Tag: CHOO.CN

Untapped Cannabis Market Offers Spectacular Growth Opportunities

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The explosive growth recently seen in the cannabis industry presents a rare chance for savvy companies to profit in a virtually untapped market.

  • Legal marijuana market projected to reach $146.4 billion.
  • United States and Canada current epicenter of cannabis growth.
  • Brand recognition and retail reach imperative for market share.

The cannabis bonanza has created a rare window of opportunity for companies that are able to capture market share and create long-term success. Brand recognition and retail reach look to be key to obtaining these lucrative rewards. Shortly after posting its tenth consecutive quarter of increased revenues, Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) (WLDFF Profile) announced intentions to further expand its footprint with the acquisition of premier licensed cannabis retailer, City Cannabis Corp. A finalized accretive acquisition will add significant revenues to Wildflower, providing access to several valuable cannabis licenses in lucrative premium locations. Other companies in the sector are also looking to grow in the market through a variety of promising ways. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) announced it has entered into a binding letter agreement with Hempco Food and Fiber Inc. to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Hempco not already owned by Aurora. Green Thumb Industries Inc. (OTCQX: GTBIF) (CSE: GTII) has closed on the acquisition of Los Angeles-based For Success Holding Company, the creator of Beboe branded cannabis products. Acreage Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: ACRGF) (CSE: ACRG) announced that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement that grants Canopy Growth the right to acquire 100% of its shares. And as part of its strategy to become a multistate operator, Choom Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: CHOOF) (CSE: CHOO) (CHOOF Profile) has signed a letter of intent to purchase a 95% equity interest in a Florida-based vertically integrated cannabis applicant.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Extraordinary Market Development

The extraordinary development of the cannabis industry can be tied at least in part to a wave of public support that has turned into overwhelming acceptance. Fifteen years ago, only a third of Americans were in favor of federal legalization of marijuana. Today, an estimated two-thirds of Americans support legalization, up from only 54% two years ago. Among adults under age 35, a whopping 85% favor federal legalization. Public acceptance gained so much momentum so fast that the cannabis industry is struggling to meet the demand. As the cannabis industry and markets mature, acquisition and consolidation announcements have become almost daily occurrences.

The global legal marijuana market, valued at $9.3 billion in 2016, is expected to reach $146.4 billion by the end of 2025, an incredible 16-fold increase over nine years. Legal cannabis markets are still relatively new, and the market is nowhere near its total sales potential. An estimated 272 million global consumers use cannabis, equivalent to only about 4% of the world’s population. Staggering increases in those numbers appear to be all but certain. Perhaps nowhere is this hyper-growth more spectacular than North America. Wall Street’s top cannabis analyst forecasts the U.S. market to grow to $80 billion by 2030 assuming national availability.

Center for Growth

Cannabis demand is even greater north of the border. The industry has been facing cannabis supply shortages ever since recreational cannabis was legalized across Canada. For example, the cannabis market in country’s westernmost province, British Columbia, registered slightly over CA$19 million in legal cannabis sales in 2018, but that number is projected expected to explode to CA$722 million in annual sales in the next five years by — a mind-boggling 37-fold increase over six years.

Pegged to soar nearly 3,700% by 2024, British Columbia is an ideal center for cannabis growth. Headquartered in the heart of this upsurge, Wildflower Brands Inc. (OTCQB: WLDFF) (CSE: SUN) has already staked out an enviable market position and is further expanding its retail footprint and product distribution in the province. The company announced that it intends to acquire City Cannabis Corp. in an all-stock deal.

Holding two of the three City of Vancouver licenses to sell cannabis, City Cannabis is a premier cannabis retailer and the only company with multiple licenses in British Columbia. The Letter of Intent looks to solidify Wildflower’s position as a high-profile retail outlet of premium brands generating millions in revenues right in the heart of the B.C. cannabis boom.

“City Cannabis and Wildflower are the perfect combination of premier products and a premier consumer retail experience,” said Wildflower CEO William MacLean. “City Cannabis’ retail consumer data and insight will help shape development of Wildflower’s product line-up while the retail expertise of City Cannabis will aid Wildflower in its retail expansion. The combination of Wildflower and City Cannabis will form a truly global cannabis company.”

