• ORHub, a Microsoft Silver Partner, leverages the Azure cloud to help perioperative leaders unlock the power of health care data captured in the operating room
• Surgical Spotlight®, a cloud-based analytics tool, helps spot trends and outliers with curated performance indicators, increasing efficiency, decreasing costs and improving patient access in the operating room
• The global health care analytics market is projected to reach $50 billion by 2024, with a five-year CAGR of 28.3 percent from 2019
• Chief Executive Officer Dr. Robert ‘Bobby’ Lazzara is a renowned cardiac surgeon and founder of Medical News Minute

ORHub Inc. (OTC: ORHB), a cloud-based health care analytics company on a mission to optimize the business of surgery through lean process improvement, offers a quick look at a simple solution to the complex nature of improving health care in an educational video presented by Chief Executive Officer Dr. Robert ‘Bobby’ Lazzara. Featuring one compelling aspect of ORHub’s analytics product, Surgical Spotlight®, Lazzara describes how state of the art solutions are created with Surgical Results data generated through real-time analytics.

“Behaviors that can center focus on team building and the development of surgical systems is approaching hospital systems nationwide, saving millions of dollars in improved patient access, all at the same time,” Lazzara stated in a news release announcing the video (http://ibn.fm/yeOLB).

Perioperative leadership who are currently hindered by archaic technical systems and burdened with monthly or quarterly reports can quickly envision the benefits of receiving daily reports that harness procedural costs, Lazzara stated. Millions of dollars in improved patient access, greater team building opportunities and improved business decisions can accurately be visualized and acted upon by utilizing real-time data received from ORHub’s Surgical Spotlight®.

Lazzara is a distinguished cardiac surgeon and Medical News Minute founder with a special interest in implementing the latest technology to serve the health care industry. Lazzara performed the first worldwide webcast of open-heart surgery in August 1998 through the Virtual Operating Room and, subsequently, MDiTV, Inc. broadcast the first live cardiac surgery over a smartphone on Dec. 15, 2009. He is a Smithsonian Laureate for his pioneering work utilizing the internet and information technology as a health care educational tool.

“Of dozens of facilities I’ve operated in throughout our country and worldwide, there has been no other comprehensive data system on the market that compares,” Lazzara said of ORHub’s Surgical Spotlight® (http://ibn.fm/S35uI). “Being able to truly understand our cost and care decisions will heighten the level of cost-effective patient care and optimize the overall efficiency for our entire health care system.”

In an exclusive interview with NetworkNewsWire, Lazzara stated the company’s focus revolves around becoming a powerful foundational resource in the operating room (http://ibn.fm/XM0gy).

“By providing the information that allows for a change in behavior, control is put into the hands of surgeons and administrators, enabling the evaluation of trends, and empowering the facility to make instantaneous adjustments that will continue building efficiency and profitability on an ongoing basis,” Lazzara added.

The U.S. surgical market continues to grow with over 5,500 hospitals and 6,100 ambulatory surgery centers performing over 50 million medical procedures annually. The global health care analytics market is projected to be valued at more than $50 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 28.3 percent from 2019 to 2024, according to MarketsandMarkets (http://ibn.fm/PRN5f).

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ORHB are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/ORHUB

• POAI is leveraging the potential of AI and smart tumor profiling to predict tumor drug response
• TumorGenesis is developing innovative techniques for growing tumors in laboratory settings
• Helomics uses vital information from patients’ own living tumors to assist oncologists in selecting the most effective treatments

Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: POAI) is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and rich information from patients’ own tumors to improve outcomes for cancer patients. Predictive Oncology applies its proprietary smart tumor profiling and AI platform to extensive genomic and biomarker patient datasets in order to predict tumor drug response and improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients.

Last year, POAI, then known as Precision Therapeutics, formed TumorGenesis to focus on innovative ways to create improved patient derived (PDx) tumor models. Currently, TumorGenesis is working on developing new techniques for growing tumors in the lab to generate more relevant models of the tumors that can be used to test drugs for personalized therapy or aid in development of new medications.

