• Cannabis Strategic Ventures supports entrepreneurial growth in the emerging legal cannabis and ancillary spaces
• The company boasts a portfolio of unique subsidiaries driving growth and opportunities for vertical integration
• The company is developing its NUGS Farm, and developing other hard asset projects is a priority for Cannabis Strategic Ventures

Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS) incubates, develops and partners with category leaders within the cannabis space. Through a selective portfolio of companies, NUGS works to support entrepreneurial growth within the fast-emerging legal cannabis sector. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company offers outsourced personnel solutions that are custom-made for its diverse clientele.

Cannabis Strategic focuses on leading the way in defining industry best practices for innovation, brand development and product quality. Additionally, the company is committed to implementing a strong foundation of operational infrastructure (http://ibn.fm/Fgad9). Cannabis Strategic is accomplishing these goals by way of its various subsidiaries, which include Asher House Wellness, BudHire, Fitamins, Halo Filters, LYXR and Pure Organix.

Asher House Wellness makes Asher House Wellness Oil, an ingestible oil containing a wide variety of premium hemp phytocannabinoids. For pet consumption, these phytocannabinoids originate from hemp plants grown in the United States. The Asher House’s founding team was recently featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The company’s BudHire subsidiary matches leading candidates to a wide array of cannabis industry jobs. Offering temporary, seasonal and permanent staffing solutions, BudHire also provides sector-specific professional employment organization and human resources consulting services (http://ibn.fm/jN6s6). Cannabis Strategic intends to leverage Worldwide Staffing’s know-how to expand its business operations into the cannabis staffing market.

The company’s Fitamins subsidiary manufactures sports performance products derived from phytocannabinoids, hyaluronic acid and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane). Cannabis Strategic’s Halo Filters subsidiary has developed industry-leading filters made of patent-pending materials. These materials lessen the presence of harmful chemicals and protect lungs.

The company’s LYXR subsidiary produces a line of luxury skin care products derived from hemp CBD (cannabidiol) and other ingredients. The focus of these products is hydration, regeneration and anti-aging. Moreover, the Pure Organix subsidiary concentrates on products that include PureOrganix. This is a line of high-quality cannabis oil concentrates that are organic and compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.

Furthermore, Cannabis Strategic has an initiative to launch substantial cannabis cultivation with its 20 licenses and NUGS Farm, a six-acre cultivation site (http://ibn.fm/c7FzE). The company also plans to partner with a Santa Barbara County cultivation operation that holds approximately 40 commercial cannabis licenses in Southern California.

In a news release, Cannabis Strategic Ventures CEO Simon Yu said, “Establishing the NUGS Farm and securing these licenses are significant milestones for Cannabis Strategic Ventures. We are proud of what we have accomplished at this stage of the company.”

Cannabis Strategic is clearly spearheading innovation in the vibrant cannabis sector. The company is positioned to capitalize in a cannabis marketplace that’s seeing dynamic growth. Forbes recently noted that the legal cannabis industry should experience significant growth in North America and around the world (http://ibn.fm/Q5DMn). The publication predicted that the largest group of cannabis purchasers will be in North America and that spending will increase from $9.2 billion in 2017 to $47.3 billion by 2027.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures offers a compelling opportunity for clients and investors alike. The company has a vision to shape the cannabis industry’s future by focusing on continual advancement in products, places and people. With brands that are category leaders, Cannabis Strategic Ventures continues to foster exponential growth.

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

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

• Hemp industry’s growth exhibiting boom trends in wake of the 2018 Farm Bill’s passage, altering regulatory oversight of the plant
• Sugarmade is focusing efforts on supporting the nascent hemp industry with hydroponic growth supplies
• The company has also signed a supply agreement with Kentucky-based private hemp cultivator Hempistry to support Hempistry’s micropropagation work
• Micropropagation helps growers ensure plant quality by cloning “mother” plants that exhibit preferred genetic traits

Hydroponic agriculture supplier Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) is preparing to significantly expand its operations in the hemp cultivation industry following recent regulatory changes in the agriculture sector and a new agreement with Kentucky-based hemp cultivator Hempistry Inc. to deliver resources for its plant micropropagation work.

Hemp cultivation is beginning to flourish, after decades of federal prohibition in the United States ceased with President Donald Trump’s signing of the 2018 Farm Bill late last year. Limited research cultivation gave way to full-scale agricultural potential for raising hemp crops, creating anticipation for hydroponics specialty product suppliers such as Sugarmade that are functioning as supportive industries for the boom in grower interest.