First established in British Columbia in 2012, Wildflower now has a retail reach that extends from Vancouver to New York. Wildflower Brands is constantly expanding development, design, marketing and retail distribution of its branded products in the cannabis sector. The company launched into Washington State in 2016 and has seen consistent growth ever since.

Creating a Global Brand

Today Wildflower markets its distinctive CBD+ products to more than 300 retailers in the health and wellness sector and operates in regulated cannabis markets throughout North America in accordance with jurisdictional regulations for THC and CBD+ products. Wildflower’s unique and holistic products are developed and manufactured at the company’s U.S.-based GMP facilities, tested by a third-party lab and backed by a 100%-satisfaction guarantee.

Each Wildflower product is synergistically formulated to create a unified global wellness brand. For example, Wildflower’s highly recognized Wildflower Wellness brand offers a broad array of hemp-based, full-spectrum, CBD-infused products from vaporizers and capsules to tinctures, soaps and topicals.

The company’s King Recharge is on the cutting edge of cannabis technology and delivery systems with its King Extracts, a sleek, rechargeable vaporizer offering five popular CBD strains and a unique pocket-sized charging and storage case.

Closely associated with select hospital oncology departments, Exclusive is Wildflower’s Los Angeles-based dispensary of premium cannabis products. Wildflower already owns 14 cannabis licenses in California for recreational and medical cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, retail and delivery. Activating all these licenses could be a jackpot for the company, driving revenues while minimizing risk.

Expansion into Canada with the acquisition of City Cannabis is the next step in Wildflower’s global strategy. The thriving retail outlet, with licenses for several more locations, provides Wildflower with a high-profile presence in what may be one of the greatest growth markets in the world. Wildflower plans to market its enormously successful products through the outlet and launch into the over-the-counter market with its CBD formulations and accessories.

An Expanding Footprint

Wildflower’s U.S. presence now encompasses more than 200 retailers in Washington state and more than 20 retailers in New York City. The company partnered with Retail Worx to establish shop-in-shop retail locations in the nucleus of New York and open its first Wildflower by Bridges General store.

A clear next move for Wildflower in this partnership is a rollout into other Bridges General’s stores in New York City and San Francisco. Retail distribution in other major U.S. markets includes over 80 wellness and healthcare practitioners and an army of retail stores nationwide numbering in the hundreds. Wildflower is aggressively expanding both brand recognition and retail reach.

Wildflower continues to capture increasing market share with innovation, retail expansion and a growing family of popular brands. The company’s strategic partnerships, acquisitions and organic growth are all strengthened by the company’s focus on creating loyal consumers.

Grabbing national and celebrity attention, Wildflower used ingenious product placement during the 2019 Oscars by including its CBD+ Healing Stick in each of the gift bags of the stars, and Hollywood is embracing the product.

But Wildflower didn’t just aim for the stars. Wildflower launched an infomercial campaign in Phoenix promoting the company’s Wellness’ Cool Stick. And across the country, the company has employed an innovative pop-up store technique in SoHo, New York, to introduce its Wildflower Wellness products. To make this happen, Wildflower identified a compatible high-profile retail venue and struck a deal with the outlet, then marketed its products with fanfare in the upscale establishment for a limited time period, raising market uptake and visibility.

Clearly Wildflower seems to be on a mission to create a global cannabis enterprise. With such rapid expansion of brand recognition and retail distribution, Wildflower is firmly establishing its hold on the cannabis bonanza.

Buying Up Cannabis

And Wildflower isn’t alone in focusing on the booming cannabis business. Several market leaders have announced recent moves designed to strengthen their positions in the sector.

With its acquisition of the remaining common shares of Hempco, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) gains low-cost, high-volume access to hemp for the extraction of CBD, a component that has been recognized for its therapeutic benefits across a wide range of medical indications and wellness applications. Aurora recognized this potential early, investing in Hempco as early as 2017. The company subsequently expanded its hemp-based infrastructure through the acquisitions of Agropro, Borela and ICC Labs.

By acquiring the Beboe product line, Green Thumb Industries Inc. (OTCQX: GTBIF) (CSE: GTII) reinforces its commitment to provide nationwide access to safe and effective cannabis. “The meticulously crafted suite of Beboe products supports the premium segment within GTI’s brand portfolio and is firmly aligned with our long-term growth strategy,” said GTI founder and CEO Ben Kovler. “Beboe has an extremely talented team, a robust innovation pipeline, an aligned vision on the future of cannabis and a ground-breaking partnership with Barneys New York. We are thrilled to have the visionary Beboe team officially on board with GTI.”