The approach is designed to grow tumors in the lab by providing an environment that closely mimics the human body, through the use of chemistry, biology, mechanics and cell nutrients. In addition to this exclusive technology being quicker and more affordable than existing PDx animal models, researchers anticipate that the approach will better replicate the characteristics of tumors. Initially, the company plans to develop PDx models for multiple myeloma, triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer, but Predictive is expecting the technology to ultimately benefit oncologists who are investigating other cancer areas as well, including liver, pancreatic, lung and colon.

To validate these new tumor models, TumorGenesis is working closely with Predictive’s Helomics team and is also actively looking for external partners that could potentially benefit from these innovative technologies and advance research.

Helomics is dedicated to improving the standard of care for cancer patients by using vital information provided by patients’ own living tumors to assist oncologists in selecting the most effective treatments. Helomics uses its exclusive tumor drug-response profiling platform, together with the latest next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based genomic profiling and its vast knowledgebase of 150,000 tumors, to provide additional context to create a valuable predictive tool for clinicians and researchers. This approach is rooted in the company’s belief that capturing this invaluable patient-specific information in conjunction with such a huge historical database provides a more functional approach to precision medicine than relying on genomics alone.

In a page straight out of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, Predictive Oncology is helping oncologists and researchers “know the enemy” by harnessing rich information from patient tumors using artificial intelligence to build predictive models of tumor drug response. Predictive Oncology is working with the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotech industries to use these models to both improve the development of new drugs and help clinicians individualize therapy. For investors, Predictive Oncology offers the possibility for significant ROI, as it has already amassed (through its acquisition of Helomics) a huge cancer dataset that can be mined to provide valuable insights to improve treatment.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Predictive-Oncology.com

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to POAI are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/POAI

• More than 125 direct-selling experts met with members of Congress to encourage support of the Preserving the Direct Seller Independence Act
• Flexibility is a driving force behind individuals becoming direct sellers
• SHRG focuses on elevating the lives of its Elepreneurs through its superior products and services

On September 18, more than 125 executives and independent direct sellers gathered on Capitol Hill to represent 19 Direct Selling Association (DSA) member businesses and over six million entrepreneurs. Participants met with members of Congress to support the passage of H.R. 3522 (http://ibn.fm/g3vbT), the Preserving the Direct Seller Independence Act. Together, they emphasized the importance of protecting independent workers and discussed the benefits direct selling has brought to millions of Americans. Participants spoke with nearly 100 Congress members, urging them to maintain the independent contractor status for all direct sellers. Sharing Services Global Corporation (OTCQB: SHRG), a diversified holdings company, is working to elevate these home-based entrepreneurs.

“As we see more people choosing independent work in today’s economy, it’s important that we recognize that all independent work is not the same,” DSA President and CEO Joseph N. Mariano stated in a Direct Selling News article (http://ibn.fm/G7EWK). “Choice is a critical distinction to make, and H.R. 3522 preserves direct sellers’ ability to choose the products they want to sell, the customers they engage with, and the hours they will work – and make those decisions based on their own needs, responsibilities, and aspirations.”

SHRG provides independent direct sellers with the resources necessary to succeed in the quickly growing global direct-sales market.

SHRG offers a wide range of products and services in the health and wellness area. Using what it calls the Blue Ocean Strategy, the company focuses on three main components: elevating home-based entrepreneurs, generating organic growth and creating independent business leaders.

The 2019 DSA National Salesforce Study identified flexibility as the driving force behind individuals choosing to become direct sellers. Elepreneurs, SHRG’s coined term for independent representatives, find freedom through much-needed services and features that other direct-selling companies often lack. Elepreneurs LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of SHRG that offers and sells health and wellness products through the direct-selling model.

