• A merger between Skinvisible and Quoin Pharmaceuticals will enable a successful entry on the post-surgical pain management market
• Aging populations and a large number of surgical interventions in the West have contributed to significant market expansion
• By 2024, the pain management therapeutics market is expected to reach $83 billion

Skinvisible Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB: SKVI) recently announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent for a proposed merger with Quoin Pharmaceuticals Limited – a partnership that could address significant unmet medical needs on the pain management market. If both parties agree on the terms, the merger should be completed next year, with the resulting entity operating under the name Quoin Pharmaceuticals Inc. and continuing to trade on the OTCQB Venture Market.

Quoin’s strength is within the area of pharmaceutical development for products that address some of the most serious present-day health problems. Skinvisible is the developer of innovative delivery system technologies that can enhance product performance.

One of Quoin’s first lead products is QRX001 – a transdermal NMDA receptor antagonist for the effective treatment of pain following surgery. QRX001 delivers up to 72 hours of effective pain relief following surgical interventions. Almost 30 clinical studies have been performed to date on the NMDA receptor antagonist, clearly showing that sub-anesthetic doses reduced 24-hour PCA morphine consumption, reduced post-operative nausea and vomiting, reduced pain intensity and resulted in adverse events that were mild or absent, all while generating better results than any other existing single product or combination. The aim of the product is to also reduce the use of opioids for pain management following operations.

The opioid market in the US is estimated at $6 billion annually. With the opioid epidemic now deemed a National Health Emergency, there is a significant push to find new products that reduce or eliminate their use, particularly in a post-surgical setting, which is where 50 percent of people who become addicted first become exposed to these drugs.

Upon the product’s launch, QRX001 will provide surgeons with a new and effective alternative to opioids. Opioid abuse has reached an epidemic level in the U.S., with opioid overdoses causing more than 90 deaths per day (http://dtn.fm/XL9Wq). The number has grown exponentially in the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with opioid use remaining widespread despite the risks.

Today, approximately 12 million Americans report that they use pain killers in a non-medicinal way. Almost half of these victims were first introduced to opioids after undergoing surgery. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 100 million surgeries take place in the U.S. every year (http://dtn.fm/c5JbV). At least 50 million of these surgical interventions necessitate the use of post-operative pain management pharmaceuticals.

Currently, the pain management market in the U.S. is fueled by a number of sectors. The most prominent ones include post-operative pain relief, arthritis pain, cancer pain, migraine and neuropathic pain. As larger Western populations age and become susceptible to an array of medical conditions, the need for new pain management developments will grow even larger. The partnership between Skinvisible and Quoin perfectly positions the two companies to address these growing unmet needs on the pain management market.

A proposed second product that could hit the market sooner as a result of the proposed merger is QRX002 – a transdermal NMDA receptor antagonist for the treatment of suicidal tendencies in military veterans suffering from PTSD. The product will be intended for use once per day. The fight against PTSD is of profound importance, as estimates suggest that anywhere between 25 and 30 veterans commit suicide in the U.S. every day.

A Skinvisible announcement states that new technologies and product synergies between the two companies could potentially provide significant value to shareholders following the proposed merger. Together, Skinvisible and Quoin could maximize their product development opportunities, as noted by Skinvisible President Terry Howlett in a recent news release (http://dtn.fm/eL74P).

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

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• Letters of intent herald plans for popular digital currency wallet, marijuana business services
• Bitcoin enjoying meteoric rise; marijuana legalization continues to advance
• Large exchanges anticipating bitcoin futures contracts

Recent announcements of AppSwarm, Inc.’s (OTC: SWRM) forays into the cannabis and bitcoin industries demonstrate the mobile business incubation company’s focus on emerging revenue streams with anticipated success.