Acreage Holdings Inc.’s (OTCQX: ACRGF) CSE: ACRG) agreement with Canopy Growth gives CGC the right to acquire 100% of the shares of Acreage, with a requirement to do so when cannabis production and sale becomes federally legal in the United States. “From the first day we created our company, providing exceptional customer care and delivering shareholder value have been our top priorities,” said Acreage Holdings chairman, CEO and president Kevin Murphy. “This transaction will help accomplish both. When the right is exercised, having access to Canopy Growth’s deep resources will enable us to innovate, develop and distribute quality cannabis brands across the U.S. and continue expanding our U.S. footprint. At the same time, a confluence of factors is making it much more difficult for a multi-state operator to achieve its full potential, including the enormous amount of cash required to scale. Our Board of Directors, management team and I are pleased to deliver significantly increased liquidity to our shareholders and put ourselves in an even stronger position to deliver continued and significant upside.”

An emerging adult and medical use cannabis company that has secured one of the largest national retail networks in Canada, Choom Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: CHOOF) (CSE: CHOO) is looking to expand into Florida. The cannabis applicant at the heart of the company’s equity interest agreement is progressing on its master license application to operate up to 25 retail locations as well as a microprocessing and cultivation facility for medical purposes. Upon completion of the transaction, Choom will use its medical brand, Clarity Medical Centres, to create a network of branded medical marijuana treatment centers.

Some have called what is happening now in the cannabis sector a once-in-a-generation opportunity and predict that this is the start of a decade-long cannabis bull market. All indications point to those predictions being correct.

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

About CannabisNewsWire

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

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420 with CNW – New York City Council Wants to End Employee Drug Testing

As New York State gets closer to legalizing recreational marijuana, the city council of New York has voted in favor of a bill that will ban employers from subjecting prospective employees to pre-employment cannabis tests.

If enacted into law, this bill will be a trailblazer because no other city or municipality in the U.S. has passed such a law explicitly stating that employers are no longer allowed to test job applicants for marijuana before considering them for employment.

The bill contains a clause that it will only be enacted a minimum of one year after the bill has been passed. This lag time is understood to mean that by the time the bill is enacted, the State of New York will have passed its own recreational cannabis legalization law.

Advocates for this bill in the City Council should have no fears because the Mayor of New York City has indicated on several occasions that he will sign the bill when the time comes.

This bill will apply to employees in both the private and public sector. However, some categories of workers would be exempted from the protections of this law. For example, truck drivers, pilots and police officers will still be tested for marijuana.

Similarly, employees who are suspected of smoking marijuana on the job will also not be exempted from this ban on employee testing.

The city council of New York also passed another bill that removes marijuana testing as a condition for parole or probation. This particular bill will be enforced as soon as the Mayor signs it into law.

Analysts say the bill on parole and probation could possibly have a more significant impact than the one on pre-employment cannabis testing. This is because the bill brings a major shift in the dispensing of justice in the City.

According to available statistics, more than half of the companies in New York City perform pre-employment marijuana testing. These tests are expensive, as each test costs approximately $31-$40.

However, the usefulness of such tests has been brought into question since cannabis metabolites can be detected in a sample of blood or urine months after the individual consumed marijuana. Additionally, a positive test result doesn’t give any indication of the frequency of cannabis consumption, or whether the person tested was impaired at the time the test was done.

As more states legalize either recreational or medical marijuana, the likelihood of getting a positive test result increases exponentially and it gets harder to decide what to do with those results since an individual can claim to have consumed cannabis months back when traveling through a state where it is legal.

ChineseInvesters.com (OTCQB: CIIX) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) applaud the framers of the bill since the law will prevent the needless waste of precious resources on drug tests for a substance that is legal in for medical use two-thirds of the country.

About CNW420

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

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420 with CNW – Ontario Marijuana Stores Open as Fines Loom

When recreational marijuana was legalized across Canada on October 17, 2018, Ontario decided to start by only availing cannabis through a website run by the provincial government. Brick-and-mortar stores were slated to open in April this year, and yesterday (April 1) was the first day of storefront sales.

