Liberty Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: LIB) (OTCQB: LIBFF) (FSE: HN3P) Continues to Capitalize on the Burgeoning Legal Marijuana Markets

  • Liberty subsidiary North Road Ventures inks new compliance agreement
  • Agreement expands North Road’s existing business model
  • Liberty’s diversified investment approach leverages opportunity in legal cannabis markets

Liberty Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE: LIB) (OTCQB: LIBFF) (FSE: HN3P) continues to advance its business agenda to capitalize on the burgeoning legal marijuana markets. Liberty Leaf is in the business of acquiring partnership interests in up-and-coming and established companies in the medicinal and recreational cannabis space. The company currently operates in Canada and is actively seeking to enter all of the legal cannabis markets in North America. The recent signing of an agreement between North Road Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Leaf, and Cannabis Compliance Inc. is another step forward in the advancement of Liberty’s unique business model (http://cnw.fm/aR4WC).

Liberty Leaf takes calculated and strategic investment positions in established, proven performers in both the medicinal and recreational legal cannabis markets. Liberty Leaf targets and then acquires and/or partners with established, revenue-producing marijuana businesses that have large upside potential. Liberty’s objective is to build a substantial, broad-based portfolio of multiple cannabis-sector businesses, including companies across the full spectrum of activities, from the cultivation and processing of legal medicinal and recreational cannabis to value-added CBD/THC pet products, as well as ancillary and supply-chain products. Liberty Leaf provides professional management, HR resources, marketing expertise and the necessary funding to accelerate growth.

Per the terms of the announced agreement, Cannabis Compliance will be responsible for ensuring Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant processing/production of North Road’s cannabis-containing products. North Road is an increasingly large player in the expanding medical marijuana Industry and is expanding into the recreational market this year.

According to Will Rascan, president and CEO of Liberty Leaf, these new developments represent a further extension of North Road’s existing business model. “North Road plans to make available to both pharmacies and licensed retailers our exclusive medicinal-quality cannabis, cannabis-related products and racking jobber service,” Rascan stated in a news release. “The ability for us to expand on our model by including Natural Health Products (NHPs) for human and veterinary use as well as cosmetics/beauty products, topicals, concentrates, foods/edibles and other high-quality products for distribution holds tremendous growth potential for our company.”

With strategic investments in a broad spectrum of businesses in the explosive legal marijuana markets, Liberty Leaf offers investors an interesting option for diversified exposure across the entire cannabis value chain.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LibLeaf.com

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Pliability of Canadian Cannabis Industry Triggers New Business Development

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The Canadian cannabis industry is pliable, changing shape amid mounting public support, favorable legislative action, an influx in capital, and the integration of alcohol and tobacco. For years, this massive industry was entirely illegal; its potential unavailable to legitimate investors. As Canada heads toward legalizing recreational cannabis later this year, however, the continuous sculpting of the industry provides investors a wealth of consumer-driven investment opportunities. Choom Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) (CHOOF Profile) is targeting the recreational user via its own brand of high-grade handcrafted cannabis. Cannabis lifestyle brand Hiku Brands Co. Ltd. (CSE: HIKU) (OTC: DJACF) (DJACF Profile) recently received a $10 million equity investment from Aphria, Inc. (TSX: APH) (OTC: APHQF), denoting high expectations for recreational cannabis. Canopy Growth Corp.’s (TSX: WEED) (OTC: TWMJF) recent investment from a big alcohol brand reveals a glimpse of how separate sectors of recreational consumables are interwoven. This strategic blending means big business for cultivators such as ABcann Global (TSX.V: ABCN) (OTCQB: ABCCF) (ABCCF Profile), a recognizable licensed producer and seller of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products.

Canada Heads for New Highs

An estimated 5 million Canadians already smoke cannabis once a month, with another 900,000 expected to join them after legalization. In 2015, the country was already spending nearly as much money on cannabis as on wine, indicating the huge business potential of this sector. The question is, how will companies tap into that wealth?

One of the big changes expected over the next few years is the integration of recreational cannabis with the alcohol and tobacco industries. With their experience of producing, distributing, and marketing recreational consumables, these businesses have the most relevant experience to shape the marketplace. Their investment and expertise will help cannabis companies find creative ways to cater to consumer demand, not just medical users.