AppSwarm’s foundation is in the mobile gaming industry, which has provided it a stable of financial tech resources to leverage in accelerating ventures that don’t otherwise share much in common with game-playing apps. The company’s announcement in November that it had inked a letter of intent with USA Real Estate Holding Co. (OTC: USTC) to ride the surging popularity of bitcoin with a smartphone-based “wallet” for the alternative global currency network followed on the heels of an LOI with SinglePoint, Inc. (OTC: SING) to produce apps that will serve the cannabis industry and its consumers.

SWRM vets mobile apps with the potential for viral distribution through a proprietary screening process it refers to as the “Swarm,” drawing on decades of administrative experience in corporate turnaround and growth issues post acquisition or partnership agreement.

Bitcoin has remained somewhat controversial in the United States, despite signs that the digital currency is gaining traction among mainstream investors. At the close of November trading, Reuters reported Internet searches for information about bitcoin exceeded searches related to President Donald Trump for the first time (http://dtn.fm/eNK4r). Bitcoin trading had risen almost 1,100 percent year-over-year before volatile forces kicked in as some investors decided to cash-out profits.

The report stated that some large exchanges, such as Nasdaq, CBOE Holdings and CME Group, plan to introduce futures contracts based on bitcoin. Blockchain.info, which is one of the largest established bitcoin wallet providers worldwide, said that it added more than 100,000 customers on a single day amid the speculation, taking its total to more than 19 million.

Likewise, cannabis production is gaining popularity amid an advancing wave of legislation throughout the United States and other countries, where the marijuana plant is being touted for its potential medicinal properties as well as its recreational benefits. Canada, in particular, is poised to legalize recreational use of the drug nationwide in July (http://dtn.fm/wI7BL), prompting local governments to begin rushing regulatory processes into place as farming and testing companies anticipate the need for quality-controlled extracts.

AppSwarm’s bread and butter in the mobile app market targets a multi-billion dollar industry with a compound annual growth rate of 31 percent, according to the company’s own research. SWRM finished 2016 with $589,000 in annual revenues and corporate debt reduction of well over $500,000, and the company has maintained revenue production throughout the course of 2017. The company expects to report revenues of $6 million to $7 million by the end of 2018 (http://dtn.fm/x5zBh).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.App-Swarm.com

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• Demand for large grid-connected lithium batteries climbing
• Demand from electric vehicle industry also rising
• Company expanding exploration and production activities to meet demand

Utilities all around the world are plugging into lithium batteries, a trend that is establishing a new paradigm in the energy industry. Long employed at the micro level to power electrical and electronic devices, lithium batteries are now being employed at the macro level to power entire cities. Power utilities, in an effort to increase reliability of supply, are hooking up giant lithium battery installations to their grids. Already pressured by requirements from the electric vehicle (EV) industry, demand for lithium is set to increase. That development is spurring Standard Lithium Ltd. (TSX.V: SLL) (FRA: S5L) (OTCQX: STLHF) to intensify its exploration efforts, as it recently added 6,000 more acres to its Bristol Dry Lake Lithium Project. The company is aiming to become a significant low-cost, domestic producer of battery-grade lithium materials.

In February 2017, the largest grid-tied lithium-ion battery system in the U.S. was completed by the Southern California utility San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). This massive energy storage facility was constructed after state officials mandated power companies to add lithium-ion battery storage to their grids, according to Ars Technica (http://dtn.fm/Jkem1). The directive was prompted by a massive methane leak at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility operated by the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas). The SDG&E grid-tied lithium-ion storage facility has a 30MW battery system capable of storing 120MWH of energy, enough to serve 20,000 customers for four hours.

Despite its recent commissioning, the scale of the SDG&E facility has already been exceeded. In November 2017, the South Australian government announced the completion of the world’s largest lithium-ion battery just outside the city of Jamestown (http://dtn.fm/FcBj0). The battery behemoth can store 129 MWH of energy and deliver 100MW of power. It was built by Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) and is meant to reduce the incidence of recent power outages, one of which affected an area the size of France. Although often confused, power and energy and their units of measurement are distinctly different. Energy (megawatt-hours) can be compared to a reservoir of water that is part of a hydro-electric facility. The larger the size of the dam, the more potential energy the facility possesses. However, power (megawatts), the rate at which that potential energy is converted to usable form, is equally important.