The provincial government decided to use an unconventional way to select which applicants would be granted the first 25 recreational cannabis retail licenses early this year. It used a lottery to select the lucky 25 businesses to be first to open retail stores. Originally, the plan was to license as many retailers as needed.

However, the persistent countrywide supply shortages compelled the government to change its plan and issue only 25 licenses in preparation for the April 1 deadline for the commencement of brick-and-mortar retail sales of pot.

The entities that participated in the lottery were fully aware that the licenses they received were subject to strict conditions, such as being ready to open by April 1.

Those that didn’t open their stores on that first day would face a fine of $12,500, and the fines would escalate the longer the business didn’t open. This penalty would be deducted from the $50,000 letter of credit that the applicants submitted as part of the preconditions for participating in the lottery.

If a licensee is unable to start operations by this month’s end, that business risks losing the entire $50,000 covered by that letter of credit.

That threat is likely to hit several businesses, since only 10 were able to fulfill all the licensing conditions in order to open on April 1. The race is therefore on for the remaining 15 businesses to reduce the fines that they will suffer as a result of their inability to open on the first day of storefront sales.

Meanwhile, Ontario residents have been waiting eagerly for the retail stores to open. This can be evidenced by the hundreds who started queuing as early as 4 a.m. in order to be among the first to buy pot in a “real store”.

Why would one sacrifice their sleep and yet recreational marijuana is already available online in the province? Each person has his or her own reasons, but a few seem to cut across.

For example, many are excited and want to be witnesses to the making of history in the province. To such people, the experience of walking into a store and paying for cannabis is something that truly marks the end of prohibition, and they wanted to experience it firsthand.

Many other people say that they are lining up at the stores because it gives them a better shopping experience. For instance, one can smell a product before deciding whether to buy it, something that isn’t possible when you order online. Stores also give you a chance to get up close and personal with the different products before you take your pick of what is available. This is worth lining for, they say.

ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) hope that the residents of Ontario can enjoy buying from these retail outlets without being hindered by supply shortages.

About CNW420

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

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420 with CNW – Lawmakers in Connecticut Unveil Marijuana Legalization Plan

At the end of last week (March 14), lawmakers in Connecticut’s Assembly held a press conference at which they outlined a plan to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.

Rep. Michael D’Agostino, the chair of the General Law Committee, led the proceedings by giving a brief outline of the legalization plan.

He revealed that three major areas would be looked at when pushing the legalization plan forward. These are regulation, monetization and decriminalization. These three areas would be handled by different committees that are mandated to legislate in those areas.

D’Agostino added that the different committees would formulate various bills covering the cannabis legalization areas within their mandate before all those different bills are merged into one comprehensive bill. This will be after the committee bills are modified and agreed upon by all or most of the committee members.

The chair of the House Judiciary Committee (Rep. Steve Stafstrom) was next on the microphone and he talked about the three bills in his committee. One was focused on legalizing cannabis possession by adults 21 or older while also laying out how marijuana misdemeanor crimes would be expunged from the criminal records of residents.

A second bill in this committee looks at issues of impaired driving. One notable provision of this bill would see resources ring-fenced for training law enforcement to be experts at recognizing and screening drivers who may be under the influence.

The third bill for this committee will absolve employers from making any exceptions for employees who use weed. This means that if the bill becomes law, an employer may refuse to hire anyone who tests positive for marijuana, or fire an employee who is under the influence at work.

Rep. Jason Rojas, who sits on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee spoke about the tax structure that Connecticut may adopt once recreational marijuana is permitted. He revealed that they were cautious and would propose a 20 percent tax so that Connecticut’s weed doesn’t cost more than what is available in Massachusetts where adult-use cannabis retails sales are already a reality.

Otherwise, people may buy recreational cannabis out-of-state instead of spending their money on Connecticut’s supply. The details of the tax structure would be made clearer in due course, Rojas added.

What came out strongly during the press briefing was that it is still early days to start talking timelines to the availability of recreational cannabis. A lot of work needs to be done to get the law in place, and this fact is brought home by the memory of what happened last year when legalization by legislative means failed after a bill that had been passed by a slim majority in the Appropriations Committee was stalled by the House Speaker until the end of the legislative session.

Hope is high this time round since Democrats control both chambers. Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) and Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) wish the cannabis advocates good luck as they try to get the people of Connecticut to enjoy what the residents of 10 other U.S. states are already enjoying.