Brand Identity

Among the companies preparing to make the most of this opportunity is Choom (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF). Based in the Okanagan region of British Columbia, the company is well-placed to make the most of the production, sales and marketing opportunities offered by the impending retail market, which has a forecast value of $4.9 billion – nearly $9 billion (http://cnw.fm/xch0D).

With its relaxed, youthful brand, Choom is positioning itself to reach the ideal growth market of cannabis users. Consumers in their 20s tend to be more socially liberal than their elders. They have substantial disposable incomes and are used to spending a large part of them on consumables such as food, drink and tobacco, and are therefore likely to make up a large part of the recreational cannabis market.

To connect with these consumers, Choom has created a hip and modern brand inspired by Hawaii’s culture and relaxed atmosphere. The brand’s story taps into the history of the 1970s “Choom Gang,” a group of buddies in Honolulu (including former President Barack Obama) who knew how to relax with “choom,” the local’s term for marijuana. Choom’s trademark slogans pivot off another unconventional phrase, “Say Hello to…”, bringing a heady dose of good times and good friends together as the company invites investors to “Say Hello to Choom™” as it lights up the adult recreational cannabis market in Canada.

Reaching Out to Customers

This aesthetic extends to the design for Choom’s “Aloha”-style dispensaries. It’s a clean, modern, stylish look, crafted by the designers behind some of the world’s most recognizable retail environments. Couches, pale wood and carefully chosen banner fonts create a relaxed atmosphere. Clean white shelving and neat presentation make a space reminiscent of Apple stores — another well-recognized brand with a strong hold on the disposable income of millennials.

One of the most important factors in marketing recreational cannabis is going to be establishing such an aesthetic. Brand specialists will want to leave the cold formality of medical use and the seedy criminal associations behind, while retaining hip association with cannabis. Choom’s branding is ideally designed to make this shift, while establishing prestige brands for the discerning consumer.

The stores are designed to appeal to the widest possible market. Choom is aware that its core business will rely on existing users looking to obtain their cannabis legally, and their stores will make a comfortable shopping environment for these consumers. But there are also the “curious customers” — those without a medical need for cannabis and who did not want to consume it illegally. They’re expected to fuel a 19 percent increase in the number of cannabis users in Canada. By creating a familiar shopping space, Choom will make it easier for them to enter the market.

Experience and Integration

Choom’s business proposition extends beyond the retail face of the cannabis industry. It is also looking to place itself within the ancillary markets that will support the consumer business. Testing labs, security, infused products, consumption paraphernalia and crop cultivation will all be part of an expanding industry. Choom is looking to establish a vertically integrated enterprise, from cultivation through to sales, all under a single hip consumer brand.

Choom’s application with ACMPR (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations) has received security clearance and is now in the detailed review stage. The company has also submitted a second late-stage ACMPR application, which is in its confirmation of readiness stage. Aggressively preparing to reap the benefits of this license, Choom has retained Cannabis Compliance Inc. to help expedite Choom’s initial license applications and ready the company for legalization of recreational marijuana.

One of Choom’s greatest strengths is its experience. The managers and directors have decades of experience covering investment, entrepreneurship, business development and pharmaceuticals. Their knowledge of the existing Canadian medical cannabis market ensures that strategic decisions are backed up by real expertise and analytical insight. The company has over five years of experience in the cannabis sector. It knows how to produce naturally grown premium cannabis. Existing license and production assets mean that Choom is well positioned to scale-up rapidly once legalization takes effect, to meet the anticipated Canadian market. This will put it ahead of companies set up in response to the legal change and provide an accelerated path for rapid market growth.

This is exemplified by the company’s existing cultivation facilities at Vernon and Chemainus. Both are receiving a state-of-the-art retrofit, with expectations that Vernon will be completed by July, the same month Canada legalizes recreational cannabis use.

The Vernon property will boast 6,800 square feet of growing space, capable of producing 660 kg/year of cannabis for an estimated revenue of $6.6 million, excluding oils. A potential phase 2 of this facility would double the size and enable additional growing capacity of 1,500 kg/year, also doubling the facility’s revenue.

While the second facility, on Vancouver Island, is smaller – 4,500 square feet – its retrofit is also slated to be completed by July 2018. Plans include doubling this space, which would add about $9 million in annual revenue, excluding cannabis oils.