As these developments continue, Standard Lithium is expanding its operations in California. The company recently announced (http://dtn.fm/Fl4gh) its entry into a memorandum of understanding with TETRA Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: TTI) aimed at securing access to additional operating and permitted land of approximately 12,100 acres in Bristol Dry Lake and up to 11,840 acres in the adjacent Cadiz Dry Lake of California’s Mojave Desert. The Bristol Dry Lake is a flat salt dry lake, or playa, that occupies approximately 155 sq. km in a 2,000 sq. km arid drainage basin. The actual project area covers over 25,000 acres of the playa. Standard Lithium recently signed a mineral lease agreement with National Chloride Corporation of America, which has, in the past, mined the near-surface brines to produce concentrated chloride products for various industrial applications. As a result, a lot of the required infrastructure is already in place.

The property, situated approximately 200 km from Las Vegas and 330 km east of the port of Los Angeles, has electric power and water and is crossed in the northwest by a major paved road (Route 66). There is also a Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad adjacent to the site with a purpose-built siding and loading spur-line.

However, extensive as they are, its California assets are not all that Standard Lithium has to offer. The company is also exploring for lithium in the Smackover Formation, which extends through Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana, and has produced billions of barrels of brines over the last 80 years from an extensive and extremely well-characterized aquifer.

As global demand for lithium continues to climb, Standard Lithium is ramping up its exploration and product activities. The Canada-based junior exploration company continues to acquire lithium rich properties in the U.S. It plans to unlock value from overlooked U.S. lithium assets by applying new technologies and processes.

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

• Cobalt demand is soaring
• First Cobalt aims to be world’s largest pure play in cobalt
• Completing three-way merger, First Cobalt takes another giant step toward goal

Cobalt demand continues to soar. Already essential for super-alloys, space vehicles, rocket engines and power plants, cobalt’s unique properties are crucial in high density Li-ion batteries and greatly extend the range of electric vehicles (EV) between charges. Current industrial and governmental uses of cobalt are so vital that the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency designated lithium cobalt oxide and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide compounds as strategic for national interests and has been stockpiling cobalt since 2014.

Last year, high-energy lithium-ion cells and the EV battery industry consumed about 6.5 percent of refined cobalt, and there’s currently a deficit of around 900 tons of cobalt this year. EV cobalt usage is pegged to increase to about 17 percent of total production within four years and drive deficits to nearly 130,000 tons (http://dtn.fm/7m8XY). Concernedly, about 60 percent of the world’s cobalt now comes from the politically unstable Democratic Republic of Congo, where forced child labor and corruption are rampant.

Positioned to exploit the burgeoning demand imbalance, First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQB: FTSSF) has just taken another giant step toward rapidly assembling the largest (and politically stable) portfolio of cobalt assets in the world. First Cobalt just announced the completion of its merger with Cobalt One, combining complementary portfolios of high quality cobalt exploration assets (http://dtn.fm/9tMBd). Upon completion of the mergers with Cobalt One Ltd. and CobalTech Mining Inc., First Cobalt will control over 10,000 hectares of prospective land and 50 historic mining operations in the Cobalt Camp of Ontario, Canada, as well as a mill and a permitted refinery facility.

The combined company will also own the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America designed to produce battery materials. In a news release, Trent Mell, president and chief executive officer of First Cobalt, stated, “We are one step closer to creating the largest pure play cobalt company in the world. We look forward to seeing First Cobalt shares trade on the ASX, as this dual listing will bring a much larger shareholder base and added liquidity.”

Australia-based Cobalt One shareholders overwhelmingly approved the First Cobalt transaction, with over 99% of votes cast in favor of the merger. The assets of Cobalt One logistically and synergistically fit with the scope of First Cobalt’s mission of becoming the largest pure play cobalt company in the world. With current cobalt deficits, a paucity of stable resources and global demand soaring, First Cobalt’s recent merger should garner the company recognition as a global leader in cobalt resources.

