• The company is on target to meet the more stringent reporting standards and compliance requirements for a successful uplisting
• Niche acquisitions and a vertically-integrated strategy will further enable the company’s sustainable market growth in the years to come
• Cannabis Strategic Ventures aims to create and control specific cannabis industry niches through focused brand development and acquisitions of hard assets for growth, distribution and manufacturing

Los Angeles-based cannabis industry incubator Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS) recently submitted its application to uplist to the OTCQB Venture Market, a move that supports the company’s broader, acquisition-based growth strategy. According to a press release, OTCQB uplisting requires compliance with more rigorous criteria, transparent financial reporting and completion of an extensive certification and verification process (http://ibn.fm/bQ4CK).

Following the proposed uplisting, the company will need to maintain a minimum share price and provide investors with increased transparency, which could result in greater liquidity and awareness. Cannabis Strategic Ventures’ management is confident that all of these requirements are fully met.

“We have many new initiatives planned in 2019 and we are managing our business operations for growth. This uplisting is designed to demonstrate to our investors and to the marketplace that Cannabis Strategic Ventures is well-prepared for the future,” Cannabis Strategic Ventures CEO Simon Yu stated in a news release.

The uplisting supports the company’s broader growth strategy, which is primarily based on acquisitions of both cannabidiol brands and hard assets, such as growth facilities. A diversified portfolio will allow Cannabis Strategic Ventures to tap into multiple market niches and capitalize on the constantly growing cannabis sector.

According to forecasts, legal cannabis spending worldwide will increase from $20.1 billion in 2018 to $43.3 billion in 2022 and $63.5 billion in 2024 (http://ibn.fm/JyMgz). In North America alone, the industry is expected to grow from $9.2 billion in 2017 to $47.3 billion just a decade later (http://ibn.fm/7yyI3). Industry analysis suggests that recreational use will dominate sales in North America, while medical use will yield more sales in Europe.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures aims to create and control specific cannabis industry niches by developing cannabis consumer brands. The company’s approach is based on experience in an array of key fields, including cannabis cultivation; personnel services for the cannabis industry; product development; and technological solutions that meet the needs of manufacturers, cultivators, dispensaries and other legal cannabis industry representatives.

The Cannabis Strategic Ventures portfolio already features a collection of niche brands like Halo Filters, The Asher House Wellness, Fitamins, LYXR and Pure Applied Sciences.

The company continues to invest in and develop companies within the cannabis and ancillary sectors. Both startups and growth stage businesses are of interest to the Cannabis Strategic Ventures leadership team. The company provides the capital, know-how and networking opportunities required to ensure the fast and sustainable growth of represented brands.

Additionally, Cannabis Strategic Ventures is working toward expanding its product lines to feature beauty products, while cultivation and manufacturing strategies featured in the corporate portfolio enable better vertical integration.

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

• Icon Exploration CEO Rob Fia selected City View Green after careful consideration of industry trends and expectations
• City View Green team offers experience and production potential, as well as a 40,000 square foot production facility and a pending medical license through Health Canada
• Medicinal cannabis market has been projected to reach $25 billion by 2020

Icon Exploration Inc. (TSX.V: IEX.H), a well-diversified company aiming to augment its shareholders’ investments, is making moves to become a major player in the cannabis industry, which continues to flourish in Canada and the United States due to recent legalization legislation.

The company’s goal in the rapidly growing cannabis market is to become a leading purveyor of medicinal and recreational cannabis while keeping customer ease and satisfaction at the center of its comprehensive user experience.

Historically, cannabis companies’ market value has been tied to their ability to produce large quantities of product, as well as their ability to secure licensing status in the medical cannabis sector. As the industry has evolved, drawing a larger number of players to the table, companies have had to increase innovation and strategy to maintain competitive. Currently, “Investors are focusing more on production costs, extraction processes, and consumer products that will become legal” in the future (http://ibn.fm/6qSAk). New companies are focusing on cannabis edibles, beverages and cosmetics infused with cannabidiol (CBD), among other products.