SHRG focuses on elevating the lives of its independent sales representatives through a variety of products and services. Sharing Services has created a flexible business model that encourages goal setting for health to enhance the happiness of its independent representatives. SHRG is on a mission to serve others, promote happiness, encourage healthier lifestyles and redefine what it means to be wealthy. Those who desire the flexible, independent lifestyles found in direct selling through SHRG gain access to inspiring seminars, classes and workshops that provide training in every area necessary to assist them in being successful.

Even Sharing Service’s product line, Elevacity, is formulated to increase happiness and health. Harvard University has been studying happiness since 1938, and SHRG has paid attention to the university’s findings: Success does not fuel happiness, happiness fuels success. Elevacity Global LLC’s product line is designed to elevate mood, create connection, increase energy and provide focus and clarity. The comprehensive training the company provides for its Elepreneurs isn’t the only thing that sets SHRG apart; the company’s commitment to elevate the lives of all who come in contact with Sharing Services creates a distinct difference. Happiness, flexibility and independence are at the heart of everything Sharing Services offers.

Headquartered out of a 10,000-square-foot facility in Plano, Texas, SHRG has planned for future expansion. Customer-service facilities, operations and training rooms, and a video-production suite are currently available onsite, with room for growth in each area. In addition, SHRG is looking forward to international expansion. The Elevacity line of products is currently available in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SHRG are available in the company’s newsroom at  http://ibn.fm/SHRG

• Lexaria Bioscience is helping to revolutionize efforts to provide common drug substances in an ingestible method that avoids unhealthy practices such as inhaled smoking or vaping
• Lexaria’s DehydraTECH platform works to deliver the chemical compounds to the blood stream at speeds comparable to inhalation methods, providing the means for discrete use and avoiding frustrating waits for users with dependencies
• The company recently obtained a patent in Australia that recognizes DehydraTECH not only as a food and beverage platform, but also as a potential means of pharmaceutical use for combatting select illnesses
• As Canada prepares to introduce legalization of cannabis food and beverage products next month, analysts forecast a market worth $2.7 billion a year for edibles and alternative cannabis products, with extract products including edibles comprising 60 percent of the total

As Canada prepares to roll out its ‘Cannabis 2.0’ wave of product legalization focused on edible and drinkable forms of the plant’s core ingredients less than a month from now, with the products themselves hitting store shelves beginning in December, analysts are anticipating a consumables market rife with opportunity for innovation. Deloitte predicts the Canadian market for edibles and alternative cannabis products alone will be worth $2.7 billion annually, and that cannabis extract-based products including edibles will make up nearly 60 percent of that amount at $1.6 billion (http://ibn.fm/pxHkr).

Bioactive technology innovator Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) is preparing to make its presence known in this new marketplace, building on a relationship forged with alcohol-free beer, wine and adult format beverage maker Hill Street Beverage Company Inc. (TSX.V: BEER) to present its DehydraTECH-licensed products to Canada’s licensed producers.

DehydraTECH is Lexaria’s patented platform for delivering ingestible substances in a rapid-effect manner that works with all psychoactive and non-psychoactive cannabinoids, nicotine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and fat-soluble vitamins, whether in the form of foods, liquid emulsions, tablets or capsules (http://ibn.fm/Ope7W).

The brand formed in conjunction with Hill Street will feature processed tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and/or cannabidiol (CBD) powder derived from cannabis or its less chemically psychoactive hemp variant.

Canada’s 2.0 regulations have been designed to sidestep some of the health concerns that have arisen in parts of the United States where cannabis edibles are manufactured, taking into particular account concerns about the potential for infused candies, which are currently popular, to appeal to children who may be less physically able to process cannabis substances than adults (http://ibn.fm/pY5kP).

Lexaria’s technological stance is that it “promotes healthier administration methods, lower overall dosing and higher effectiveness of ingestible drugs and other beneficial molecules … (than) other delivery methods for bioactive substances in widespread use today such as inhalational delivery through smoking.”