It’s this sort of established enterprise that will allow Choom to build brand loyalty and position cannabis as another popular consumable, enjoyed in the same way as alcohol and tobacco.

A Growth Sector

A similar approach is being taken by Hiku (CSE: HIKU) (OTC: DJACF), premium cannabis lifestyle brand growing high-quality handcrafted cannabis flower. Hiku’s wholly owned subsidiary is a licensed producer of cannabis under the ACMPR that has requested its Pre-Sales License Inspection, the last step prior to receiving a license to sell cannabis under the ACMPR. Hiku’s Dominion Facility is a state-of-the-art ACMPR licensed production facility capable of producing approximately 660 kg year of dried cannabis flower. Phase one of its “FUTURE LAB” production complex is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2018, in time for legalization. Utilizing an industry-leading multi-tier system powered by LED lighting provided by Fluence BioEngineering, Hiku’s annual production capacity is expected to be in excess of 5,000 kgs, letting it cater to a large part of the cannabis consumer market. The company’s merger with Tokyo Smoke is expected to create the first brand and retail-focused craft cannabis producer.

This development is backed up by a $10 million investment from Aphria (TSX: APH) (OTC: APHQF), a leading Canadian medical cannabis company. With an expansion strategy based on targeted investment and collaboration with other companies, Aphria has been working to advance growth in the U.S. medical cannabis market. This provides the company with the production and distribution facilities needed to enter the market for recreational cannabis.

While the involvement of medical marijuana companies will be important in the growth of Canada’s cannabis sector, the real test for commercial cannabis will be the involvement of consumer brand-based businesses. Their entry into the market will signal faith in the future of recreational cannabis, as well as bringing consumer branding expertise to the sector. One of the first examples of this is the investment in Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) (OTC: TWMJF) by Constellation Brands. The $42 billion company behind Corona, Modelo and Svedka Constellation Brands has taken a stake in Canopy Growth worth about $191 million, with the option of purchasing additional stakes.  It will use this investment to create cannabis-infused drinks, using Canada as a market in which to innovate in anticipation of markets emerging elsewhere.

The growing Canadian cannabis market bodes well for ABcann (TSX.V: ABCN) (OTCQB: ABCCF), a globally licensed, cost-efficient producer of premium quality organic standardized medicinal cannabis. One of the earliest licensed Canadian medical marijuana producers under Canada’s federally controlled ACMPR, ABcann has five years of operating experience in the burgeoning medical marijuana space. The company currently owns and operates a fully functioning 14,500-square-foot facility in Ontario, as well as 65 acres of real estate with proper zoning and existing infrastructure in place to support the construction of another production facility of up to 1 million square feet. Along with this growth capacity, ABcann has a healthy cash balance, steady sales growth, an established operations team and global expansion plans, making it well positioned to compete in the rapidly expanding Canadian cannabis industry.

Though it’s still several months away from fulfillment, Canada’s recreational cannabis market is already providing a diverse range of businesses and investment opportunities. Building on the techniques of medical marijuana companies, the market appears set to diversify into drinks, retail outlets and premium products. This will establish cannabis as part of the existing market for recreational consumables.

For more information on Choom, please visit Choom (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF)

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Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (REFG) Sidesteps Bottlenecking of Cash Transactions through Innovative Platform

  • REFG solves cash-handling issues with electronic system solution
  • Introduction of Green as a platform with full merchant account functionality
  • REFG’s CEO highlights plans to enter the bitcoin market

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) boasts an industry first. Through a state-of-the-art financial services system that is easy to set up and simple to use, the company’s solution to cannabis banking has shown how to solve cash-handling issues, offering electronic payment and e-commerce features. This gives the marijuana business direct and immediate access to funds while still complying with all federal (FinCEN) laws aimed at combatting both domestic and international money laundering and terrorist financing, among other financial crimes. REFG is not only compliant with these regulations; the company’s end-to-end payment processing solution has finally provided cannabis retailers and consumers with payment options other than cash. Although marijuana has been one of the fastest-growing industries over the last couple of years and is expected to continue growing at the same pace throughout 2018 and beyond, authorized businesses and vendors still have a hard time managing their finances and customers in the absence of banking services (http://cnw.fm/g8Sgb).