With Icon Exploration’s current focus on the cannabis industry, president and CEO Rob Fia has spent several years surveying industry trends, aiming to secure a smaller company that met criteria which he felt would create sustainable success, even weathering potential market fluctuations in the coming years. He sought to acquire a company (http://ibn.fm/2QqUa), intent on “lowering production costs and developing efficient extraction and processing methodologies.” He cited the importance of “developing consumer products focused on the retail market, because the higher margins and potential will be there, not in flower.” Finally, he wanted to acquire a state-of-the art growing facility and build a management and operations team with industry experience. He saw such potential in City View Green (“CVG”).

Icon Exploration earlier signed a formal share exchange agreement relating to its proposed acquisition of City View Green, a vertically integrated cannabis company incorporated under the laws of Ontario, Canada. Though Fia was approached by many companies, CVG offered the production potential and industry presence for which he was searching.

The City View Green team, by “building its company from scratch,” has been able to avoid the industry pitfalls witnessed in other companies. It expects to receive its license from Health Canada in the near future (http://ibn.fm/YJZRA) and “is in discussions with partners that could provide access to 37 stores across Canada for distribution.” Additionally, the company is building a 40,000 square foot cultivation facility in Ontario, which will be focused on producing pharmaceutical-grade cannabis.

Through its strategic acquisitions and moves into the burgeoning cannabis industry, Icon Exploration continues to fulfill its mission of creating a well-diversified company that’s able to produce long-term returns for its shareholders and investors.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IconExploration.net

• Board strengthened through appointment of independent directors
• Additional talent rounds up management team as preparations for planned uplisting escalate
• Pursuit of over 20 cannabis licenses from California Bureau of Cannabis Control continues
• NUGS plans to develop 250,000 square feet of cultivation space

Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS) recently added a number of cannabis industry insiders to its executive team and board of directors. In October 2018, the company announced the appointment of Alan Tran to its board of directors. Tran brings strong financial and strategic skills to Cannabis Strategic Ventures, having led several successful management, consulting and financial teams, not only within the cannabis, health care and technology market sectors, but also within leading Fortune 500 companies. More recently, NUGS has declared its intention to add two independent directors to the board. This is a precursor to its planned uplisting to the OTCQB Venture Market. The company also intends to add additional brands and assets to its portfolio.

“The following board of director and team appointments reflect the growth we’ve experienced as a company and our commitment to positioning Cannabis Strategic Ventures as a leader in the cannabis industry,” Simon Yu, CEO of Cannabis Strategic Ventures, noted in a news release. “As we begin the uplisting process and take advantage of increasingly favorable cannabis legislation worldwide, having a leading team in place will allow us to quickly scale and address industry demands.”

The board of directors was strengthened through the appointments of Tad Mailander and Jesus Quintero (http://ibn.fm/Vqqjx). Mailander, who is currently a director of American Cannabis Company, is an attorney with experience in handling SEC-related matters. Jesus Quintero is presently CFO of MassRoots, a leading technology platform for the cannabis industry. Quintero previously served as CFO of Brazil Interactive Media. He has a wealth of experience in public company reporting. Accounting scandals in the 2000s have caused Congress and a variety of regulatory bodies to strengthen governance requirements – including the appointment of independent directors – for public companies.

NUGS’ executive suite will also see two new faces. The company has named Chris Young as its chief strategy officer. Young, who is currently a board member, is an accomplished entertainment lawyer, fashion entrepreneur and venture capital investor. Arlene Guzman will become vice president of communications and operations. Guzman previously worked at Vantage Point Capital Partners, a firm with more than $4.5 billion in capital under management. She brings over 15 years’ experience as a communications and operations professional in the venture capital and government spaces.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures expects its planned uplisting to provide readier access to capital, as well as increasing the market and liquidity of the company’s securities. Recently, the company finalized the audit of its fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, marking the last of three audits required by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) as a condition of becoming a fully reporting company.

The company has been executing a number of initiatives over the past few months. Earlier in December, it announced its pursuit of over 20 cannabis licenses from the California Bureau of Cannabis Control, which it expects will lead to the development of a substantial cannabis growth operation of approximately 250,000 square feet of turnkey greenhouse space. NUGS will commence cultivating as soon as licenses are issued (http://ibn.fm/iVdJl).

