Technological Advances in Medical Applications for the Cannabis Industry Set to Grow

NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the passage of numerous legislations, the North American cannabis industry is positioned to witness an exponential growth in consumers. In particular, the U.S. is anticipated to dominate the global cannabis market because of its early adoption while Canada is expected to trail behind, even though it is the second nation to ever completely legalize cannabis. To note, Uruguay was the first country ever to legalize cannabis, however, Canada has a much larger addressable market. And in June 2019, Marijuana Business Daily reported that Uruguay had a total of 36,487 customers in the recreational market. Meanwhile, data by Statistics Canada reported that there were a total of 4.6 million consumers ages 15 years and older who tried cannabis in the fourth quarter of 2018. And while Uruguay has had nationwide legal cannabis for much longer than both the U.S. and Canada, the North American market represents a more attractive opportunity for companies. Despite the legalization efforts, federal regulators still play a large role within the industry. For instance, regulators have limited the number of products consumers purchase at dispensaries and even online e-commerce platforms. Moreover, regulators have also controlled cultivation processes, causing a drastic discrepancy between supply and demand in certain regional markets. And while the industry is heavily regulated by authorities, cannabis has, overall, made major breakthroughs over the past several years. Consequently, the industry is expected to continually expand and develop. As a result, the global marijuana market is expected to grow from USD 42.20 Billion in 2017 to USD 466.81 Billion by 2025 while registering a CAGR of 35.3%, according to data compiled by Verified Market Intelligence. Cannabix Technologies Inc. BLOZF BLO, KushCo Holdings, Inc. KSHB, Emerald Health Therapeutics Inc. EMHTF EMH, Terra Tech Corp. TRTC, Puration Inc. PURA

Currently, the medical cannabis segment accounts for the majority of the overall industry, largely because of the growing adoption of alternative treatments. Medical researchers have highlighted that cannabis can be effectively used to treat ailments such as cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and chronic pain. However, as the industry continues to advance, the recreational segment is expected to eclipse the medical segment. Overall, the number of consumers in legal U.S. states and Canada is rapidly growing as the recreational market continues to mature. Notably, many recreational consumers are purchasing a variety of cannabis-based products such as flower, concentrates, extracts, and edibles. Primarily, most recreational consumers are interested in products that are packed with THC, delivering a potent effect. In particular, concentrates and extracts have become increasingly popular because of their immediate delivery and potent THC content. However, producers have faced backlash from political officials and law enforcement agencies over the plant's potential abuse. Specifically, regulators have been concerned about the possibility of driving while under the influence. Moreover, companies and even parents have expressed their concerns over the potential abuse of cannabis. In efforts to cooperate with regulators, businesses, and parents, many companies have developed innovative technology to suppress doubts. For instance, federal regulators mandated that cannabis operators use seed-to-sale technology to provide an in-depth tracking process from when the seed is first planted to when the product is sold to a consumer. On the other hand, some companies are developing technologies for law enforcement agencies in efforts to reduce potential criminal activities that spawn as a result of cannabis use. Innovative technologies such as THC breathalyzers have become popular for law enforcement in legal regions. As, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana can significantly impair judgment, motor coordination, and reaction time. Overall, the advancement of THC breathalyzers is expected to reduce the number of consumers who drive under the influence. And as a result, regulators are hoping to reduce the number of dangerous incidents. "When looking at how tech would impact the cannabis industry, it's important to understand the needs of the industry. Generally, this industry is no different than many other industries and it has all of the same business needs that most businesses have. The Schedule One nature of cannabis along with the general misunderstanding of cannabis as a plant for so long has led to a greater need for compliance and transparency when setting up these businesses," said Avis Bulbulyan, Chief Executive Officer of Siva Enterprises.

Cannabix Technologies Inc. BLOZF BLO is also listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker BLO. CFN Media Group announced late last week in an editorial piece that, "cannabis legalization sweeping across North America after decades of prohibition, there are some natural concerns surrounding the introduction of the drug to the legal marketplace. In the area of safety, most of the questions have surrounded the issue of impaired driving. One topic that hasn't gotten a lot of press is that of workplace safety… Cannabix Technologies Inc. is actively developing the Cannabix Marijuana Breathalyzer, designed for roadside use by law enforcement officials. The company recently announced the licensing of patent-pending technology, developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC), that will be focused to offer a cannabis testing solution for workplace and even parental use. Recognizing that the requirements of potential end users vary greatly, Cannabix is looking to offer flexible solutions to meet the needs of a variety of markets.