REFG emphasises that it is a “first-tier merchant processing cannabis industry pioneer, bringing to market the first and only comprehensive card processing operation of its kind; a state of the art system which tracks sales and tax collection, and empowers businesses with an advanced client management system.”

StateSourced, REFG’s proprietary, closed-loop merchant processing system is geared toward the cannabis industry. The system is not prepaid or availed through the use of gift cards, yet its card processing operations break logistical and operational bottlenecks often caused by cash-only transactions within state-sanctioned marijuana businesses. The Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions debit card can only be used for payment within a state in which marijuana has been legalized, and only for cannabis-related products from state-sanctioned vendors. Businesses accessing the company’s card system will notice an immediate advantage regarding reduced risks, the meeting of set regulatory requirements and the improvement of customer interactions.

In January of this year, the company launched Green, its platform with full merchant account functionality. This card processing system allows for online sales, client management, repeat billing and 100 percent secure electronic payments. This solution could solve the dilemma that legal marijuana distributors have faced through distribution that is now supported by innovative financial and banking solutions. Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions allows businesses to be more accountable with their cash flow while more accurately tracking sales.

On top of all of this, the system also helps to simplify payroll and bills, where businesses can pay expenses straight from their Green accounts. The system allows business to receive payments directly from patients, with branded cards available so that they can have the business’s brand with them wherever they go, in turn fostering customer loyalty. Recurring billing orders can be set up, in addition to integrated ecommerce shopping carts for online orders, proving that Green is a total banking solution.

To further expand its services to the state-legal medical marijuana sector, Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions has announced its plans to introduce bitcoin payment processing in its proprietary payment processing platform. Green currently offers customers an advanced payment solution that allows purchases with U.S. currency and will soon include bitcoin payment options, as well. CEO Jeremy Roberts has explained that the decision was made based on customer feedback, with numerous vendors showing great interest in introducing cryptocurrency payment options.

In November 2017, the global cryptocurrency market surpassed the $300 billion mark, resulting in a massive surge in the price of bitcoin. By December, the market capitalization for cryptocurrencies reached $600 billion. Roberts is confident that the capability of processing bitcoin will give the company an even bigger competitive advantage, thus making it even more attractive to medical cannabis vendors in a booming market, and, noting the further legalization of medical marijuana supported by studies, even greater market sizes can be expected. With fewer drug side-effects and further drug development, it is likely that the number of CBD products will increase, with more people likely to opt for safer treatments (http://cnw.fm/3VcqS).

The company’s savvy innovations and fast-developing systems spell a new era in online transactions that have thus far shown great potential for expansion in the global market. With the quick pace of technology in this digital age, effective payment solutions are becoming a necessity. Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions’ provision of an advanced financial services system that gives the cannabis business immediate access to funds while still complying with all federal laws not only combats unwanted and irregular online and electronic transactions, but also empowers businesses with an advanced client management system. Without a doubt, the company’s introduction of bitcoin currencies into its transaction platform will herald an expanding enterprise, bringing retailers and customers closer together through secure payments.

For additional information, view the company’s IR Kit at http://cnw.fm/REFG

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

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Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX.V: MJN) Becomes First Canadian Cannabis Producer to be Traded on a Major US Exchange

  • Analysts call the listing a milestone for both Cronos Group and the entire cannabis industry
  • Michael Gorenstein, CEO of Cronos Group, said that the company is the only ‘pure play’ marijuana company to be traded on a U.S. exchange
  • Company has holdings or is involved in joint ventures in Canada, Germany, Israel and Australia

Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX.V: MJN), a Toronto-based medical marijuana company, recently began trading on the Nasdaq, uplisting from the Nasdaq International Designation program as an OTC stock to the Nasdaq Global Market and becoming the first Canadian cannabis producer stock to be listed on a major U.S. exchange. Michael Gorenstein, CEO and president of Cronos Group, told CNN, “We’re the only pure play marijuana company,” to be traded on a U.S. exchange (http://cnw.fm/grBX3).

CNN added that the listing was a milestone for both Cronos Group and the entire cannabis industry. Gorenstein said that the company is already exporting marijuana to Germany. It is also building facilities to grow cannabis in Australia and Israel.