In an interview with Forbes (http://ibn.fm/uCoMP) earlier this year regarding DehydraTECH’s efforts to forge an alternative to smoking cigarettes for people with a nicotine addiction, CEO Chris Bunka noted some of his own personal motivation, stating, “Wherever there are many victims from past injustices, there is a lot of anger and resentment that doesn’t go away easily. My father also died from lung cancer just last year, so I am no fan.”

Lexaria’s non-combustion-based, non-inhalation-based delivery method requires no chemicals or additives.

“We use a patented dehydration synthesis process to combine the nicotine with simple ingredients like sunflower oil in a unique way,” Bunka told Forbes. “It allows for the removal of the bitter taste often associated with nicotine without the need for artificial flavors that are often appealing to children. Moreover, tested in animals in 2018, we proved that DehydraTECH could deliver nicotine to the bloodstream of an animal in as little as two minutes. The fact that it is fast means that smokers might not be frustrated waiting for their nicotine experience to begin, the way they have been with traditional nicotine products such as gums and lozenges.”

Lexaria’s subsidiary structure for managing licensing for differing molecular classes has not generated as much media buzz when it comes to NSAID pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen, or for fat-soluble vitamins, but these common household remedies also have potential harmful digestion effects and time-intensive concerns that DehydraTECH’s delivery tech may be able to sidestep.

The company also announced recently that it received a new patent in Australia for potential pharmaceutical applications of its DehydraTECH for combatting ‘certain conditions’, including heart disease, neurological diseases including Parkinson’s, hepatic (liver) diseases and diabetes through the delivery of cannabinoids (http://ibn.fm/QOxfP).

Nicotine-containing edibles also showed the potential for reducing Parkinson’s disease risk during testing in 2013 (http://ibn.fm/faHXq), showing still further possibilities for Lexaria’s technology.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LXRP are available in the company’s newsroom at  http://ibn.fm/LXRP

• Data analysis enables increased effectiveness, reduced costs and better outcomes for both surgeons and patients
• ORHub recently announced a stay of litigation as it works toward settlement of a contract litigation

ORHub Inc.’s (OTC: ORHB) Surgical Spotlight(R) cloud-based analytics tool for use in operating rooms is bound to optimize and transform the surgical business, as the company’s chief executive officer, Dr. Robert Lazzara, said in an exclusive interview with NetworkNewsAudio (http://ibn.fm/toHZi).

The product allows administrators, surgeons and nurse leaders to make better decisions for the operating room on the basis of relevant data analysis. Surgical Spotlight(R) takes data feeds from the operating room information system and produces a functional dashboard aimed at identifying improvement opportunities. Beyond ensuring more effective operations, ORHub aims to deliver a solution that’s capable of reducing costs but also reliable in terms of improving outcomes for both patients and surgeons, Lazzara explained.

According to Lazzara, the introduction of such data-driven solutions could promote a health care transformation in the future. “By providing the information that allows for a change in behavior, control is put into the hands of surgeons and administrators, enabling the evaluation of trends, and empowering the facility to make instantaneous adjustments that will continue building efficiency and profitability on an ongoing basis,” he said.

ORHub is on a mission to maximize exposure, secure capital and drive revenue. At the same time, increasing awareness is expected to play a vital role in the widespread adoption of Surgical Spotlight(R). Empowerment through mentorship across the country could easily contribute to a paradigm shift that will eventually ensure modernization across the health care surgical service provision sector, Lazzara added.

ORHub’s mission is to place Surgical Spotlight(R) into as many operating rooms as possible. Currently, the company is relying on video streaming and digital platforms to increase awareness among both surgical team leaders and patients.

Since its launch in 2019, Surgical Spotlight(R) has continued gaining market traction and penetration. Right now, procedurally oriented specialties include the interventional cardiology lab, gastrointestinal lab and interventional radiology lab.