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

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• Cannabis industry pioneer Cannabiniers will distribute treatments utilizing Invisicare®, a patented polymer delivery system
• Agreement marks continued growth for Skinvisible’s subsidiary Ovation Science Inc.
• Patented delivery technology enables improved controlled release of topically applied products

Research and development company Skinvisible, Inc. (OTCQB: SKVI) has announced that its subsidiary Ovation Science Inc. has forged a definitive license agreement with Lighthouse Strategies LLC, through its multifaceted cannabis technology and brand management company Cannabiniers, to utilize the Company’s products formulated with its patented pharmaceutical polymer in serving the U.S. cannabis market (http://dtn.fm/1eB6Q).

The Lighthouse agreement grants the company exclusive use of Ovation’s new patented topical and transdermal formulations for improved delivery of ingredients in select markets within the United States. This latest agreement is yet another mark of Ovation’s expansion, which has included another recently signed licensing agreement granting Canopy Growth Corp. exclusive rights to Ovation’s cannabis formulations in Canada (http://dtn.fm/M0meV).

As part of the agreement via Lighthouse, and in cooperation with the Advocacy Research Center, Cannabiniers will distribute cannabis-based treatments utilizing Ovation’s patented technology through its national manufacturing and distribution channels. In distributing these treatments throughout the U.S., Cannabiniers will help foster the development of healthy, safe, lifestyle-centered topical and transdermal cannabis treatments that feature the added asset of accurate time-released dosing.

Cannabiniers’ goal is to standardize cannabis use and foster its integration into the daily lives of patients and consumers—something the company has achieved with its own current brands and now intends to do with Ovation’s topical products, which feature a patented and game-changing delivery technology.

These products will initially be released through Silver State Wellness and San Diego ReLeaf, which are licensed marijuana cultivators and manufacturers of infused products servicing Nevada and California. Ovation’s technology will enable these entities to offer unique topical and transdermal cannabis products that let individuals treat themselves in a comfortable and reliable way while maintaining their everyday lifestyles.

Skinvisible is an R&D company engaged in licensing its proprietary formulations made with Invisicare®, which is the company’s patented polymer delivery system that offers life-cycle management and distinctive enhancements for topically delivered products. Invisicare uniquely allows controlled release of active ingredients and the ability to hold these ingredients on the skin for extended time periods.

Ovation Science is a Canadian subsidiary of Skinvisible holding all the rights to the Company’s cannabis formulations.

For more information, visit the company’s websites at www.Skinvisible.com or www.Invisicare.com

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• US Department of Energy lists GKIT alternative fuel products, such as conversion systems and an engine, through its Clean Cities program
• CalHeat, funded by California Energy Commission, says clean energy fuels can cut greenhouse gas house emissions by 23%
• GKIT reports receiving orders for its diesel-alternative G-series clean energy trucks; company’s goal is to become the number one source for alternative fuel trucks in North America

Greenkraft, Inc.’s (OTCQB: GKIT) products in the alternative fuel clean truck market have been lauded and listed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (“USDE”) Clean Cities program. In addition, CalHeat, funded by the California Energy Commission, and operated by CALSTART, cites how clean alternative fuels can cut greenhouse emissions by 23%.

GKIT is disrupting the commercial truck industry with clean alternative energy models that operate on Clean Energy Natural Gas (“CNG”) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (“LPG”). It also offers conversion systems for petroleum-based fuel engines to operate on natural gas and propane fuels. Its conversion systems work not only on trucks but also on specialty vehicles such as agricultural tractors and stationary machines.

Greenkraft is a Santa Ana, California-based company, operating as a manufacturer and distributor of three lines: alternative fuel clean trucks, conversion systems, and engines. It manufactures commercial-forward trucks for classes 4, 5, 6, and 7. GKIT also makes and sells alternative fuel systems that convert petroleum-based fuels to natural gas and propane fuels.