Cronos Group holds several wholly-owned subsidiaries. These include 100 percent of Peace Naturals, a company licensed to produce and sell medical marijuana by the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”) in Canada. It owns 95 acres of land in Ontario, Canada. Another 100 percent-owned subsidiary is Original BC (“OGBC”), also licensed by ACMPR. It maintains 35 acres of land in British Columbia.

Cronos also owns 21.5 percent of Whistler Medical Marijuana Company (“WMMC”), also licensed by ACMPR to produce and sell medical marijuana and to cultivate cannabis oil.

Additionally, Cronos Group is a partner in a 50-50 joint venture based in Melbourne, Australia. It is also in a strategic joint venture with Kibbutz Gan Shmuel in Israel, which exports medical cannabis to 35 countries throughout Europe and Asia. Plus, it maintains an exclusive supply agreement with Pohl-Boskam, a German pharmaceutical products and medical devices company that distributes products to more than 12,000 German pharmacies.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.TheCronosGroup.com

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

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ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (CIIX) Announces New Company and Focused Financial Future

  • CIIX announces spinoff of all hemp-related assets into a single private company
  • CIIX shifts primary focus to core financial services, including cryptocurrency and blockchain technology

ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) has become the premier financial information website providing real-time market commentary, analysis and education-related services to Chinese-speaking investors. In 2018, the company is strategically focusing on building its core financial services business. CIIX has announced a spinoff of all hemp-related assets as the company explores new ways to expand.

CIIX announced plans to spin off all hemp-related assets into a single private company. CBD Biotechnology Co. Ltd., ChineseHempOil.com, Inc. and Hemp Logic Inc. will be combined into a single private company. Shareholders have the opportunity to take advantage of this dividend. CIIX CEO Warren Wang is encouraging holders of CIIX preferred stock to convert into common before May 31, 2018, the date of the spinoff.

The subsidiaries are well positioned to achieve significant growth. This spinoff is part of the groundwork to capitalize on the growing demand for CBD-based nutrition and health products in the U.S. and China. In January, these subsidiaries made a combined $100,000. The progress of the newly formed company will be overseen by CIIX, but the spinoff of CBD-focused assets will allow CIIX to focus on core financial services, including cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

Since 1999, CIIX has been leading the way in providing financial information and education for Chinese-speaking investors. With the formation of the new company, CIIX plans to focus on its new cryptocurrency division and core financial education business, including ‘Bitcoin MultiMillionaire’, a daily newscast broadcast by CIIX as a free bitcoin education site in the Chinese language. The broadcast was launched in recognition of the growing interest in cryptocurrency among Chinese investors. CIIX provides reliable market information to help investors make informed decisions to meet their personal financial goals.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ChineseInvestors.com

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

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

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Marijuana Company of America Inc. (MCOA) Expands hempSMART™ Product Line with New Pet Products

  • MCOA launches new CBD-based natural pet product – hempSMART™ Full Spectrum Pet Drops
  • Targets hottest sector of booming pet care industry
  • Product dovetails with consumer interest and affiliate sales

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTC: MCOA), a leader in the production of high quality CBD products derived solely from industrial hemp, just announced the release of a new product designed for pets. Nearly $67 billion was spent on pets in the U.S. in 2017, and MCOA’s new pet supplement targets the hottest sector of the booming pet care market – natural pet supplements.

Natural pet products are gaining widespread popularity, because consumers are more aware of the toxicity of certain synthetic chemicals and other harmful materials. Consequently, pet owners are increasingly choosing to purchase natural products in an effort to maintain and improve the health and well-being of their beloved companion animals (http://cnw.fm/S37vP).

MCOA’s hempSMART™ Full Spectrum Pet Drops for cats and dogs are formulated with 250mg of full spectrum non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) derived from industrial hemp. The new, specially-formulated product contains naturally-occurring CBD derived from hemp seed oil, full spectrum hemp extract, fractionated coconut oil and a rich bacon flavor that pets will love. The new Full Spectrum Pet Drops add a new vertical to MCOA’s fast growing hempSMART™ product line and are expected to garner strong interest from pet owners.