In November, details of a deal with Biolog Inc. were announced. NUGS and Biolog, a portfolio client, will embark on a program to develop water-soluble cannabis technologies for use in cannabis- and phytocannabinoid-rich infused foods, beverages and consumer products.

In July, NUGS signed an agreement with Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQX: SNNVF), under which a Sunniva subsidiary, CP Logistics, LLC (“CPL”), will provide cannabis concentrate extraction services to Pure Applied Sciences, Inc. (“PAS”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cannabis Strategic Ventures. CPL will perform white label services, producing high quality, ultra-purified cannabis extracts out of its Sun-Oil Facility in Cathedral City, California, for PAS under the “Pure Organix” brand – a brand that was recently acquired by Cannabis Strategic Ventures. The agreement is for a 12-month term and may be renewed for an additional 12 months at the request of PAS at the expiry of the initial term (http://ibn.fm/cBH56).

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

• The Flowr Corporation anticipates maximizing yield even further, lowering production costs to C$2.05 per gram in 2019
• Company seeking strategic partnerships to ensure solid distribution channels and opportunities to advance cultivation techniques
• Cannabis supply expected to surpass demand, giving competitive advantages to companies with high yields and low production costs

Canadian cannabis product manufacturer The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF) has designed and built 17 cultivation facilities to date, relying on innovative processes to ensure high yields and low production costs. This methodology could give Flowr a competitive advantage moving forward as anticipated changes occur in the cannabis sector.

A vertically integrated company, The Flowr Corporation produces premium cannabis products and currently operates under three producer licenses issued by Health Canada. Under the guidance of its knowledgeable and experienced executive team, the company has established a flagship Kelowna campus — a facility that’s considered to be one of the most advanced in terms of cannabis cultivation worldwide.

Such assets could provide Flowr with a significant advantage over the competition in the next few years. According to industry analysis, an upcoming supply glut is anticipated in the cannabis sector. Supply is on pace to surpass demand for the product by 2020, a market development that will favor producers capable of ensuring high yields and cost efficiency (http://ibn.fm/bvEXa).

The Flowr Corporation differentiates itself from the competition through the exceptional yield per square foot at its production facilities. As the supply continues to increase, companies will be forced to reduce their prices in order to remain competitive. Flowr has already reached a price point that may be difficult for others to surpass.

To increase its competitiveness even further, Flowr is currently working on optimizing its yield. Company co-founder and Chairman Steve Klein noted that yield is the most important performance indicator in the industry. Higher yields reduce production costs, and, in 2019, Flowr anticipates reaching a cost of C$2.05 per gram.

According to an article published by investment advice website The Motley Fool, Flowr beats most Canadian producers when it comes to crop yields. The company’s cost per gram announced for 2019 is lower than what large marijuana producers such as Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) and Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) are capable of offering.

Flowr has also been working to ensure a solid distribution network via partnerships with reputable industry representatives.

Earlier this month, Flowr and Shoppers Drug Mart announced a multiyear deal for the supply of medical cannabis for the Shoppers online store (http://ibn.fm/XVj62). Shoppers Drug Mart is Canada’s largest retail pharmacy chain, with 1,300 locations from coast to coast.

The partnership will provide patients with premium medicinal cannabis, according to Flowr co-CEO Tom Flow. Strict processes and state-of-the-art growing facilities enable Flowr to provide patients with high-quality product and consistent benefits.

Flowr focuses on premium and ultra-premium production. As a result, the company anticipates appealing even more to an exclusive group of customers. In addition, this adherence to strict industry standards resulted in a research and development partnership with Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) subsidiary Hawthorne Gardening. In October 2018, the two companies broke ground on North America’s first research and development facility dedicated to advancing cannabis cultivation techniques (http://ibn.fm/3i2x6).

