introduce New Marijuana Legalization Bill

The sponsors of the first recreational cannabis bill in New York have now introduced a new bill which will replace the one that wasn’t included in the budget framework read early this year. The sponsors of this new bill are convinced that this version stands a higher chance of success because it incorporates the ideas suggested during negotiations prior to reading the budget.

Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) says that the new bill creates a single government entity which will be responsible for regulating all the cannabis and cannabis-related products, such as hemp and CBD products.

Hemp and CBD products are included in this bill in order to remove the legal gray area since those products aren’t currently covered by any existing law. By including these products in this bill, the lawmakers want to save the time and resources which would have been used to draft and pass a separate bill for those products.

Crystal Peoples-Stokes, the Assembly Majority Leader and longstanding supporter of cannabis legalization, says that the new bill also has a social equity provision through which a portion of the tax revenue collected will be allocated for spending in communities which suffered the worst of the futile war on drugs.

Other provisions of the bill deal with expunging past criminal records, helping people from disadvantaged communities to enter the legal cannabis industry and agreeing on a taxation structure.

One major issue that was divisive was the home cultivation of marijuana. Opponents of cannabis legalization don’t want this included in any legalization law, while supporters, such as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, insist that home cultivation should be allowed so that “Big Marijuana” doesn’t dominate the industry.

Some money will also be set aside to facilitate the police to enforce the new recreational cannabis law, while more money will be allocated to cannabis research, drug prevention and treatment.

Another compromise which is included in the new bill relates to marijuana criminal record expungement. The previous bill recommended mass expungement and this was met with stiff opposition. The revised bill suggests that only misdemeanor cannabis convictions will be expunged.

Many aspects of the medical cannabis program are also tackled in this bill. For example, the bill seeks to allow doctors to exercise their discretion in determining whether medical cannabis could be helpful for a given patient, instead of being restricted to prescribing it only for patients who suffer from one or more of the 17 qualifying conditions listed in the law in place.

The entire cannabis industry, including Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) hope that this new bill receives a more favorable reception so that cannabis legalization isn’t delayed any longer.

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