Commenting on the new pet product in a news release, Donald Steinberg, MCOA’s CEO, stated, “Our new hempSMART product is a natural option for pet owners who care about supporting their animals’ healthy energy levels as well as optimizing their health. Our hempSMART product line will continue to expand to other popular areas of consumer interest to give our affiliates what they need to succeed.”

hempSMART’s multidimensional approach to CBD-based consumer products is bolstered by its unique distribution plan of turning product users into passionate product promoters. hempSMART employs an affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its industrial hemp-based consumer CBD products. As more and more people use and realize benefits from the products, more of them sign on to introduce the products to friends and neighbors. The affiliate program continues to gain traction and is expected to significantly impact revenues while keeping costs in check. MCOA’s new hempSMART™ Full Spectrum Pet Drops dovetail perfectly with consumer demand and the affiliate sales model. Given consumer interest and their love for pets, it wouldn’t be a surprise if hempSMART’s pet drops far exceed expectations.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com

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

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

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Compensation Disclosure

Section 17(b) of the 1933 Securities and Exchange Act requires publishers who distribute information about publicly traded securities for compensation, to disclose who paid them, the amount, and the type of payment.  In order to be in full compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Section 17(b), we are disclosing that we entered into a contract with Marijuana Company of America, Inc. The Company agreed to compensate us with $5,000 USD a month for our services.

EVIO, Inc. (EVIO) Continues to Improve, Expanding EVIO Cannabis Testing Lab Services, Locations

  • Accredited testing of cannabis products is becoming a crucial health care initiative
  • Cannabis testing regulations vary state-by-state where cannabis is legal
  • EVIO testing labs provide quality control testing, advisory services to regulated cannabis industry
  • Testing services offered nationwide, with eight labs in five states and expansion opportunities in another four states and Canada

EVIO, Inc. (OTCQB: EVIO), a health sciences company focused on analyzing cannabis, continues to move the bar higher and set the standard when it comes to testing cannabis in each of its laboratory settings in states where the highly regulated plant is now legal. Headquartered in Oregon, EVIO Labs specializes in testing cannabis and industrial hemp flower, extracts and infused products. Its laboratories offer a crucial selection of analytical tests that meet international standards and state-regulated testing guidelines. EVIO Labs recently expanded its testing capabilities with the addition of delta-8 THC to its analyte list for cannabinoid profiling.

Recent recalls of certain cannabis products (http://cnw.fm/Fl4dC), prompted by the discovery of mold and other identifiable contaminants in the recalled items, show the dire need for quality laboratory testing services. While links between illness and tainted cannabis are not well documented, anecdotal accounts include worrisome stories about cannabis infected with mites, mold or yeast, or grown with potentially cancer-causing pesticides (http://cnw.fm/ZSvh6).

EVIO’s dedication to attaining the highest of accreditation standards is a key element of the company’s success and one that should matter most to cannabis consumers, who are often seeking relief from specific ailments. In fact, EVIO Labs Florida recently achieved ISO 17025 accreditation, becoming the first accredited cannabis testing lab in the state (http://cnw.fm/zII4S). This achievement, which marks the highest recognized quality standard in the world for calibration and testing laboratories, means that EVIO Labs Florida consistently produces precise and accurate tests that are implemented under a rigorous quality management system (http://cnw.fm/vWg6t).

Notably, EVIO Labs Colorado has also completed its ISO accreditation, representing an important step in expanding the company’s footprint in the lucrative Colorado cannabis market. The company’s laboratories in Southborough, Massachusetts, and Berkeley, California, are expected to attain ISO accreditation by the end of Q2 2018.

For consumers and state regulators alike, knowing that a laboratory meets the stringent certification requirements established by the International Organization for Standardization (“ISO”) offers an important distinction as more states begin to legalize cannabis and must set their own health and safety standards (http://cnw.fm/VxSx6). EVIO Labs is on track to open 18 cannabis testing laboratories by the end of 2018 at locations dotted around the United States. The company is evaluating lab opportunities in Canada as well, in addition to finalizing discussions for several regional service centers.

EVIO continues to build its core management team with the addition of Al Lustig as president and Ron Russak as vice president of operations. Lustig comes to EVIO from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, where he built, led and helped manage many district, regional and national sales organizations. Lustig’s role at EVIO includes driving growth in new and existing markets, including international sales and operational strategies. Russak, who spent 17 years at Quest Diagnostics, will spearhead the growth and profitability of EVIO’s expanding portfolio of cannabis testing labs.