In other news, ORHub recently announced that it has negotiated a stay of litigation and is working toward a settlement (http://ibn.fm/oY1nm).

ORHub is a growth-stage data analytics company that aims to optimize surgical processes through lean process improvement. A Microsoft Silver Partner, the company utilizes the Azure cloud to help customers fully benefit from all data captured in the operating room.

Through its strategic work, ORHub has secured a number of crucial partnerships, like those with the Hoag Orthopedic Institute in the Province network, Anderson Regional Medical Center, Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Alvarado Hospital Medical Center in the Prime Network and Orthopedic Institute Surgery Center in the SMP network.

ORHub has presented Surgical Spotlight(R) at multiple events and conferences in 2019. The company has secured approval to present at nursing forums and offer 1.2 contact hours toward Continuing Education Units from Terri Goodman, RN, PhD, & Associates.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to ORHB are available in the company’s newsroom at  http://ibn.fm/ORHUB

• Petroteq Energy is a technology developer for the oil and gas industry, concentrating on the ability of its flagship Clean Oil Recovery Technology (CORT) to draw and distill heavy oil from surface oil sands
• The company recently resumed operations at its eastern Utah facility following a period of maintenance to improve its equipment’s ability to separate coarse sands, extract fluids and then return the cleaned sands to the ground

Oil and gas industry technology pioneer Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTC: PQEFF) has resumed production at its eastern Utah Asphalt Ridge facility, where the company’s disruptive Clean Oil Recovery Technology (CORT) was developed for extracting heavy oils from ground surface oil sands in an environmentally safe manner.

Using CORT, Petroteq began scaling production last year and selling oil to regional markets as evidence of its technology’s effectiveness. The company was producing heavy oil with the closed loop system, but it curtailed the operation in May to begin a maintenance program that improves the processes of separating the resource sands, extracting fluids from them with a solvent emulsifier and cleansing the sands through distillation.

“The technology enhancements completed in the last several months are expected to provide the company the foundation to consistently increase production to its productive capacity in a step wise approach, and potentially enhance cash flow in what is currently a much more favorable pricing environment,” CEO David Sealock stated in a recent news release (http://ibn.fm/FhU52). “The strengthening of our balance sheet, consistent production and cash flow remains our top priority.”

The recent modifications help the company to overcome difficulties posed by the desert sands’ coarseness on the Asphalt Ridge facility’s operations, allowing the company to potentially process more oil sands ore per day with a quality that’s more suitable to the local refineries.

“Petroteq and our strategic partners are very excited about the potential future of this technology as the first in Utah and the USA to commercially produce surface oil sands reserves”, Executive Chairman Alex Blyumkin stated in the news release. “The work that has been completed to evolve Petroteq’s environmentally friendly… technology, from a batch process to semi-continuous production process, is the basis of many valuable design lessons learned through the improvement process. The Operations and Engineering staff should be commended for the advances made and implementation in a difficult operating environment.”

The company plans a conference call in December to review its operating results and will provide the date and time, as well as the North American toll-free number and international call number, next month.

The company also continues to improve its financial bottom line by reducing its debt, issuing shares subscriptions and pursuing private placement funding (http://ibn.fm/i1nHh).

Petroteq approved its first non-exclusive licensing agreement in July, granting eastern Texas energy services company Valkor LLC the right to use CORT to engineer, construct, operate and finance oil sands extraction and distillation at Valkor’s bases of operation (http://ibn.fm/bCopM).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Petroteq.energy

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to PQEFF are available in the company’s newsroom at  http://ibn.fm/PQEFF

• CloudCommerce offers proven solutions for businesses needing assistance with marketing, data analysis and web services
• CloudCommerce has developed and rolled out its flagship solution, SWARM, to provide help with digital marketing using advanced data analysis incorporating behavioral factors along with conventional demographic data
• Other important subsidiaries of CloudCommerce include DataPROPIA, WebTEGRITY, Giles Design Bureau and Parscale, which also provides helpful and effective solutions for business clients

CloudCommerce Inc. (OTCQB: CLWD) has invested in the development of a suite of proven solutions for businesses needing assistance with marketing, data analysis and web services. The company also provides services such as web design, data analysis and branding, all while leveraging advanced data analysis tools and artificial intelligence.

