• World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removes CBD from banned substances list
• Art ‘One Glove’ Jimmerson appointed brand ambassador for CBD Fitamins line
• Hemp CBD market projected to maintain 55 percent CAGR to 2020

In sports, as the saying goes, there’s no gain without pain. However, not all pain is the same, at least according to researchers at the John Hopkins School of Medicine (http://ibn.fm/rVGLo). They note that there is good pain and bad pain. Stress in the muscles as they develop strength causes the former, but excessive training can overload and damage muscles, resulting in bad pain. Regardless of taxonomy, pain is an athlete’s constant companion, and, in the search for more effective escapes from it, many are ditching traditional anodynes and turning to cannabidiol (CBD) products like those provided by Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS). The company is offering athletes a way to ease their pain with its Fitamins CBD line. It recently signed Art ‘One Glove’ Jimmerson to be brand ambassador for the label (http://ibn.fm/Ggn62).

Jimmerson knows a thing or two about pain. He is a former professional boxer and mixed martial arts fighter, as well as a pioneer of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) franchise. His appointment as brand ambassador was announced on November 10 at the UFC 25th Anniversary Fight Night in Denver, Colorado, an event that was viewed by millions of fans. Jimmerson’s journey in contact sports took flight in 1983, while still an amateur, after he became the National Golden Gloves Middleweight champion. He went on to achieve an admirable record of 51-18 over a 20-year career that lasted from 1983 to 2002.

Cannabinoids are gaining increasing prominence as acceptable alternatives to traditional analgesics, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, with THC and CBD garnering the most attention. Depending on jurisdiction, a variety of restrictions on the use of THC, some of which also limit the availability of CBD, exist, although, since CBD has no psychotropic effect, regulation of CBD tends to be less restrictive than for THC. The advantages of CBD are that it offers some of the same medical benefits (anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, analgesic effects) as THC, but without the legal and psychological complications.

CBD has an effect on the brain’s serotonin and vanilloid receptors, and it thus lightens mood and the perception of pain. It also acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals in the body that damage tissues and cells by “stealing” their electrons (http://ibn.fm/BNxU7). As such, its therapeutic value is increasingly being recognized, and, in January 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed CBD from its list of banned substances (http://ibn.fm/6EkF2). This clears the way for the Fitamins line to be marketed to the sports industry.

Fitamins is a proprietary health and wellness formula containing 25 mg of hemp-derived, THC-free CBD and other joint supporting vitamins that work to improve health and relieve joint and muscle pain, encouraging movement and flexibility.

NUGS acquired the Fitamins CBD brand in August 2018 (http://ibn.fm/3PcG2). Products under the brand consist of vitamin and hemp-derived CBD formulations, which will be distributed through Fitamins’ network of 600+ wholesalers catering to the Asian-American market. The agreement between the companies calls for Fitamins to produce a proprietary CBD product as part of NUGS’ brand portfolio, initially targeting United States distribution networks and eventually expanding into Asian markets that have legalized CBD products.

The market for CBD therapies is buoyant. Hemp-derived CBD sales are ballooning at a CAGR of 55 percent. They are set to hit $1 billion by 2020. As word spreads on the field about CBD’s effectiveness in treating pain, expect the Fitamins brand to get a place on the team.

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

• In December, Net Element received several ACQ5 online magazine recognitions, including the ‘Payment Solutions Provider of the Year’ award
• NETE was also included in Deloitte’s ranking of the 500 fastest-growing companies in 2018
• Through a diversified portfolio of specialized payment solutions for different industries, NETE anticipates to continue its growth trend in 2019

The year of 2018 has proven to be an eventful one for Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE), a payment-as-a-service transactional and value-added services provider. Net Element was the recipient of numerous important recognitions, and market trends are suggesting that 2019 will be marked by additional growth and accomplishments.

Mid-December, international corporate magazine news site ACQ5 announced its annual global awards, honoring those whose work has been definitive for setting the standard in their respective niches (http://ibn.fm/HSHL0). Net Element received multiple awards, including recognition as ‘Payment Solutions Provider of the Year’ for the Americas. The company was also recognized as ‘Scale-up Company of the Year’ for payment solutions for the Americas. Additionally, NETE CEO Oleg Firer was honored as ‘Gamechanger of the Year’ for the Americas.