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

• Pacific Software is a development technology innovator focused on facilitating greater trade between China and Latin America
• The company is preparing to take import industry subscribers for its new BOAPIN blockchain-based trade solution
• The company’s virtual technological Silk Road will initially link China and Brazil import/exports, with eye on expansion through Latin America
• BOAPIN is designed for trade transparency to facilitate solutions across international borders

Emerging business development technology innovator Pacific Software Inc. (OTC: PFSF) announced earlier this month that its anticipated e-commerce platform for international transactions, known as BOAPIN, will soon begin to register new buyers and sellers as it builds a virtual Silk Road for trade between China and South America.

“As global economies explore strategies to improve cross-border data infrastructure, Pacific Software is creating smart contract technology that integrates important functionalities for seamless global supply chain management,” Pacific Software CEO and Chairman Harrysen Mittler stated in the January 3 news release (http://ibn.fm/EmGrY).

Pacific Software’s mission is to enable global trade expansion by creating a technological portal that crosses borders and allows buyers and sellers to work seamlessly and transparently without being stymied by barriers of language, distance or regulations. BOAPIN is designed to improve how product movement through the supply chain is traced so its subscribers can manage quality and certification issues. The smart contract technology also provides solutions that facilitate data collection and analysis, marketing, searches for specific commodities, payments across borders and customs clearance.

The company is focused on building its virtual Silk Road between China and Brazil, the largest countries on their respective continents but half a world away from each other geographically. China is an increasingly international player (http://ibn.fm/fb7sl), as evidenced by its recent efforts to practically corner the market on critical components in the lithium-ion batteries that power the majority of the world’s computer products.

A heightened trading partnership between Brazil and China through a proprietary Pacific Software platform at a time when the United States is questioning its dominant trade relationship with China could strengthen Brazil’s already $40 billion yearly pipeline (http://ibn.fm/A50jt). Once it is in place, Pacific Software could use it as a springboard for lengthening the virtual Silk Road to other areas of South America.

Pacific Software co-sponsored the Latin America Night event at the 124th session of the Canton Fair PDC (Product Development Council) Design Show in Guangzhou, China, in November to foster potential networking relationships between government officials and businesses (http://ibn.fm/oYaLs). The company also represented itself at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

The technological wizardry of BOAPIN is due to the contributions of IBM’s Hyperledger Blockchain Backend as a Service (BaaS) infrastructure. The platform tracks, records and stores digital product information by integrating blockchain components, and it is accessible via a variety of channels linked into the Internet of Things.

“Reassurance regarding the provenance, safety and quality of products delivered may save exporters significant time and resources in the event a product becomes subject to recall,” the company stated in a news release issued on November 29 (http://ibn.fm/m85In). Through the use of the company’s blockchain-based solution, “an error free, tamper proof record covering the entire supply chain may be provided which could pinpoint the precise origin of any contamination, thereby enabling a narrow, focused and efficient recall of the affected products.”

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

• Planting at the Scio project in Oregon can begin in late May or early June, extending the growing season by 45 to 60 days
• The project has already received Oregon Department of Agriculture registration to cultivate hemp in 2019
• Company will cultivate three different strains of hemp, characterized by high CBD content and a very low THC level

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, announced on January 10 that clone production at the Scio, Oregon, high yielding CBD hemp project is underway. MCOA and joint venture partner Global Hemp Group Inc. (OTC: GBHPF) (CSE: GHG) (FRANKFURT: GHG) are preparing to begin planting as early as possible in 2019, which will have a positive effect on the length of the growing season (http://ibn.fm/ilRRX).

In 2018, MCOA had a late start because of delays in finalizing the acquisition of the Scio property – a 109-acre farm to cultivate high yielding CBD hemp. The property is located in the fertile Willamette Valley that has a history of hemp cultivation.

According to plans, planting can begin in late May or early June this year. As a result, MCOA will lengthen the growing season by 45 to 60 days. The additional time will allow for the plants to grow considerably larger and to generate a significantly larger quantity of biomass in comparison to 2018.

The company will cultivate three strains of hemp at the Scio project this year. All three strains are characterized by high CBD content, ultra-low levels of THC and substantial biomass yields. Additionally, the selected strains have superior pest resistance and a shorter flowering period, enabling earlier harvest.