The USDE’s Clean Cities program cites Greenkraft’s alternative fuel conversion systems and engine in its Guide to alternative fuel vehicles (http://dtn.fm/J0Rnk), specifically naming both its 8.8L natural gas motor and its conversion systems. It explains that CNG is a clean burning fuel alternative, offering the advantages of being colorless, non-corrosive, less expensive than diesel or gasoline, and is in abundant supply. The result: lower levels of emissions into the environment.

The California Energy Commission-funded CalHeat sees CNG-fueled vehicles as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 23% compared to a diesel-fueled version (http://dtn.fm/Mafg4). GKIT has reported it has received orders for its diesel alternative G-series clean energy trucks (http://dtn.fm/dzCC7). Its goal is to be number one source of alternative fuel trucks in North America.

GKIT’s trucks are sourced globally with the goal of producing environmentally-responsible, reliable and cost-effective trucks for a diverse mix of industries, including vending, plumbing, food services, construction, pest control, landscaping and more. Its goal is to disrupt the conventional trucking industry with alternative fuel models.

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

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• Unique scientific approach lends more credibility and increases consumer confidence
• Huge potential for cannabis to replace opioids as analgesics
• Strategic partnerships position Veritas strongly in the medical cannabis industry

On September 13, 2017, Cannevert Therapeutics Ltd. (“CTL”), the research arm of Veritas Pharma Inc. (CSE: VRT) (OTC: VRTHF) (FRT: 2VP), filed a provisional patent for the use of a specific strain of cannabis to enhance the actions of opioid analgesics. Opioid analgesics are traditionally prescribed for relief of acute and chronic pain. However, over-prescription or prolonged use can lead to addiction. Recreational users of opioids commonly run the risk of fatal overdose, with more than 33,000 deaths from opioid overdose reported in 2015, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cannabinoids found in cannabis provide similar pain relief to opioids, but without the side effects and fatality risk. There is evidence that cannabinoids and opioids can work in synergy to moderate pain. As restrictions on the use of cannabis are eased, there is tremendous potential for cannabis to provide a safe alternative to opioids as an analgesic.

Veritas Pharma employs a scientific approach to support medical cannabis claims and is intent on developing and commercializing the most effective strains of cannabis for medical use. The company is concerned that, with the rapid growth of the medical cannabis industry, product quality is inconsistent and scientific proof of effectiveness is lacking. By forming strategic alliances and partnerships within the industry, the company intends to address this issue. Its approach to research and development is aimed firstly at chemically profiling the various cultivars of cannabis. As a second step, each cultivar is pharmacologically profiled to identify strains for specific diseases before clinical trials are undertaken to establish each cultivar’s utility and efficacy. By using this approach, Veritas will provide physicians and patients the scientific evidence necessary to enable them to use its products with confidence.

There are almost 800 strains of cannabis that have been identified globally, all with varying degrees of quality, potency, and efficacy. Veritas Pharma intends to develop a database of scientific knowledge on these strains while identifying their potential medicinal uses. The company owns an 80 percent stake in Cannevert and will use CTL’s team of pharmacologists, chemists, and anesthetists for the research and development of new strains of medical cannabis.

To date, over 150 pharmacological and biological studies have been conducted leading to the identification of two cannabis strains for the relief of pain and nausea. In addition, the company’s development pipeline includes clinical research and development for strains that can be used for migraines, muscle spasms, epilepsy, inflammation and post-traumatic stress disorder.

To expand and bring its products to market, Veritas Pharma signed an agreement in 2016 with Sechelt Organic Marijuana Corp., subject to Sechelt getting an ACMPR (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations) license to produce cannabis. In anticipation of the license award, Sechelt has leased a property, with an option to purchase, to build a 20,000 square feet two-story facility in British Columbia, Canada. This will include budding rooms of 6,800 square feet, 3,000 square feet of cloning rooms, a testing laboratory and a secure storage room.

Veritas Pharma’s approach to cannabinoid-based product development is unique in the industry. The company has the full belief that its scientific approach will increase consumer confidence and give the industry the credibility it is currently lacking.