ACQ5 is a web-based magazine website for corporate executives. It has 168,000 subscribers, and its awards have been recognizing industry leaders for over 13 years.

On top of receiving the ACQ5 awards, Net Element was also included among Deloitte’s 500 fastest-growing technology companies in the U.S. in 2018. The Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 ranking indicates that, during the monitored period for inclusion in the chart, Net Element grew by 183 percent. The growth of Net Element’s North America Transaction Solutions segment was one of the biggest driving factors of the company’s performance throughout the year (http://ibn.fm/fUpy8).

Interestingly enough, software accounts for two out of three companies in the Technology Fast 500 ranking. These companies are the ones that develop exciting technological solutions spanning robotics, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics, Deloitte & Touche partner Mohana Dissanayake said at the time.

The growing importance of such technological solutions will provide additional opportunities for Net Element’s development in 2019. Business enterprises are continuously looking for ways to carry out financial transactions quickly, efficiently and safely. The banking and lending communities have strict criteria and rigid expectations when it comes to making their services available.

Companies like Net Element are helping the market evolve and keep moving, especially since some of the most prominent NETE services are created for the needs of small and medium-sized companies.

Net Element subsidiary PayOnline increased the company’s ability to serve SMEs and their customers. The number of payment options is growing, and the platform is constantly being adapted to address the specific needs of representatives of various industries.

The company is also making more specialized payment services available to its customers. VIP Payments is a solution created especially for the needs of hotel and tourism industry representatives. Netevia, on the other hand, enables transparent online payment options for brick and mortar businesses that offer ecommerce or B2B solutions.

The NETE portfolio also includes Aptito, a solution for the restaurant industry, and Unified Payments, which is designed to specifically facilitate the work of kiosk and truck vendors.

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

• Confirmation of positive proof-of-concept with lead cancer drug candidate Bria-IMT as monotherapy demonstrates promising anti-tumor activity
• Off-the-shelf immunotherapies provide customized, cost effective treatment options
• Positive efficacy data with Bria-IMT was presented at a major breast cancer conference, the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
• BriaCell Therapeutics Corp.’s poster presentation at 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium now available for public review
• Global cancer immunotherapy market projected to be worth over $119 billion by 2021

Cancer patients facing limited therapeutic options are the focus for a team of scientists and clinicians at BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. (OTCQB: BCTXF) (TSX.V: BCT), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing safe and effective immunotherapy treatments for advanced breast cancer patients. BriaCell’s immunotherapy, Bria-IMT, is the company’s lead product candidate. The company recently presented promising results for two of its clinical studies (monotherapy and combination study of Bria-IMT with pembrolizumab [KEYTRUDA®; manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.]) for patients with advanced breast cancer during the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas (http://ibn.fm/0JGCl).

“I am very excited about our data continuing to show robust biological activity of Bria-IMT™ in advanced breast cancer,” Dr. Bill Williams, BriaCell’s president & CEO, said of the company’s presentation at the international symposium that attracted over 7,000 academic and private physicians and researchers (http://ibn.fm/SaO2y). “These findings also reinforce our product development strategy for Bria-OTS™, BriaCell’s novel off-the-shelf personalized immunotherapy, by showing predictability of the anti-tumor responses in patients using a relatively simple and inexpensive HLA test.”

The therapy’s mechanism of action is thought to include providing breast cancer antigens and direct stimulation of cancer-fighting T cells, producing anti-cancer immunity and boosting response. Bria-IMT has demonstrated success in clinical trials, achieving proof of concept as reflected in positive results from a Phase IIa study (http://ibn.fm/7AGpj). Results also showed excellent tolerability and safety, demonstrating no serious side effects for patients participating in the study.

“Based on the data of three proof of concept studies to-date, Bria-IMT has shown the ability to produce powerful immune responses and elicit tumor regression even in heavily pre-treated patients with very advanced disease,” Williams added. “We are highly confident of our strategy to use Bria-IMT in combination with KEYTRUDA®, an approved treatment for multiple cancer indications, and expect synergistic activity of this combination in patients with advanced breast cancer. We look forward to additional clinical data and expect to share details at upcoming scientific meetings.”