The hardiest phenotypes will create the mother plants that will be in the heart of the cloning process. MCOA started the cloning process in November 2018, soon after the completion of the annual harvest and drying operation. As a result of the cloning operation, MCOA expects to have approximately 40,000 plants that will be needed for the lower 35 acres of the farm.

MCOA is also working on expanding the scope of the cloning operation. The Scio project team is upgrading both the light and the electrical systems in the property greenhouses. According to preliminary estimates, cloning operations are projected to produce a greater number of plants than what’s required for the farm.

Getting the cloning project underway has an added benefit for MCOA; it eliminates the need for the purchase of clones produced by third-party growers. In 2018, the company had to adopt such an approach, which contributed to operating expenses of more than $200,000 due to the late acquisition of the property. There was not time to produce enough clones for the 2018 crop.

Covered Bridge Acres (“CBA”), the project operating company, has already received Oregon Department of Agriculture registration to cultivate hemp in 2019. In addition, CBA has a permit to produce and handle agricultural hemp seed, which means that a seed breeding program can be established.

MCOA specializes in the production and development of legal hemp-derived CBD products under the hempSMART™ brand. The brand targets general health and wellbeing.

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

• SinglePoint recently launched Phyto-Bites product to help pets – particularly dogs – deal with stress, pain and separation anxiety
• The company anticipates building on its vertical acquisition strategy in 2019 to capitalize on federal hemp legalization
• Market forecasts anticipate U.S. pet industry expenditures, which would include therapeutic products, to more than double within the next few years

Pet owners looking for natural therapies to help their four-legged loved ones through bouts of pain and anxiety are gaining an increasing array of options as the cannabis revolution opens the doors to new product research, including therapeutics for animals. Now, SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING), a diversified holding company specializing in M&A activity that promotes new technologies, finds itself among a competitive field that’s wild about cannabidiol (CBD) therapeutics for pets as cannabis legalization continues to advance, as noted in a report by Investorideas.com (http://ibn.fm/Mmyyx).

SinglePoint subsidiary SingleSeed.com recently launched its Phyto-Bites product as a brand formulated to reduce stress, pain, separation anxiety and inflammation – particularly for dogs. The company is working with manufacturer CBD Unlimited (formerly Endexx) to distribute the product online and in stores across the nation.

“We are very excited to add this to our list of products. The pet market is a tremendous opportunity and we plan to attend and use all our contacts to promote this product at every opportunity we are presented with,” SinglePoint CEO Greg Lambrecht stated in the report.

“We love our pets. Raising pets like they are members of our families means we go the extra mile for them. Especially when it comes time to address their health problems,” the company states in its blog (http://ibn.fm/DOzsT). “More and more pet owners are turning to CBD to help their buddies in similar fashions.”

The Investorideas.com report cites forecasts from the American Pet Products Association and New Frontier Data predicting that U.S. pet industry expenditures will grow from over $72 billion last year to $202.6 billion by 2025, with a five-year CAGR of 57 percent by 2022.

The states’ rights movements of recent years led to a spreading legalization of “medical marijuana” and, in a few cases, recreational drug use, despite federal drug policy outlawing it. The movement was emboldened when a cannabis-based pharmaceutical received federal Food and Drug Administration approval last year, and then Congress passed legislation allowing hemp to be grown commercially in the United States without drug control oversight, even though the FDA continues to require regulatory oversight for CBD use in food products.

“Selling unapproved products with unsubstantiated therapeutic claims is not only a violation of the law, but also can put patients at risk, as these products have not been proven to be safe or effective,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb stated in a release (http://ibn.fm/Hh735). “At the same time, we recognize the potential opportunities that cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds could offer and acknowledge the significant interest in these possibilities. We’re committed to pursuing an efficient regulatory framework for allowing product developers that meet the requirements under our authorities to lawfully market these types of products.”

SinglePoint is exploring opportunities to produce industrial hemp through joint venture opportunities with agricultural growers. The company has also placed an investment in a program that would grow hemp strains of CBD in a photobioreactor as an initiative to reduce the cost and time involved in making a potentially pharmaceutical-grade product.