Digital marketing is crucial in today’s market, with the majority of potential customers being online and finding their information through internet access. With so many sites from which to choose, it has become more of a problem for businesses hoping to attract and retain consumers. It is therefore a smart move for businesses across a range of industries to implement the best possible solutions when it comes to digital marketing, since this has been shown to save time and money in the long run.

CloudCommerce has recognized this trend, having designed a clever tool for marketing in the form of its flagship solution, SWARM. In July, CloudCommerce announced the rollout of SWARM. With intense competition for customers and increased marketing from a range of similar operations, it has become increasingly challenging for businesses to find effective ways to target potential customers. The difficulty is not only in knowing who to target for marketing campaigns, but also knowing how to increase interest and motivate customers. This is where SWARM comes into play.

SWARM uses a combination of artificial intelligence, behavioral analysis, market research and data analysis to assist businesses in finding their target customer pools. Past algorithms for market research and analysis relied on a small subset of factors, such as age, gender, income and race, for marketing purposes, but SWARM goes to a much deeper level by including behavioral factors as well.

The idea behind SWARM is to have and use robust datasets to give good insight into trends and potential customers in a way that is more powerful than other offerings. Knowing what customers to attract and what motivates and triggers customers to buy services and products allows a targeted approach to marketing campaigns. SWARM not only tells businesses who they should be targeting, but also what to say. In the competitive business world, knowing who to target and how to compel customers to buy is key to a success. Traditional market research tools and data only go so far. Deep data analytics using artificial intelligence is crucial in developing the best results and outcomes for each business.

SWARM also uses cluster data analysis to extract specialized information aimed at helping users effectively target customers. The data that is collected and analyzed is used to make decisions about marketing strategies and to drive success.

CloudCommerce is a company that does not offer only one solution or service; it actually owns multiple subsidiaries that provide additional services for business clients. For instance, subsidiary DataPROPIA is a data-analytics service that collects and analyzes data taken from various sources. This data can be used for modeling purposes to guide marketing campaigns. DataPROPRIA has experience in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, as well as logistics, distribution and wholesale.

The digital marketing division of CloudCommerce includes business unit Parscale Digital. This subsidiary helps business clients looking to develop effective marketing plans.

CloudCommerce’s other subsidiaries include WebTEGRITY and Giles Design Bureau. WebTEGRITY provides website services and apps to assist marketing, and Giles Design Bureau helps with the branding side of business. CloudCommerce has a set of tools and services offering effective solutions for businesses and helping to target potential customers.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CLWD are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/CLWD

• IONIC Brands recently expressed its position and concerns in the wake of a nationwide health scare involving vape-related illnesses that have sickened hundreds and killed more than a dozen people
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has acknowledged that it believes cannabis vapes purchased on the black market are the primary source of the illness cases
• IONIC Brands emphasized in a news release that it abides by applicable laws in states where it operates and that it doesn’t use additives that have become the focus of health officials’ investigation into vaping products
• The company temporarily stopped production in California, citing concerns about insufficient regulation of black market vape products that do contain potentially harmful additives

As concerns about the safety of vaping products have swept the nation without a clear explanation of what is causing vape-related illnesses, vape manufacturers have found themselves searching for answers, much like the consumers who enjoy their products. On September 27, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged that the vast majority of the reported vape-related illnesses are linked to cannabis products purchased on the black market instead of from reputable, law-abiding businesses (http://ibn.fm/4QyqJ).