The combination study is listed on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03328026. KEYTRUDA is the Merck registered trade name of pembrolizumab. Copies of Bria-Cell’s abstract and poster, presented in early December at the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, are available now at www.BriaCell.com/Investor-Relations/Presentations.

Cancer continues to rank as the second leading cause of death in the United States, with breast cancer being the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women (except for skin cancers), according to the American Cancer Society (http://ibn.fm/gMVHZ). A report issued by MarketsandMarkets states that the global cancer immunotherapy market is projected to reach $119.31 billion by 2021, up from $61.9 billion in 2016 and expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 14 percent (http://ibn.fm/s55LX). Factors such as the increasing incidence of cancer and rising health care expenditures are driving the market’s growth, the report states.

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

• QMC’s exploration program at its Irgon Lithium Mine Project suggests that the lithium resource estimate at the property could be much higher than the published historical resource
• QMC anticipates mine development in 2019
• News of the property’s capacity and the upcoming production decision is timely, given forecast for future shortages and rising supply demand for lithium

In a December 2018 article, QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (OTC: QMCQF) (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) stated that it is preparing to rapidly expand exploration and bring the Irgon Lithium Mine Project into production after SGS Canada (qualified engineer) upgrades the historical resource estimate in compliance with current NI 43-101 standards (http://ibn.fm/E1Zp2).

QMC began exploratory work on the Irgon Lithium Mine Project in southern Manitoba in 2016. The exploration program continued through 2017 and 2018, when assay results returned high grades of lithium oxide supporting the original historical results.

Exploration at the Irgon Dike commenced almost half a century ago. The historical resource was then estimated at over 1.2 million tons of lithium oxide, grading 1.5 percent Li2O over a strike length of 365 meters and to a depth of 213 meters. Mineralization under this depth is open.

In October 2018, QMC Quantum Minerals announced its latest findings at Irgon, which doubled the known strike length by extending it for an additional 400 meters. The company announced plans to drill deeper, below the level of the estimated historical resource. QMC anticipates producing a NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate that could be more significant than the previous historical resource estimate.

These announcements are coming in light of a serious anticipated lithium deficit (http://ibn.fm/x2tY3). Forecasts for a supply deficit stem from the growing importance of lithium-ion batteries. Today, they are the standard power source for electronics, personal gadgets and wearable technology, as well as military technologies and automobiles.

Currently, China is working hard to secure a monopoly in the niche and has an economic strategy aimed at controlling the entire supply chain. It is also attempting to secure a leading production position for cobalt, which is another key element that is needed to produce lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium brines are used for the extraction of the element in both China and Chile – the second big player in the field. The process is slower, and only concentrated brines result in economic lithium extraction. In contrast, QMC Quantum Minerals will mine lithium directly from rock in Manitoba.

The Irgon Mine Project in Manitoba could enable QMC Quantum Minerals and Canada to become major producers in the hard rock lithium extraction field.

In 2019, QMC plans to increase the rate of development and the subsequent production of lithium from pegmatite dikes. The company will benefit from the infrastructure that is already in place, which could ensure rapid development.

The infrastructure existing at the mining site from the past includes a previously excavated 241-foot-deep, three-compartment shaft and 1,120 feet of underground drifting off the 200-foot level. Road and rail access are available, and there’s also nearby power infrastructure that can easily be connected to the property.

QMC Quantum Minerals is a Vancouver-based lithium acquisition, exploration and development company. All of its properties are currently located in Manitoba, and they include the Irgon Lithium Mine Project and two volcanic massive sulphide gold, copper and zinc properties (Rocky Lake and Rocky Namew).

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

• Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which includes the legalized production of hemp, passes both houses of Congress
• Company seeks to change the industry from risky cash-only store fronts to a secure, federally compliant bank-accessible business model
• Positioned at the forefront as federal laws catch up to the growing industry

Companies working in the medical and recreational cannabis industry, like Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG), are celebrating a big win. A large farm bill, known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, was passed in the Senate, 20-1, and in the House of Representatives, 369-47 (http://ibn.fm/2A4OB).

Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Hemp Farming Act was included in the Senate’s farm bill. McConnell has been working to remove industrial hemp from the list of controlled substances under federal law in order to open up new opportunities for his home state of Kentucky, as well as others throughout the United States.

