• Farm Bill 2018 legalizes hemp production in the United States, with some restrictions
• Hemp industry already estimated to reach over $1 billion in 2018 revenues
• Sugarmade, Inc. investing in hemp production to take advantage of the fast-growing U.S. hemp and cannabis market

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD), one of the largest publicly traded hydroponic supply companies, is discovering new opportunities in the hemp and cannabis industry as a landmark farm bill legalizes hemp cultivation in the United States.

The 2018 Farm Bill, approved by Congress and signed by President Trump, signifies important progress for enthusiasts of the cannabis plant and its by-products. While former laws did not differentiate between hemp and other cannabis plants (all were deemed illegal under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970), this latest bill has legalized the production of hemp in the United States, with some restrictions (http://ibn.fm/w3UXJ).

One noteworthy restriction dictates that hemp may contain no more than 0.3 percent THC, which is the plant’s compound responsible for creating a ‘high’. If a hemp product exceeds this amount, it would be classified as marijuana and thus no longer be protected under the Farm Bill.

The U.S. industrial hemp market is estimated to reach over $1 billion in 2018 revenues. Recently, Sugarmade has expanded its reach in the hydroponics industry and has strategic intentions to stay abreast of this burgeoning market, which will be made all the more lucrative with the passing of the 2018 legislation. The company is poised to meet this market upswell, as it has recently started planting an ultra-high cannabidiol (CBD) industrial hemp strain in Kentucky, which is known as “one of the best places to cultivate hemp in the world.”

Many in the industry are comparing the booming cannabis and hemp industry to the gold rush of the 19th century. As legalization legislation spreads throughout the country and economic demand for the products grows, companies are clamoring to diversify their products and services in order to get a piece of the multi-billion dollar action. Sugarmade is a noteworthy example. It has launched its own industrial hemp initiative, evidenced in part by its investment in Hempistry, a company specializing in hemp production. Among other industries, hemp has been seeing immense popularity in food and body care products, and it was recently named one of the top trends to watch by Whole Foods Market (http://ibn.fm/RuRez).

Sugarmade, Inc. seeks to strengthen its competitive edge in the hemp and cannabis market through expansion and acquisition of brands with disruptive potential. Its current brands include ZenHydro.com, CarryOutSupplies.com and BudLife.

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

• Inferred mineral resource estimate at flagship Iron Creek Cobalt Project includes 26.9 million tonnes grading 0.11 percent cobalt equivalent
• Company working to extend the strike length and down dip depth by at least double current measures
• Electric vehicle (EV) revolution reveals dramatic increase in demand for cobalt, a key ingredient in rechargeable batteries
• High voltage battery market projected to grow to $89.1 billion by 2025 from $8.9 billion in 2018 at CAGR of 38.95 percent

First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (ASX: FCC), a North American pure-play cobalt company whose flagship asset is the Iron Creek Cobalt Project located in Idaho, has filed its first NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the project and is already anticipating an updated resource estimate in early 2019. In a recently released corporate video, members of the company’s senior leadership team offered a compelling discussion defining the characteristics that make Iron Creek a unique cobalt asset (http://ibn.fm/pEbkx).

Cobalt has become a critically important metal because of its use as a component in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are used in cars, buses, smartphones and a host of other devices. Cobalt enables rechargeable batteries to stock energy without overheating. First Cobalt’s progress at Iron Creek is tangible as crews continue exploratory drilling. Significant infrastructure is in place at the site to support multiple drills, including 600 meters of underground development and an all-weather road connecting the project to a state highway. The Iron Creek property consists of patented mining claims surrounded by unpatented mining claims covering an area of 1,698 acres.

First Cobalt has identified two primary zones of mineral potential at its Iron Creek Cobalt Project, including the Waite and No Name zones, with inferred mineral resources of 26.9 million metric tons grading 0.11 percent cobalt equivalent. The zones comprise more than 500 meters (1,640.4 feet) of known strike length and dip depth of over 150 meters (492.1 feet) for the inferred resource statement, which are now being doubled through additional drilling along a 1,000-meter (3,280.8-foot) strike with testing of down dip extensions in known cobalt-copper zones to more than 300 meters (984.3 feet) below the surface, an earlier press release states (http://ibn.fm/8dW7k). Three drill rigs have been working to spur completion of an updated resource estimate by early 2019.

Demand for cobalt continues to rise as the world’s nations strive to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and move more decisively toward electrification of transportation. Cobalt demand in the electric vehicle (EV) industry is expected to be between 10 and 25 times higher than current levels by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency’s Global Electric Vehicles Outlook (http://ibn.fm/B3r3k). The number of electric and plug-in hybrid cars on the world’s roads exceeded three million in 2017, marking a 54 percent increase when compared with 2016, per IEA data. MarketsandMarkets projects that the global high voltage battery market will grow from $8.9 billion in 2018 to nearly $90 billion by 2025, achieving a compound annual growth rate of nearly 39 percent, as Digital Journal reports (http://ibn.fm/kP1gW).

As a North American pure-play cobalt company whose flagship asset is the Iron Creek Cobalt Project in Idaho, which has Inferred Mineral Resources of 26.9 million tonnes grading 0.11 percent cobalt equivalent, First Cobalt is focused on building a North American cobalt supply chain. The company’s other assets include 50 past-producing mines in the Canadian Cobalt Camp and the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America capable of producing battery materials.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ibn.fm/FTSSF

• SHRV has now reached cumulative sales of greater than $39 million since the December 2017 launch of products through its Elepreneur and Elevacity Global subsidiaries
• Product sales for the health & wellness division of Elevacity Global generated significant increases; SHRV also credits growth to implementation of its ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’
• SHRV intends to execute global expansion plans in 2019; earlier this year, it signed a joint venture agreement to sell its products in Asia

Sharing Services, Inc. (OTCQB: SHRV) reported revenues of $17.9 million for its second fiscal quarter of 2018, as compared to the company’s $12.9 million in first quarter 2018 revenue. SHRV said that its corporate record sales were driven in part by the success of Elevacity products (http://ibn.fm/PNtNF). It also said that it is supporting its pursuit of expansion by bringing on experienced talent and establishing a new corporate headquarters.

SHRV is a Plano, Texas-based diversified holding company that owns, operates or controls a variety of companies engaged in direct selling through independent sales representatives. It also offers services such as energy, technology and insurance.

In a news release (http://ibn.fm/wXwWf), John “JT” Thatch, CEO of SHRV, said, “Our second quarter results represent yet another significant milestone as we exceed our goals at a record-breaking pace and execute our mission to change the direct-selling industry with best-in-class products and services under our unique ‘Blue Ocean Strategy.’”

The Blue Ocean Strategy is a concept of marketing in an uncontested marketplace. SHRV also noted that its health-and-wellness line has been very successful and helped drive the sales gains.

The company plans to expand globally in the future. It recently signed a joint venture agreement with Hong Kong-based Health Wealth & Happiness Ltd. (HWH) to sell its products throughout Asia and expand its Elepreneur program (http://ibn.fm/IxAck).

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

• 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