“We are excited for these new opportunities in the hemp market and have been preparing the company to be in a position in the event the 2018 Farm Bill passed. Now that it has, it’s a matter of closing on the negotiations we have started,” Lambrecht stated in December (http://ibn.fm/80ZRw). “I intend and plan for SinglePoint to be a key player in the distribution of hemp products and sourcing the best products we can in the market.”

“2019 will be a banner year for SinglePoint we are equipped with the proper funding, partners and opportunities to be firing on all cylinders,” he added on January 10 (http://ibn.fm/aSHqc). “We as a team expect to position SingleSeed and SinglePoint as market leads in the CBD market while continuing to enable founders of the companies we have acquired to grow their businesses.”

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

• Lexaria Nicotine LLC partners with one of the world’s largest tobacco companies
• Opportunity to change nicotine delivery and improve the lives of millions
• Retains ownership of DehydraTECH while licensing the technology out to multiple industries

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) recently announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Lexaria Nicotine LLC, has partnered with one of the world’s largest tobacco companies to fund the research and development of Lexaria’s patented DehydraTECH (http://ibn.fm/YwFuE). The partnership may potentially commercialize this cutting-edge technology for oral nicotine delivery.

Chris Bunka, CEO of Lexaria Bioscience, is excited about the opportunity to work with a world-class partner. In a recent press release, Bunka stated, “Together we have the opportunity to change nicotine delivery and make a difference in the lives of millions of consumers.”

Lexaria’s goal is to create an oral product that eliminates the need for inhalation and helps curb the smoking habits of consumers. Over six million deaths a year worldwide are attributed to nicotine delivery through smoking. The company believes that its DehydraTECH technology may help the 69 percent of U.S. adult smokers who want to quit move from cigarettes to a safer, more effective delivery of nicotine (http://ibn.fm/Aps9F). This new partnership allows for further research and development into oral, reduced-risk nicotine consumer products.

In exchange for a minority equity interest in Lexaria’s nicotine subsidiary, the partner will fund up to $12 million through multiple phased private financings for Lexaria Nicotine LLC to conduct further research and development. Assuming nicotine products using DehydraTECH become available to consumers, Lexaria Nicotine will receive a royalty on revenue generated. The partner has been given exclusive license rights to commercialize oral nicotine products in the United States and nonexclusive rights for global commercialization. The partner also holds the option to acquire ownership of the subsidiary and has the right to appoint one of seven directors to the subsidiary’s board of directors, with the potential to appoint additional directors in the future.

Lexaria has created a number of individual subsidiaries, such as Lexaria Nicotine, that allow the company to retain ownership of DehydraTECH technology and license its use to multiple industries. This innovative oral technology improves the taste, smell, rapidity and delivery of bioactive compounds, which allows for the delivery of substances within edible food products rather than the traditional unhealthy practice of smoking.

DehydraTECH works as an enabling technology rather than a competing one, thereby allowing partnerships within multiple industries. Currently, the technology is patent protected for cannabidiol and all other non-psychoactive cannabinoids. Patents are pending for THC, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), nicotine, other psychoactive cannabinoids and other molecules. Lexaria has a total of 10 patents issued with over 50 more pending.

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

• ETST gives Forzagen exclusive distribution rights for its high-grade, full-spectrum cannabinoids in all Latin American countries
• ETST chairman says that partnership will give company additional exposure and revenue as products are sold in new territories
• SeeThruEquity projects that ETST will achieve $7.1 million in revenues by 2020 as it grows distribution of CBD product line

Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST), a biotech company focused on the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields, as well as medical devices and hemp cannabinoid (CBD) products, has partnered with premium dietary supplement provider Forzagen to distribute ETST’s line of cannabinoids throughout Mexico and South America (http://ibn.fm/OnLqW).

As part of the agreement, Forzagen will be given exclusive rights to distribute ETST’s high-grade, full-spectrum cannabinoids in all Latin American countries. Forzagen’s distribution includes retailers such as Sam’s Club and Petco.