The farm bill from 2014 saw hemp laws relaxed, and farmers in select states have since been able to grow hemp for research purposes. The 2014 farm bill expired on September 30, 2018, and the majority of the programs will expire at the end of December 2018. The farm bill is renewed every few years, and the next one holds great promise for the industrial hemp industry, modifying the “research-only” restrictions and making industrial hemp cultivation accessible to the farming community as a whole.

REFG has been on the forefront of the legal cannabis industry, providing much-needed services to those waiting for the laws to catch up. For licensed distributors, the medical and recreational cannabis industry is no longer a cash-only business thanks to Go!, REFG’s legal and secure banking and payment solution.

Go! provides accessibility and protection for licensed cannabis companies. The entire system is convenient from day one. Distributors can sign up through an online application and use the system to track sales and taxes, as well as manage clients. Go! is an end-to-end payment processing system for dispensaries’ banking needs, ensuring federal compliance as regulations continue to evolve.

The company has been willing to take risks early on in anticipation of an emerging market and legalization in the United States. In doing so, REFG has grown a loyal customer base, providing a much-needed service in an industry that others were not willing to enter.

Now, as legislation such as the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 and others begin to take center stage in the public eye, REFG is ahead of the game. The company is strategically placed to grow as it continues to provide the end-to-end, secure, federally-compliant payment solutions for which it is known.

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

• Despite stock market nervousness over cannabis’ undersupply since Canada legalized recreational use, market watchers expect rebound
• The Green Organic Dutchman is building a relatively rare organic growing operation that’s expected to have low operating costs, premium pricing and green-friendly credentials
• The company’s first crop will be delivered next month to select patients as management continues building toward industry-leading capacity
• The Green Organic Dutchman expects 2019 to be a banner year as it works toward output of at least 170,000 kilograms per year
• TGOD recently launched a brand new patient and consumer-focused website, which can be viewed at www.TGOD.ca

Canada’s legalization of cannabis for a full spectrum of adult uses created a bit of a land rush as investors moved to secure fertile ground for profits in the emerging market, but undersupply of cannabis product created a sense of caution, which was reflected in declining stock values as consumers also rushed to greet the plant’s legalization in numbers greater than the cultivators and their pipelines could sustain. Even so, industry watchers generally agree that the problem is temporary and should correct itself as growers such as The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF) get their operations up to capacity.

In an interview, Danny Brody, TGOD’s vice president of investor relations, stated, “This is exactly why we have waited to launch our product. We want the kinks to be worked out and have operational readiness across all divisions of our company. We want patients to not only enjoy our organic cannabis but also enjoy the experience of ordering that product from start to finish – the best customer service in the industry.”

Cannabis news outlet The Motley Fool noted that Canada’s top seven marijuana growers, which include The Green Organic Dutchman, lost nearly $300 million collectively during the most recently reported quarter as they worked to get their initial operations up to full capacity and distinguish their brands in a heavily competitive marketplace (http://ibn.fm/IrmE3), but the report states that the industry is “growing like a weed,” adding that “according to various Wall Street estimates, the legal industry in Canada could see around $5 billion in added annual sales from adult-use pot within a matter of years.”

The Green Organic Dutchman landed among the list of top growers, because it expects to approach 200,000 kilograms in annual yield during 2020, when at full capacity. A news release issued earlier this month in response to the annual general meeting of the company’s shareholders noted that its funded capacity is currently 170,000 kilograms, and it is building almost 1.4 million square feet of cultivation facilities across Ontario, Quebec and Jamaica (http://ibn.fm/5wabY).

The necessary majority of shareholders approved all of the matters put forward by the company at the meeting, including the director nominees, showing the confidence that shareholders continue to place in the company’s focus.

“We are thrilled with the overwhelming support from shareholders at our AGM,” Board Chairman Jeff Scott stated in the news release. “2019 will be a pivotal year as TGOD’s flagship domestic facilities begin production ramp-up and sales commence in the coming weeks… I have the utmost confidence in our team as we solidify our organic leadership position and deliver on our goal of becoming the largest organic cannabis brand in the world.”

TGOD made a strategic decision to dedicate its first commercial crop to a closed group of patients and investors next month as a show of loyalty to the company’s boosters and the patients who “are most in need of medical cannabis therapy,” according to its quarterly report (http://ibn.fm/JUDh7).