About CannabisNewsWire

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

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420 with CNW – The UN Announces Yet Another Delay of its Cannabis Reclassification Vote

First, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) delayed and postponed the release of its recommendations after an expert committee studied proposals for the reclassification of cannabis in international treaties. Now, yet another delay has hit that activity and the UN has announced that the March sitting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and the one in December this year, will not have marijuana reclassification on its agenda.

The recommendations of WHO had initially been scheduled to be voted on in December last year, but this was inexplicably postponed.

Some of the 53 members of the Narcotic Drugs Commission reportedly claimed that they needed additional time to study the recommendations made by the World Health Organization before they can decide how to vote when a vote is called.

Other members, such as Uruguay and Norway, were disappointed that no timeline was set for when the recommendations will be considered and voted upon. There are fears that the matter may be put on the backburner for an indefinite amount of time, for political reasons.

The recommendations were widely seen as a way for many countries to be free to embark on medical cannabis research and legalization, with others taking it a step further and decriminalizing adult-use marijuana.

The WHO had recommended that whole-plant marijuana and its resin should be removed from the strictest category (Category 4) of the 1961 International Drug Convention and placed in a less restrictive category.

To put this into perspective, the U.S. system of categorizing controlled substances is different from that of the UN. For example, in the U.S., Schedule 1 is reserved for the substances that deserve the strictest controls and the restrictions reduce as the schedule number gets bigger. This is unlike the UN where the smaller numbers have fewer restrictions while the bigger numbers, such as Category 4, have more stringent restrictions.

Meanwhile, as the UN is still playing hide and seek regarding its position on the calls for marijuana rescheduling, Europe is taking a different path. The EU Parliament approved a resolution calling on member states to avail support and funding for medical cannabis research. While the decision isn’t binding, it could pave the way for widespread research and legal reforms in EU member countries. This will leave the U.S. further behind in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry.

Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) and Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) call on the UN to stop dragging its feet and make the decision for which the world has been waiting.

About CannabisNewsWire

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

To receive instant SMS alerts, text CANNABIS to 21000

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

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420 with CNW – South Carolina Medical Cannabis Bill Stalls Until Concerns are Addressed

The members of the subcommittee on Medical Affairs in the South Carolina Senate have decided to stall moving a medical cannabis bill forward to the full committee until all the concerns of the different stakeholders have been taken into account. This decision was made on Wednesday (February 27).

One of the proposed changes that may be made to the bill is to include language that makes it clear that smoking medical marijuana will be outlawed. Those interested in this wording say that nothing that may create an impression that marijuana is being legalized for anything other than medical use should be permitted in the bill.

Another issue that needs further consideration is the matter of the qualifying conditions which will be listed in the bill. The legislators want more time to be taken to study the different conditions which can be alleviated by the use of cannabis. Under the current bill, terminal or debilitating conditions, such as chronic diseases and cancer are currently listed as qualifying conditions. Could other deserving conditions have been left out? The legislators want to hear from stakeholders on this before moving forward.

The members of the subcommittee also want to hear more about the fiscal implications of the proposed six percent sales tax that will be imposed on the medical cannabis sold. Will that tax make medical cannabis too expensive for some patients to afford? Are there other ways to collect revenue from the industry without imposing a sales tax? Stakeholders need to inform the members on all these financial implications before the bill is sent to the whole committee.

In its present form, the bill will allow patients enrolled on the medical cannabis program to buy up to two ounces of cannabis (or its equivalent) once a fortnight as long as a doctor has prescribed it.

Representatives of the law enforcement agencies in the state, such as the Association of South Caroline Sheriffs, have said that they would like to review the bill in order to understand the details it contains and the implications of those details. The devil is always in the details, they say.

Such sentiments give further credence to the decision of the subcommittee to wait and hash out all the concerns of the stakeholders so that the bill forwarded to the whole committee reflects the input collected from everyone concerned.

This proactive way of drafting a legalization bill is good for the cannabis industry, including Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) and Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST).

About CannabisNewsWire

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

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420 with CNW – Demand Soars as UK Customers Fear CBD Drinks Ban

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK has triggered panic buying after it announced that CBD drinks fall under the “novel” products category as stipulated by the EU. This classification means that such “novel” products can only be available for sale after being tested and approved.