For the full editorial please head over to: https://www.cannabisfn.com/what-if-employers-had-a-convenient-way-to-test-for-cannabis-use/

Recently Cannabix Technologies Inc. also reported that it has, "entered into an exclusive license agreement with the University of British Columbia ("UBC") to use and commercialize certain technology for the detection of volatile organic compounds for testing (to be used for marijuana breathalyzer purposes) owned by UBC developed by Dr. Mina Hoofar and her team of researchers at the UBC Okanagan School of Engineering. The patent pending UBC technology known as a "THC Breath Analyzer" ("THCBA") incorporates highly sensitive microfluidic sensors that can be manufactured at relatively low cost. This exclusive technology license will allow for Cannabix to offer a complementary low-cost portable breathalyzer device that would be ideally suited for workplace, parental and personal use testing. Cannabix's advanced "FAIMS" (field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry) based marijuana breathalyzer system will be primarily focussed on roadside testing with law enforcement and toxicology lab confirmation. UBC is developing the THCBA on an accelerated pace and Cannabix anticipates that a breathalyzer device is expected to be available for expanded testing this fall/winter. Significant development work has been accomplished on the THCBA by UBC and images of the of the THCBA portable device (under development) can be viewed at cannabixtechnologies.com (and are included in this press release).

The Company believes that the professional needs of law enforcement users (use at police stations and court acceptance) will likely differ from the needs of employers, and civilian users of such devices. Specificity of use, pricing, ruggedization, disposables and calibration requirements will all be factors in delivering multiple breathalyzer products that meet the needs of specific customers. The THCBA technology will offer a relatively low-cost alternative to the professional grade selectivity and sensitivity offered by the Cannabix FAIMS marijuana breathalyzer. Cannabix's FAIMS device allows for mass spectrometry (MS) laboratory confirmation with its unique ability to couple directly to MS. With both devices being developed by Cannabix, the Company aims to significantly expand its potential base of customers for its products and services.

Rav Mlait, CEO of Cannabix stated, 'We are extremely excited about this opportunity to add this complementary technology license to our product portfolio. The joint UBC-Cannabix collaboration on this low-cost marijuana breath testing technology will facilitate our strategy to better segment market opportunities with multiple devices. The marijuana breathalyzer technology universe is in its early stages, and it is strategically important for Cannabix to commercialize technologies that can bolster its ability to offer a range of products to meet the needs of different customer segments. We believe that diversifying our technology holdings will be important as regulators worldwide begin to understand the different types of cannabis breathalyzer/detection technologies that are emerging. We want to be well prepared to meet evolving evidentiary regulatory standards for drug breath testing technologies.'

Dr. Mina Hoofar stated, 'It is always exciting to see our research, that originates on the Okanagan campus of UBC, extend to the next stage of development. We are thrilled that through this collaboration, devices will soon enter the market for self-monitoring and usage as a marijuana breathalyzer. This collaboration will bring our findings to market providing users with affordable, portable, fast and accurate devices. Collaborating with Cannabix means that we can leverage their expertise in marketing and implementation, bringing the THC Breath Analyzer one step closer to entering the market. We look forward to future collaborations with Cannabix as we continue to strive for innovation in the fields of micro-fluidics and bio-marker analysis.'

The Company also reports granting 2 million incentive stock options exercisable at $0.80 cents per share for five years to officers and directors and two years for consultants.

About Cannabix Technologies Inc: Cannabix Technologies Inc. is a leader in marijuana breathalyzer development for law enforcement and the workplace. Cannabix has established breath testing technologies in the pursuit of bringing portable tools to market to enhance detection of marijuana impaired driving offences on roads at a time when marijuana is becoming legal in many jurisdictions globally. Cannabix is working to develop drug-testing devices that will detect THC- the psychoactive component of marijuana that causes intoxication- using breath samples. In particular, Cannabix is focused on developing breath testing devices for detection of recent use of THC, in contrast to urine testing for THC metabolite that requires an invasive collection and reflects usage, days or even weeks earlier. The devices will also be useful for other practical applications such as testing employees in the workplace where impairment by THC can be hazardous and for personal use testing."