TGOD is among a mere handful of Canadian cultivators dedicated to organic growing principles. While the capital expenditure is about 20 percent greater for an organic cannabis facility, the operating costs are lower to compensate (http://ibn.fm/A9W7V). When the company’s additional purpose-built greenhouses are completed, they will be among the largest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building system-certified facilities in the world. They will also be completed to European Union good manufacturing practice standards to facilitate expansion into that market.

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

• Farm Bill 2018, freeing up hemp, awaits President’s signature
• Makes CBD from compliant hemp legal
• DVLP set to benefit, with operations in CBD retail, wholesale and information services

Texas-based Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP), along with the industry as a whole, seems set for a Christmas gift that will surely be welcomed. This past week, Congress passed the $867 billion Farm Bill, which, among other things, loosens restrictions on the cultivation and sale of hemp. Approved by the Senate on Tuesday, December 11, and by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, December 12, the legislation is expected to become law as soon as it is signed by the president, very likely before Christmas. Freeing hemp from prohibitive legal rules opens the way for further research into the plant’s possible nutritional and therapeutic virtues. As a result, DVLP expects demand for hemp-related products and services, like those it offers, to increase.

With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the hemp industry is poised to escape from the doldrums. Hemp is derived from the cannabis sativa plant, differing mainly because it has a much lesser level of THC than marijuana. However, having a common origin with marijuana has meant that it has suffered the same opprobrium and prohibitions. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, for example, required every person who sold, dealt in, dispensed or gave away marihuana to register with the Internal Revenue Service and pay a special occupational tax; it made no exception for hemp. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 retained and intensified the restrictive regime around hemp. By making only negligible distinction from marijuana, it criminalized hemp, labeling it as a Schedule I controlled substance, the most restricted category of drugs.

The Farm Bill reverses that provision, removing industrial hemp from the CSA’s definition of marijuana and, consequently, from Schedule I. In addition, it will allow commercial cultivation of hemp, provided that such cultivation is compliant with federal and state guidelines. Previously, only cultivation of hemp under the auspices of a state agricultural pilot program or for research purposes at an institution of higher education were permitted. The legislation does not, however, legalize CBD generally, but it does create an exception under which CBD and any cannabinoid can be produced legally. CBD produced from hemp will be legal “if and only if that hemp is produced in a manner consistent with the Farm Bill, associated federal regulations, association state regulations, and by a licensed grower.” Importantly, the hemp must contain no more than 0.3 percent THC (http://ibn.fm/8uNwy).

Golden Developing Solutions is poised to benefit from these developments. The company has two distinct operations; the first is an ecommerce and wholesale CBD business. This sphere of operations includes a joint venture, Pura Vida, which recently launched a direct-to-consumer website (www.PuraVidaVitamins.com) and commenced sales of Pura Vida-branded products. Branded merchandise includes hemp and CBD-related products and other products focusing on health and lifestyle. DVLP is also developing a CBD aggregator site, www.WheresCBD.com, which will allow consumers to access multiple brands and gather info on CBD and its many uses. In addition, the company is planning to develop a branded line of CBD beauty products and a beverage division.

The other main theater of DVLP operations revolves around www.WheresWeed.com. DVLP recently acquired Layer Six Media LLC (DBA ‘Where’s Weed’) and its online portal. The acquisition will allow DVLP to interact socially with the cannabis community, keeping the company in touch with current and emerging trends. ‘Where’s Weed’ is a rapidly growing, community-based online resource for cannabis consumers with a host of user-friendly services, including a sophisticated mobile app. Presently, it enjoys three million page views per month. The portal provides a directory of cannabis establishments in 49 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC, allowing consumers to conduct searches on dispensaries and cannabis retailers. The mobile app, available on both iOS and Android, has been downloaded over 80,000 times to date.