2018 saw an explosion of CBD-based products on the UK market. These included CBD chocolates, sweets, cakes and even pet products. All these products hit the market amidst a rise in the popularity of CBD.

However, January saw the FSA vowing to exert more control over CBD products on the market. It called on local authorities to work with it to remove any CBD products that were being sold without undergoing the required public safety tests.

As a result of that announcement, customers are rushing to bulk buy CBD drinks just in case the regulator makes good on the threat to pull CBD products from retail shelves.

Green Monkey Drinks (the first UK company to make carbonated CBD drinks) revealed that its online sales have jumped by 8,000 percent ever since the FSA made its ruling. They believe that this rise in sales can be attributed to customers who are trying to stockpile CBD products.

Green Monkey Drinks expressed disappointment that the Food Standards Agency hasn’t been in touch with the different companies that have invested heavily in the CBD industry. The drinks maker believes that the regulator hasn’t taken the right decision given the fact that the World Health Organization has just asserted that CBD is safe and should therefore not be subjected to any international controls.

For its part, the FSA insists that its decision is based on the changes that were made to the Novel Food Catalogue of the EU. The EU says players in the CBD industry failed to prove that CBD products have a history of consumption dating back to 1997 or earlier within the EU. This means that CBD is a novel product which should not be allowed on the market without undergoing safety testing and approval.

The FSA therefore wants to find a way forward in light of the decision made by the EU. They intend to meet different stakeholders, such as CBD product manufacturers and local authorities in order to clarify how the different players will execute their role in ensuring that the CBD industry complies with the existing laws.

ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) as well as Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) hope that the UK regulator finds a solution that addresses the regulatory needs without stifling the nascent CBD industry there.

About CannabisNewsWire

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

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420 with CNW – Why the US is Unlikely to Legalize Cannabis in 2019

The year of 2018 registered some major wins for marijuana (Canada legalized recreational cannabis, the FDA made history by approving a cannabis-derived drug, more states legalized marijuana, public opinion is at an all-time high in favor of legalization, etc.), and that has led many cannabis advocates to expect 2019 to bring even better news along the lines of the U.S. federal government legalizing marijuana. However, this is unlikely to happen this year for a number of reasons.

The Senate isn’t Warm to Marijuana

While Congress is now dominated by Democrats (and Democrats have a history of being friendly to cannabis law reform), the Senate is still firmly in the hands of Republicans. Even the recent polls that show massive support for cannabis legalization reveal a small majority of Republicans supporting legalization (53 percent, according to the latest Gallup poll) while Democrats (75 percent) support the end of cannabis prohibition. This means that even if Congress passed a bill to legalize marijuana, such a bill is unlikely to make it past the Senate this year.

Marijuana isn’t Yet Divisive Enough to Cost Politicians their Jobs

The elected representatives on Capitol Hill don’t yet feel that their position on marijuana can cost them their jobs. Some opinion polls conducted last year discovered that a large majority of people (82 percent) would still vote for a politician even if that candidate had a different view on marijuana from that of the voter.

What such polls show is that politicians are unlikely to take the public’s views on marijuana seriously if the voters don’t put their representatives on the spot over the issue. Consequently, it is unlikely that marijuana will be legalized federally, unless the subject becomes so polarizing that political offices can be lost or earned based on this one issue alone.

There’s Money Involved

The role of money also rears its head on matters of cannabis legalization. Under the present legal framework, marijuana companies are subjected to very high corporate tax rates (as high as 90 percent). This is because such companies cannot claim corporate tax deductions since they deal in a substance that is federally illegal.

Legalizing cannabis would change the section of the tax code applicable to pot companies, and the federal government may lose approximately $5 billion over five years in corporate taxes from these companies. The federal government may be unable to recoup this money from the federal excise tax on legal marijuana sales since some states already have very high state-level excise taxes on cannabis, hence any increase can effectively be an advert for the cannabis black market. So, 2019 may not be the year for cannabis legalization at the federal level until a solution to this money conundrum is found.

While the issues above appear to be serious individually, the views of the voters can trigger a dramatic shift in the way cannabis is regarded at the federal level. The cannabis industry, including ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) and Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) can only wait for that time when pressure from below forces the federal government to end cannabis prohibition.

About CannabisNewsWire

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

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