IONIC Brands Corp. (CSE: IONC) (OTC: IONKF) (FRA: IB3) addressed the vaporizer concerns in a news release issued September 26, noting the company’s safety standards, its adherence to applicable laws and its desires for a stronger response to black market operations.

“This is not a cannabis issue. This is an illicit market issue that calls for more regulation, not less,” CEO and Chairman John Gorst stated in the news release (http://ibn.fm/q8W5J). “We are aware of the pervasive dangers of black-market operators infiltrating legal markets with counterfeit, illegal and unregulated products. We strongly advise consumers to never use black market or illegal products, and to choose only tested and compliant products from licensed dispensaries.”

Gorst wrote that the health scare and the proliferation of black-market products in California has led the company to temporarily suspend production there in the world’s largest cannabis market until state regulators show a greater capacity to enforce the laws of the state.

“We are specifically concerned with the proliferation of these illegal and unregulated black-market products in California,” Gorst added. “We feel that it is too great a risk to our customers and shareholders and brands to continue production in California until regulators can take control of this problem.”

The CDC’s report was a response to various officials who have blamed flavored nicotine products in e-cigarettes for the illnesses. The report states that, as of September 27, 806 people in 46 states had become sick and 13 had died as an apparent result of the vape crisis, but only 16 percent of those sickened said they only used nicotine, leaving health officials to question whether some of the ill simply don’t want to acknowledge that they were using black market cannabis.

Marijuana media agency Leafly reported that same week that as many as 50 million cannabis cartridges could be tainted with lead, pesticides or residual solvent butane, with a particular focus on vitamin E acetate, which has reportedly become a favored oil used to cut the cannabis oil content and improve profits for black market operators (http://ibn.fm/Qf1R2).

“All of our products are created using only the highest quality materials exclusively sourced from licensed producers of integrity, that use state of the art equipment, and ensure strict operating practices and procedures are followed. We have never and will never use any additives that contain vitamin E acetate, or any additives that are based on petrochemicals,” Gorst stated in the IONIC Brands news release.

While health officials and regulators continue to examine the situation, IONIC Brands hasn’t stopped developing its premium and luxury consumer portfolio according to the laws of the states in which it operates, and it is preparing to launch the first Bluetooth-enabled vaporizer and platform specifically designed for cannabis use within the next few weeks in an effort to further ensure safety through controlled dosing.

The company has six cannabis product lines in its stable, presented in three mood offerings for recreational use – rich sociability, serene relaxation and enlightened creativity (http://ibn.fm/CNtUB).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IONIC.social

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IONKF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/IONKF

• Wildflower Brands is working hard to establish a solid retail network in the U.S. and Canada
• The company has achieved a number of strategic partnerships and acquisitions, making Wildflower Brands wellness products available in 600 locations across America
• The company also operates four premier cannabis locations in British Columbia under its subsidiary, City Cannabis Corp.

The global hemp-derived CBD oil market reached $591 million in 2018 and is anticipated to grow to $22 billion by 2022 (http://ibn.fm/yPoHn). Wellness and health products are expected to drive this growth as awareness about the benefits of CBD oil continues to increase.

CBD oil was first highlighted in the early 2010s, when reports emerged of it being used in the treatment of children with epilepsy. Since then, multiple additional health benefits have been researched and confirmed. CBD oil has taken off commercially, especially after the passage of the federal Farm Bill. The changing legislative framework has made it much easier to grow hemp and to extract the valuable resource from it. Today, CBD oil is being added to beverages, edibles, topical creams, oils, waxes and pills.

Companies like Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) are working hard to establish their CBD market leadership amid this popularity boom. A cannabis company focused on the development and design of branded products in the sector, Wildflower is focused on growing its retail distribution network throughout Canada and the U.S. Recently, the company completed a strategic acquisition of City Cannabis Corp., which will give it access to four retail cannabis stores in Vancouver, British Columbia, two of which were opened in August 2019 (http://ibn.fm/fIf56).