A recently released letter to shareholders (http://cnw.fm/7mdLk) offers additional information on these important developments.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.EVIOLabs.com

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

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) Opens the Door for Canadian Entrepreneurs with Dispensary Rollout Strategy

  • Recreational marijuana set to be legalized in Canada in July 2018
  • Choom™ is developing unique lifestyle brand and national retail footprint in new $8.7 billion-plus market
  • Retail rollout strategy provides entrepreneurs opportunity to profit from coming bonanza

 Entrepreneurs and businesspeople across Canada now have the opportunity to participate in the country’s lucrative new recreational marijuana market. Estimated to exceed $8.7 billion annually, recreational marijuana is set to be legalized in July of this year, and savvy business folks are looking for a piece of the cannabis pie. This is little wonder, since legal recreational marijuana dispensaries are expected generate more revenue per square foot than Whole Foods. With the recent announcement of its national retail dispensary rollout strategy, Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) is providing individual entrepreneurs the opportunity to capitalize on the expected business boom by registering for their own Choom™ store (http://cnw.fm/HCGq3).  Given the immense opportunity, response should easily exceed expectations.

Choom™ is targeting nothing less than becoming the premier recreational cannabis brand in Canada. With its fully-integrated business model, the company aims to be the seed-to-sale market leader in reaching the Canadian cannabis consumer. Choom™ intends to become a leading Canadian cannabis grower and will be developing a chain of high-end branded retail cannabis dispensaries in strategic Canadian jurisdictions. Choom™ retail stores will provide discriminating cannabis consumers a cool, modern, stylish dispensary designed by the same team responsible for some of the most recognizable retail environments in Canada. Cultivating an exceptional consumer experience is an essential segment of Choom’s overarching retail distribution strategy. A strong retail identity and powerful branding will set Choom apart in the newly-launched national recreational cannabis market.

Choom™ is led by a successful, seasoned professional, president and CEO Chris Bogart, who has over two decades of international experience in business enterprises and capital markets. Commenting on the retail rollout in a recent news release, Bogart stated, “We’re inviting people to open a dispensary with a world class brand built exclusively for the recreational cannabis market. We’re encouraging entrepreneurs to join our family by registering for their own Choom™ store. Choom™ is using design and retail strategies that have worked successfully at some of the most profitable storefronts in the country. We are telling our Choom™ story with our stores and will elevate the concept of a high-quality product though our new retail environments, and we’re inviting others to join us.”

By cultivating an exceptional consumer experience and offering entrepreneurs across Canada the opportunity to profit from the coming cannabis bonanza, Choom™ could establish a significant national retail footprint and become a recognized leader in the Canadian recreational cannabis markets.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Choom.ca

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

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

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Editor@CannabisNewsWire.net

Global Payout, Inc. (GOHE) Leading the Way in Fintech Solutions

  • A fintech company focused on next-generation B2B international solutions
  • MoneyTrac Technology and GreenBox POS working to provide optimal payment technologies
  • A global financial eco-system, top-tier banking institutions and high-level financial technology partnerships

Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE) is an innovative fintech company providing fully customized comprehensive payment solutions for both domestic and international organizations transferring funds throughout the world. The focus is on next-generation B2B solutions for automating international fund transfers, payments, billing and invoicing processes. The Global Reserve Platform (“GRP”) is the company’s offering for managing financial products. GRP provides blockchain technology within virtual currency markets such as bitcoin, is currently available in 26 foreign languages, performs currency exchanges worldwide and offers KYC-compliance for all account holders and merchants.

In a news release, Global Payout CEO James Hancock shared that GOHE’s primary targets for expansion include logistics, cryptocurrency and cannabis (http://cnw.fm/w3KjO). GOHE is working hard to transform, overhaul and digitize the massive and global logistics and supply chain industry. It is focused on optimizing efficiency for its customers and partners by creating strategic technological solutions.

MoneyTrac Technology, Inc. (“MTRAC”), a subsidiary of GOHE, has entered into an exclusive partnership with GreenBox POS, LLC (“GBOX”), a blockchain company, to provide strategic sales and marketing resources. MTRAC is set to launch GBOX services in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in April 2018. GBOX’s customized payment solutions, electronic modifications and custom-built blockchain kiosk machines fall in perfectly with MTRAC’s mission of ‘Banking the Unbankable’. Since 2009, Global Payout has developed and sought out comprehensive and customized prepaid payment solutions for their customers and partners worldwide. This JV Agreement with equity and exclusivity in sales and marketing between MTRAC and GBOX positions the company to continue offering the solutions needed to run businesses with optimum efficiency (http://cnw.fm/H5gcC).