For more information, visit the company’s websites at www.PuraVidaVitamins.com and www.WheresWeed.com

• ETST has reported successful results in the testing of its unique Hygee medical device for detecting sexually transmitted infections
• Hygee detects chlamydia and is intended to be sold as an at-home kit
• This puts ETST on track to market Hygee in early 2019 through its established distribution channels in multiple countries
• In the future, Hygee may also be certified for gonorrhea testing

Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST), a biotech company, has received good news on the development and performance of its Hygee medical device. Molecular diagnostic assays by Procréa Fertility Laboratories have analyzed samples obtained by Hygee and successfully identified the presence of chlamydia, confirming earlier test results on more than 500 women (http://ibn.fm/Xphkq).

ETST, based in Doral, Florida, is focused on the cannabidiol, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors, as well as the development, through subsidiaries, of medical devices and research. ETST’s goal is to become a world leader in the CBD space.

For the development of Hygee, manufacturing partner Dermagate has already received certification ISO 13485:2013. It opens the way for Hygee’s marketing by early 2019.

In a news release (http://ibn.fm/5V0gg), Michel Aubé, CEO and chief scientific officer of ETST, said, “Hygee is an incredible innovation, and we have partners from many countries waiting to market the device. This is only the beginning of realizing the potential of this unique device, and we look forward to updating our shareholders on our progress.”

Initially, it will be marketed as an at-home testing device for Chlamydia, ETST said, but it added that R&D efforts in progress indicate that Hygee may soon be certified for gonorrhea testing as well.

ETST also develops and markets hemp-based CBD oil products. The company, and the industry at large, would benefit from the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill by year’s end. That legislation has already has been passed by both houses of Congress, and a provision in it legalizes the growing of industrial hemp in the United States (http://ibn.fm/oiJNA).

ETST holds several wholly owned subsidiaries. Cannabis Therapeutics is an emerging biotechnology company. KannaBidioiD manufactures and distributes in the recreational sector. Earth Science Foundation, Inc. is becoming a non-profit and accepts grants and donations to conduct additional studies. Earth Science Pharmaceutical develops medical diagnostic tools and vaccines. It also formed subsidiary Canno Inno Laboratories Inc., a Montreal, Canada-based company that provides ETST with access to government grants.

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

• Cannabis Strategic Ventures injects capital, expertise and network to expand its portfolio
• The company is developing a family of brands with its portfolio approach
• Company management believes that there is significant opportunity in the industry to create and control specific industry niches

Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) acquires and develops companies within the cannabis and ancillary sectors that are in startup and growth stages. Cannabis Strategic Ventures, based in Los Angeles, California, injects capital, expertise and network to hyper-grow its portfolio. The company concentrates on supporting entrepreneurial growth within the fast-growing legal cannabis sector and works to provide a public vehicle entity to investors looking to invest in a vertically integrated company that approaches the cannabis and cannabidiol industries from a global viewpoint.

The legal cannabis industry is positioned for significant growth. Forbes notes (http://ibn.fm/4QP6v) that, “Spending on legal cannabis worldwide is expected to hit $57 billion by 2027. The adult-use (recreational) market will cover 67% of the spending; medical marijuana will take up the remaining 33%.” The biggest group of cannabis buyers will be in North America. Spending is forecast to increase from $9.2 billion in 2017 to $47.3 billion in 2027.

To this end, Cannabis Strategic Ventures’ management believes that there is a major opportunity in the industry to create and control specific industry niches by developing cannabis consumer brands to complement the organization’s hard assets. The company is bringing together expertise in the cultivation, product sales and personnel services for the cannabis sector and offers, via a select portfolio of subsidiaries, products, technologies and services made to match the growth aspects of cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries and other cannabis industry participants.

With its portfolio approach, Cannabis Strategic Ventures is developing a collection of brands. These brands cover varied areas including cannabis oil, concentrate extraction services and staffing for the cannabis sector, as well as cannabis cultivation (http://ibn.fm/lSz9v). The company’s portfolio comprises Halo Filters, Fitamins, The Asher House Wellness and Pure Applied Sciences.

Halo Filters is a unique filter material for protecting the lungs from harmful toxins and chemicals. Fitamins is a proprietary joint formula infused with cannabidiol to enhance health and wellness. The Asher House offers whole plant-based cannabidiol for pets.

Pure Applied Sciences offers its PureOrganix brand. This is a line of organic and pure cannabis oils and related accessories. Pure Applied Sciences has a cannabis concentrate extraction services agreement with CP Logistics LLC. Through this agreement, CP Logistics will perform white label services, producing high quality, ultra-purified cannabis extracts for Pure Applied Sciences out of its Sun-Oil Facility in Cathedral City, California. It will do so under the PureOrganix brand name (http://ibn.fm/cVwSV).