Simultaneously, Wildflower Brands is actively seeking opportunities to maximize its retail presence in the U.S. Its wellness products have been launched in over 260 Dillard’s department stores throughout the country (http://ibn.fm/GejdN). The initial purchase order is significant, because it enables Wildflower products to enter several new states, according to Wildflower CEO William McLean.

Earlier in 2019, Wildflower Brands launched a CBD-infused product collaboration with wellness guru Joel Warren, making the products available at Warren’s Saks Fifth Avenue salon (http://ibn.fm/Erjn8). In addition, the company initiated a strategic New York expansion that made the products available at 20 premium health and wellness stores throughout Manhattan.

Following the latest strategic partnerships and retail collaborations, the Wildflower Brands CBD-infused products can now be found in 600 locations across America.

The marketplace is forecast to explode in the near future, and the entities that have an already well-established and recognizable brand will benefit the most, as McLean stated in a news release. “Our strategy is to build off our established brand equity in these key markets and partner with brands that can catapult us into becoming a household name,” he concluded.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.WildflowerBrands.co

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to WLDFF are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/WLDFF

• Hemp biomass production is anticipated to continue to increase due to legislative changes and the growing demand for CBD products
• At the same time, the industry is experiencing an extraction bottleneck due to the limited industry capacity for efficient biomass processing
• With its proprietary hemp biomass extraction technology that reduces operating costs while delivering superior results, HTC Extraction Systems is uniquely positioned to take advantage of upcoming market opportunities

Legislative changes and a rapidly increasing demand for CBD products paint a highly optimistic picture for hemp biomass production and extraction companies. Currently, the demand for hemp biomass is exceptionally high, and it is anticipated to remain at such levels through the end of 2019 and into the year to come, reports suggest (http://ibn.fm/HoOoL).

The trend started with the passage of the Federal Farm Bill at the end of 2018. This new regulatory framework enabled the legal growth of hemp and also boosted interest in products derived from hemp biomass. In 2018, industrial hemp cultivation started growing exponentially (http://ibn.fm/CCfFq). Farmers cultivated three times as many acres of hemp during that year as compared to 2017. Legal hemp cultivation reached 78,000 acres, marking a massive increase from approximately 10,000 acres in 2016.

Even more pronounced growth is anticipated in the years to come, with the hemp-derived CBD market being set to reach a volume of $22 billion by 2022. This market expansion has already begun, and higher product demand requires proven extraction and purification technologies.

At the same time, the hemp biomass processing power of the market is limited. The industry is experiencing a bottleneck due to the fact that, until present, hemp post-harvest processing facilities were a somewhat neglected part of the supply chain. Since the hemp biomass processing industry is still young and growing, many entities lack the equipment needed to scale up effectively and quickly.

Such market dynamics and forecasts for the future create opportunities for well-positioned hemp biomass processing entities like HTC Extraction Systems (TSX.V: HTC).

HTC Extraction Systems has developed a proprietary biomass processing methodology. The process occurs in three stages – pre-oil preparation, oil extraction and purification and oil refinement. The result of this technology is 50 percent crude CBD oil that can be subjected to further distillation to produce full spectrum oil and/or pure CBD isolate.

The company has signed numerous strategic agreements that maximize its hemp biomass processing potential. Recently, HTC announced its entry into an identity preserved (“IDP”) hemp biomass production tolling agreement. The agreement covers 4,200 to 5,000 acres of hemp in Saskatchewan, Canada. Based on the agreement, HTC will process five million kilograms of IDP hemp biomass to produce full spectrum oil and/or pure CBD isolate.

The company is in negotiations for an additional 5,000 acres for the 2019 crop and up to 30,000 acres IDP hemp production for the 2020 crop.

HTC Extraction Systems develops proprietary extraction and purification systems. The company’s proprietary technologies are engineered to large-scale to reduce capital and operating costs while delivering superior performance.

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

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to HTC are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/HTC