For our latest "Buzz on the Street" Show featuring Cannabix Technologies Inc. recent corporate news, please head over to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLUgMVrau74

KushCo Holdings, Inc. KSHB is the premier producer of ancillary products and services to the cannabis and hemp industries. KushCo Holdings, Inc. recently announced the creation of its new Retail Services division. The new business unit will focus on providing comprehensive retail solutions, through strategic partnerships with best-in-class sales agencies, to leading CBD brands. KushCos retail services division will focus on industry education and compliance, as well as building distribution networks of CBD brands across conventional retail channels. With Retail Services experienced leadership optimizing growth opportunities, this division will expand the Company's platform and fuse two industries that have historically operated independent of each other. In his position as Vice President of Retail Services, Ryan Savage will oversee sales agency partnerships, including C.A. Fortune, a leading full-service national consumer product sales and marketing agency focused on lifestyle brand partnerships. In addition, he will manage the expansion of CBD into the retail space across all channels, driving sales through the management of brands, brokers and customers to increase distribution and revenue growth. Ryan Savage has spent the past 15 years gaining knowledge of multiple aspects of the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. He has worked with many diverse, major retailers including Sprouts, Trader Joes, Target, Amazon, and Kroger, in both a branded and private label capacity.

Emerald Health Therapeutics Inc. EMHTF EMH is a Canadian licensed producer of cannabis products, with strategic initiatives focused on differentiated, value-added product development for medical and adult-use customers supported by novel intellectual property, large-scale cultivation, extraction, and softgel encapsulation, as well as unique marketing and distribution channels. Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. recently received its cultivation license from Health Canada for the 12-acre outdoor grow area at its new organic cannabis operation in Metro Vancouver, BC. The outdoor grow area is expected to be capable of producing approximately 10,000 kg of cannabis annually with multiple crops during a full growing season. With this license effective as of July 12th, 2019, Emerald is positioned to deliver one harvest and a portion of the expected full production volume this year. "As one of the few licensed producers licensed for outdoor growing, receiving this cultivation license highlights our planning and execution to achieve potentially very-low cost organic cannabis. We have been working for months on ground and seed preparation and are now preparing for planting," said Dr. Avtar Dhillon, Executive Chairman and President of Emerald. "With our team's extensive organic farming experience and expertise, we look forward to assessing multiple cannabis strains and refining cultivation practices for scalable outdoor growing."

Terra Tech Corp. TRTC operates through multiple subsidiary businesses including: Blum, IVXX Inc., Edible Garden, and MediFarm LLC. Terra Tech Corp. recently announced that it had broken ground at 620 East Dyer Road, Santa Ana, CA, following receipt of the necessary permits from the City of Santa Ana which allow construction to commence. The Company is developing a large scale, one-of-a-kind cannabis complex on East Dyer Road, which is adjacent to the 55 Freeway and acts as an entry point into the Southern California marketplace, allowing the Company to benefit from the areas high population density and traffic. Chief Executive Officer, Derek Peterson, said, "I would like to extend our thanks to the City of Santa Ana for its ongoing support as we advance our plans to build out a Blum-branded retail dispensary at our East Dyer location. We are also developing a cannabis event center, which is anticipated to make us a highly sought-after destination in one of the country's most important cannabis markets. The Dyer Road facility is in a densely populated area, with approximately 4,100,000 residents living within 20 miles of the location. It also benefits from a high level of tourism due to its proximity to Disneyland, another major Southern California attraction. This is a very exciting project for us and we expect construction to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Puration Inc. PURA has been a water purification company that designs, develops, engineers, produces, markets, and distributes personal and group systems that filter, purify, clean, extract or otherwise improve the quality of water on a cost effective, affordable basis, with a minimum of environmental impact. Puration, Inc. and Kali-Extracts recently confirmed adding CBD infused tea to its new line of CBD beverage partnerships. Previously, PURA and KALY published a management presentation to provide shareholders with more details on PURA's recently implemented program to introduce CBD infused versions of existing third-party beverages. PURA has recently announced plans to introduce a CBD infused beer in partnership with an existing beer producer. In a similar fashion, PURA is partnering with an existing coffee producer to introduce a CBD infused coffee. In conjunction with a recent presentation published, PURA announced a third partnership to develop CBD infused tea. Additional partnerships are in the works. PURA is a leading CBD infused beverage company having produced over USD 1 Million in CBD Beverages in the United States last year. PURA has targeted USD 4 Million in sales for 2019. The presentation is included in its entirety on the company's website.

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