Cannabis Strategic Ventures continues to center on investing in and securing market share in the $10 billion cannabis and $900 million hemp industries. An umbrella company, it is expanding its product lines to include beauty products while it adds cultivation to its portfolio for better vertical integration. This strategy offers considerable growth potential for the company and its stakeholders in diverse verticals.

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

• Pacific’s B2B cross-border platform aims to facilitate trade expansion
• China strengthens trade ties with Latin America
• Blockchain technology holds promise to improve food safety and quality

Different times call for different measures. In antiquity, caravans traversed the 4,000 miles between China and the West bearing silk, spices and news. They traveled along what is now known as the Silk Road, a term coined by German explorer Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen in the late nineteenth century. But that was then. Today, both goods and information can travel by other channels. While trade must go by train, boat and plane, trading information between East and West can occur electronically through a platform like the one being developed by Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF). The tech company is out to facilitate trade between China and Brazil with an e-commerce trade platform that looks set to become an important hub in a digital Silk Road.

Trade between China and Brazil looks set to increase. Although China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner since 2009, trade between the two giants is a fraction of what it might be. Currently, exports and imports between the two countries run at around $40 billion per annum. This is a mere seven percent or so of the $600 billion traded between the U.S. and China. Moreover, the incentives for China to diversify its trading relationships are intensifying. The Trump administration’s approach is likely to keep trade between the two countries a matter of contention. As a result, China has been looking to do business further afield, and exhibitors from across the world, such as Pacific Software, having been showing up at China’s trade fairs.

Pacific Software took part in the recently concluded 124th Autumn Canton Fair, which ran from October 15 to November 4 in the city of Guangzhou. The company was a co-sponsor of ‘Latin America Night’, a featured event at the Fair, which is said to be China’s largest, typically attracting close to 20,000 vendors and about 200,000 buyers. Held on October 31, 2018, the Fair’s ‘Latin American Night’ provided an opportunity for Pacific Software to demonstrate its B2B e-commerce solutions and blockchain system.

Pacific’s Agri-Blockchain B2B e-commerce platform is designed to work as an overlay to existing international distribution channels. Initially, it will be employed to facilitate trade between Brazil and China, but it is expected to find additional application as China develops trading relationships in the Southern Hemisphere.

The PFSF platform will be developed using IBM’s Hyperledger Blockchain Backend as a Service (BaaS) infrastructure. The platform is expected to allow Pacific’s Agri-Blockchain technology to record, store and track a variety of digital product information, including farm origination details, batch numbers, factory and processing data, expiration dates, storage temperatures and shipping details. The B2B cross-border trade platform is expected to increase the diversity of China’s trading relationships, reduce costs by eliminating the plethora of middle men, shorten the trade process time cycle by replacing paper with digital records and, importantly, enhance food quality by providing faster alerts when food is contaminated.

The Silk Road team at Pacific Software is headed by Harrysen Mittler, Peter Pizzino and Wang-chan Wong. Mittler, CEO and chairman of the board at Pacific, has over 30 years’ experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, business administration and commerce. He held the positions of chairman and president at Grand Prix Sports, Inc., which owned a stake in Nordic Racing Ltd., a FIA F3000 racing team and the support venue for the Formula 1 International auto racing series. He also served as CFO at Nortia Capital Partners Inc., a publicly traded merchant banking company, and Autoworks International Ltd., a company quoted on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Pacific’s president is Peter Pizzino, an executive with an extensive career, spanning over 25 years, in the securities and investment industry. Pizzino has served in several NYSE boutique securities firms on Wall Street and has played a part in generating several hundred million U.S. dollars in client offerings. Pacific’s technical advisor is Wang-chan Wong, PhD. He is the founder of KB Quest Group Inc., a spin-off from which, Cobalt 47 Technologies Ltd., will construct Pacific’s multi-lingual e-commerce B2B and B2C trade platform. KBQuest Group, Inc. is the leading Microsoft distributor in China and was named ‘Microsoft SQL Partner of the Year 2017’.

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