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

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• MGX Minerals is working to identify new opportunities, acquire interests, and work with industry experts to boost its investments
• The company’s proprietary process reduces the lithium extraction from 18 months to a few days
• MGX has acquired 2 million acres of brine bearing formations and has 75 percent working interest in the Lisbon Valley project

MGX Minerals Inc. (CSE: XMG) (FKT: 1MG) (OTCQB: MGXMF) continues to develop maintain interest in lithium, magnesium, and silicon projects in North America.  Its key investment strategies have paid off. By recognizing and identifying opportunities for large scale development, engaging in aggressive acquisitions and implementing a strategy while mitigating execution risk with the help of industry experts, the company has improved time to market and diversified its portfolio.

MGX Minerals has worked with engineering partners to create a low-energy design process. The ability to cost-effectively extract minerals from brine wastewater is valuable on many fronts, from the general economy to investors looking to participate. Allowing the concentration of lithium and other minerals in under a day, the company’s proprietary petrolithium process takes the place of an evaporation method that can take as long as 18 months, reducing this to just days. Its process also reduces the amount of land needed to process the mineral. Recovery rates are significantly improved as well.

A number of achievements have been noted recently. Wastewater and lithium brine were processed from eight different projects, at a one-cubic-meter-per-hour rate, in August 2017. The effort proved the economic viability of the company’s technology. MGX also succeeded in employing the rapid recovery process to recover concentrated lithium from heavy oil evaporator blowdown wastewater. In April, results from the Saskatchewan Research Council, which conducted independent laboratory testing, noted the success of the extraction process. At the Sturgeon Lake oilfield, it measured a recovery of 83.7 percent lithium and a concentration of 461 parts-per-million of lithium.

An innovative process and solid investment strategies have enabled MGX Minerals to offer benefits to a number of markets. As the production of lithium steps up, there is the potential to develop a yield supporting the demand for large energy storage systems, improved batteries for portable electronics, and hybrid/electric vehicles. Globally, the lithium-ion battery market has the potential to hit $93 billion by 2025.

The scale of investment strategies has given MGX access to engineering and financing expertise as it expands its operations. Nearly 2 million acres of brine-bearing formations have already been acquired. The low global supply of lithium (and high demand) is just one example of why the company’s extraction method, and investment skill, matters. An operating agreement to acquire a 75 percent working interest in oil and gas leases, with a private lender, gave MGX access to the Lisbon Valley project, which covers parts of Utah and Colorado. Here, lithium brine as high as 730 parts per million has been found.

In addition, the company’s portfolio extends into the wastewater treatment market, which may represent an industry worth $45 billion a year by 2025, according to research group Global Water Intelligence. Its technique can be used to process wastewater. Therefore, opportunities for revenue generation are high moving forward.

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

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• First-tier merchant processing, state-of-the-art system tracks sales and tax collections
• StateSourced payment technology offers real-world solutions to industry banking dilemma
• Integrated cryptocurrency payment solution offers additional options
• An estimated $20.2 billion in legal marijuana retail sales projected by 2021

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG), based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is a pioneer in the cannabis payment solutions arena with its proprietary merchant processing system. Fully compliant with the federal government’s anti-money laundering regulations, the company serves up an alternative payment solution that empowers businesses by tracking sales and tax collection, freeing consumers and retailers from a dependence on cash-only transactions.

Through its subsidiary StateSourced, Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions is bringing to market the first and only first-tier merchant processing system of its kind that answers a vexing question facing anyone involved in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry: How to pay for a product that the federal government still classifies as a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970? Banks and other financial institutions are loath to get involved in an industry that is mired in fiscal uncertainty and whose products are viewed as illegal under federal law.

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions and its StateSourced specialized digital payment platform ensures full compliance with all laws affecting the cannabis industry while delivering full-spectrum merchant processing services (http://dtn.fm/Yoj4Y). Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions is able to offer its StateSourced card on a state-by-state basis where the card can be used in purchasing product from a legal, authorized vendor, providing a much-needed option for consumers and businesses alike.