GOHE’s aim is to deliver a global financial eco-system with top-tier banking institutions through high-level financial technology partnerships. From the beginning, it has been dedicated to developing technological software solutions that have positioned the company to now address the many different needs in a changing and growing global economy. GOHE is committed to leading the way in fintech solutions.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.GlobalPayout.com

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

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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303.498.7722 Office
Editor@CannabisNewsWire.net

Skinvisible, Inc.’s (SKVI) Potential Merger Set to Deliver an Alternative as Opioid Crisis Deepens

  • Developing opioid alternative for pain treatment
  • Well-positioned to capture market share as an opioid substitute
  • Timely market entry as opioid abuse reduces U.S. life expectancy

Opioids are taking a toll on the nation. Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that, for the second year in a row, life expectancy in the United States declined due to deaths from opioid overdoses. A major contributing factor to these alarming statistics has been the increasing appearance of synthetic opioid fentanyl. The drug is immensely powerful and is suspected to be the reason why many overdoses turn out to be fatal. Compounding the crisis is the double-headed problem that fentanyl, although manufactured and marketed legally, is also produced and distributed illegally. This duality offers a pernicious path to illicit use for patients introduced to prescription opioids for pain relief. Luckily, alternatives to pain management are under development. One such option will emanate from the proposed merger between Skinvisible, Inc. (OTCQB: SKVI) and Quoin Pharmaceuticals Limited. The combined entity’s proposed first product candidate, QRX001, is expected to be developed for the treatment of post-surgical pain.

The rising use of destructive opioids is reversing the gains eked out by advances in medical science. Since 1963, U.S. life expectancy has improved, as newer drugs and better procedures are keeping us alive for longer. However, owing to increasing reliance on opioids, that trend was reversed in 2015 and 2016. Drug overdoses have now surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 55, according to the New York Times (http://cnw.fm/Lw1Pr), and fentanyl appears to be the chief malefactor.

Developed in Belgium in the late 1950s, fentanyl is a mighty medication with an analgesic potency that’s 80 times as high as that of morphine. It was introduced into medical practice as an anesthetic in the 1960s because of its effectiveness and, in different forms, remains in extensive use today. By the mid-1970s, illicit fentanyl had begun to appear alongside heroin and cocaine as the fare of drug traffickers. It is now eclipsing those narcotics as a source of concern because of its murderous track record. While the biological effects of fentanyl are indistinguishable from those of heroin, for example, newly developed illicit analogues may be hundreds of times as potent. As a result, the possibility of overdose for a fentanyl user is significantly increased. Moreover, the crisis may get worse. Fentanyl is now commonly being added to boost the effects of heroin and cocaine, and it may even be passed off as those substances.

These disturbing developments make the need for gentler alternatives to opioids more pressing. Despite the ravage they cause, their use continues to increase. Consequently, the U.S. opioid market, currently estimated at around $12 billion, is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of 4.6 percent until 2024 (http://cnw.fm/DM2Yn).

Replacing just a fraction of that use with an option like QRX001 is likely to lift the dark cloud hanging over the nation by weakening the forces driving the opioid onslaught. QRX001, to be the lead drug candidate of the post-merger entity (Quoin Pharmaceuticals Inc.), is a single-use transdermal non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist intended for the treatment of post-surgical pain. An N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor allows the transfer of electrical signals between the brain and the rest of the nervous system. An NMDA receptor antagonist is a drug that inhibits the ability of that NMDA receptor to accept signals, which is very useful when those signals are experienced as pain.

The highly differentiated nature of QRX001 could position it to capture a significant market share either as monotherapy or as a key component of effective multi-modal therapy. As a result, Quoin intends to apply for fast track status for QRX001.

The completion of the merger between Skinvisible and Quoin is subject to the negotiation of a definitive agreement and other customary closing conditions, including Quoin completing a financing round for clinical development.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Skinvisible.com

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

For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer

CannabisNewsWire (CNW)
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