The partnership marketing, to be launched in the future, calls for Forzagen to distribute three ETST products: High Grade Full Spectrum Cannabinoids–Raw (.05 oz.), High Grade Full Spectrum Pet Cannabinoids–Raw (1oz.) and High Grade Full Spectrum Cannabinoids Veggie Caps.

ETST, based in Doral, Florida, says that it will collaborate with Forzagen on the linguistics of product labels and marketing in each Latin territory within the distribution network. “Powered by ETST” will be on the Spanish packaging to ensure that consumers are informed about the highly effective quality of the company’s cannabinoids.

“This partnership is an amazing opportunity for us to tap into fresh territories through Forzagen’s established distribution network,” ETST Chairman Nickolas S. Tabraue stated in a news release. “We expect to gain great exposure and additional revenue through this strategic partnership.”

ETST sees FY2019 as a pivotal expansion year. SeeThruEquity projects that ETST’s diverse activities will enable the company to reach revenues of $7.1 million by 2020 (http://ibn.fm/5ANRl).

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

• Icon plans to operate in both medical and recreational cannabis markets
• Preparation of 40,000-square-foot resource in Brantford, Ontario, underway
• Recreational marijuana market forecast to record CAGR of 77.9 percent from 2018 to reach $3 billion in 2021

What may be a tough call in horseracing is much easier in Canada’s cannabis market. The odds of choosing both the winner and the second-place finisher in any race – an exacta – are never good, but, for Icon Exploration Inc. (TSX.V: IEX.H), the probability of picking winners in Canada’s cannabis market is decidedly better. In what is a win-win situation for Icon, the company has placed bets on both recreational and medical cannabis. This legal market is growing at double-digit rates, and, capitalizing on that growth, Icon is aiming to create a well-diversified company that produces long-term returns for shareholders. To do so, it intends to be a leading purveyor of medicinal and recreational cannabis, while, at the same time, providing the most comprehensive and customer-centric user experience for both patients and consumers.

It has already embarked on that enlightened mission. Icon’s strategy has begun with a foray into medical cannabis, and it plans to capture and market that theme of wellness and good health garnered from marketing medicinal marijuana as it sets about its recreational cannabis operations. The company is finalizing its acquisition of City View Green (“CVG”), a vertically integrated cannabis company. CVG has submitted an application to Health Canada for a producer license under Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), which is currently in the in-depth review stage.

CVG is in the process of preparing a 40,000-square-foot resource in Brantford, Ontario, about half of which will be converted into a modern greenhouse. Pending receipt of the license, this facility will produce pharmaceutical-grade cannabis. CVG has engaged experienced contractors with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and medical cannabis space to manage the process. The grow area will have state-of-the-art LED lighting, HVAC and dehumidification systems and automation technologies designed to optimize the quality, safety and consistency of cannabis production. A 4,000-square-foot extraction laboratory is also on the drawing board; initially, it will employ an ultra-efficient CO2 supercritical extraction process and, subsequently, ethanol extraction technology.

Production will be marketed through an associated distribution channel that CVG is in the process of setting up. The company has signed an agreement with a retailer that has applied for 37 cannabis licenses in Alberta. The agreement provides that, on closing, each company will receive an equity interest equal to 19.99 percent of the other. The deal essentially creates a vertically integrated entity, with guaranteed supplies for retailing and a ready market to which production can be dispatched.

CVG believes that it has assembled an experienced team that can deliver on its business plan. The company has secured a master grower with cannabis-industry experience to attend to indoor grow operations and has identified both a quality assurance manager and head of security. CVG has also retained an extraction expert from the Seattle, Washington, cannabis market, who has amassed significant expertise in developing and launching new products from extractions. In addition, the company plans hires with strong experience in the alcohol and beverage industry.

Winning in the Canadian cannabis market should be a piece of cake. The Canadian government projects that 450,000 customers a day will participate in the cannabis market, making recreational cannabis in Canada a $900 million industry. It expects initial market demand to be 100,000 kg, and users are projected to grow by more than a half million within the first three years of legal cannabis sales in the country. Adult-use spending is expected to record a rapid CAGR of 77.9 percent from 2018, reaching $3 billion in 2021.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.IconExploration.net