The company has also announced a partnership agreement with First Bitcoin Capital Corporation that will integrate First Bitcoin’s $Weed cryptocurrency with StateSourced – offering a tailored solution to the specific needs of the marijuana industry. Through this collaboration, a new platform will be launched to deploy an exchange system utilizing $Weed and other prominent cryptocurrencies such as the well-known bitcoin. Growth in the legalized marijuana industry is thriving, as evidenced in 2016 by the $6.7 billion in gross legal sales between the U.S. and Canada, according to an article in the Las Vegas Sun (http://dtn.fm/r4FpQ). That number is expected to reach $20.2 billion in sales by 2021, according to cannabis research firm Arcview Market Research, the article states.

With some form of marijuana legal in 29 states and the District of Columbia, and a 2017 Gallup Poll showing a record high of 64 percent of Americans supporting the legalization of marijuana for recreational use (http://dtn.fm/RMW6r), there is an increased need for payment solutions such as those offered by Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions.

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

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• Global wellness market expected to grow by 17 percent through 2021
• CBD-based products predicted to cause a major shift in this market
• hempSMART has developed marketing strategy to maximize market penetration of CBD-based products

The worldwide wellness industry reached $3.7 trillion in 2016 and is expected to show annual growth of 17 percent through 2021, according to Women’s Marketing (http://dtn.fm/P8cMS). Nutritional products and vitamin supplements form a sizeable portion of this market at the moment, with economists and industry experts predicting that the next major shift in the market will be triggered by CBD-based products. Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA), via its wholly-owned subsidiary hempSMART is well positioned to take advantage of this industry growth through the development and marketing of innovative hemp-derived, CBD-based nutritional and wellness products.

Marijuana Company of America was established in 2015 by Don Steinberg and Charles Larsen, two people with extensive experience in the cannabis and industrial hemp industries. MCOA’s primary mission is to develop a diverse portfolio of subsidiary operations and establish strategic joint ventures with industry players while offering turnkey services to the legal cannabis and hemp industry.

Marijuana Company’s subsidiary, hempSMART™, was established to develop and market hemp-derived cannabinoid-based formulations with other natural ingredients. Committed to producing clinically validated products, the company is developing a distribution network for its products at competitive prices combined with convenient and discreet home delivery. It has established a unique hybrid affiliate marketing program as part of its strategy to accelerate market penetration and increase revenues.

hempSMART places a high priority on using the best quality extracts from hemp plants that are produced and processed to maximize cannabinoid concentration and potency. The company currently has two CBD-based products available for distribution. The first, hempSMART Brain (http://dtn.fm/8CjTs), contains clinically studied nootropic ingredients to help support healthy brain function, memory, focus and mental speed. Its other product, hempSMART Drops (http://dtn.fm/S4VfV), is created with CBD-infused hemp seed, fractionated coconut and other essential oils that allow for superior absorption and bioavailability.

In its short existence, hempSMART is well positioned and firmly focused on taking advantage of the continued strong demand and growth CBD-based wellness and nutritional products.

In recent developments, MCOA has concluded the financing of its joint venture with Bougainville Ventures, Inc., involving the cash financing of $800,000, 15 million shares and an equal share of equity and profits (http://dtn.fm/oWv9S). Under the agreement, Marijuana Company will receive a 50 percent equity stake in the joint venture and 50 percent net profits from leasing the 30,000 square foot greenhouse facilities that Bougainville Ventures is building in Washington State. The facilities will house a tenant with an approved Tier 3, I-502 license that will enable it to grow and process legal marijuana in the State, with the BV-MCOA joint company acting solely as landlords. In September 2017, MCOA formed a joint venture with Global Hemp Group Inc. (OTC: GBHPF) (CSE: GHG) to develop an industrial hemp pilot program in New Brunswick, Canada, with the goal of this collaboration being the development of commercial cultivation as of 2018 (http://dtn.fm/qE5wC).

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

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