Sugarmade’s supply contract with Hempistry for the latter’s micropropagation operations is expected to be an ongoing relationship, as Hempistry grows domestically and into the international arena.

Micropropagation is a process that involves cloning or “propagating” new hemp plants from existing “mother” plants that have shown a desirable genetic profile. Much of the hemp cultivated in North America is grown through this propagation process rather than from seed, and the micropropagation process not only ensures exact replicas of the best mother plants but also allows for a very large number of plants to be readied simultaneously, according to the company.

“With at least 42,000 acres of hemp expected to be planted in Kentucky and considering an average plant density per acre of well over 1,000, farmers in Kentucky will need hundreds of millions of clones over the coming years,” Sugarmade CEO Jimmy Chan, who is also a Hempistry director, stated in a news release. “When these numbers are multiplied over the many other hemp cultivation states, it is easy for anyone to see the strong demand scenario that is quickly developing.”

Kentucky found itself in a position of eminence amid the long-running debate over the Farm Bill’s passage, which was championed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the senior congressman from the Bluegrass State. McConnell pushed for the bill’s passage in large measure to ensure that hemp could be legally grown as an agricultural product without Drug Enforcement Administration prohibition (http://ibn.fm/OrSSG) in an effort to revive the state’s flagging flagship industry. The bill’s success and successive agricultural efforts in Kentucky have led the media to begin branding (http://ibn.fm/cEUm7) the state as the ‘Silicon Valley of Hemp’.

Kentucky farming officials have begun to pin their hopes on hemp as an up-and-coming successor to the state’s tobacco industry, which has a long-controversial history because of tobacco’s impact on users’ health.

“We don’t know if industrial hemp will replace tobacco, but we are going to champion it,” Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles told news outlet CNBC (http://ibn.fm/Kz9i4).

According to the commissioner, the number of the state’s applications for hemp cultivation this year is expected to increase about five times from 2018. Hemp growth is on track to top 50,000 acres this year, up from 16,000 acres for last year, according to the report. With the boom in hemp cultivation occurring this planting season, many of the supplies required for successful micropropagation operations are in very short supply, which makes the Hempistry agreement particularly valuable to both companies.

Sugarmade acquired an option last year to invest up to $1 million in the Hempistry operation at a locked-in 2018 valuation. Privately-held Hempistry expects to engage in both direct cultivation and co-op cultivation activities with local farmers this year. Chan noted that Sugarmade has already commenced processing of micropropagation supply orders.

CNBC’s report notes that Hemp Business Journal expects the hemp industry to reach $1.9 billion in revenues by 2022, up 90 percent from about $1 billion in 2018, while a bullish estimate by researcher Brightfield Group forecasts that the hemp-derived CBD-infused product market could reach $22 billion during the same time period.

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

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

• SinglePoint recorded a 344 percent increase in sales during 2018, largely due to the acquisition of its DIGS and JAG subsidiaries in 2017
• The revenue growth amounted to a nearly 10-fold increase in profits, to $267,799
• SinglePoint’s most recent asset purchase agreement, solar energy industry marketers Direct Solar and its affiliate, AI Live Transfers, is expected to begin generating revenues for the company this month

Diversified technology company SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) has filed its first annual statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a fully reporting issuer, highlighting the successes of the company’s merger and acquisition strategy during 2018, as well as its outlook for the coming months.

The report shows that sales increased by 344 percent during the year, leading to a total of more than $1.1 million by year’s end (http://ibn.fm/AGCYj) as the company solidified its financial position.

The company became a fully reporting entity in August 2018.

“Beginning in fiscal year 2014, we made a strategic decision to transition from a technology-based solutions provider to an acquisition and funding development partner… with a focus on acquiring companies that will benefit from the injection of growth capital and technology integration,” SinglePoint stated in the 10-K report. “The Company is looking to tap into markets with exponential growth opportunities such as blockchain, cannabis, sports betting and mobile payments… Our gross profit was $267,799, for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared with $27,814, for the year ended December 31, 2017.” The nearly 10-fold increase in profits was attributable to SinglePoint’s acquisitions in 2017, primarily the company’s DIGS and JAG subsidiaries.

SinglePoint recently announced that it is pinning new revenue hopes on an agreement to acquire Direct Solar and AI Live Transfers — two companies utilizing the Lending Tree model to market products and services to solar power consumers by providing technological resources that consumers can use to comparatively shop for the solar providers that are best suited to their needs (http://ibn.fm/xVeK4). SinglePoint expects to begin realizing profits from the Direct Solar acquisition this month.

Direct Solar’s revenues have recorded an exponential gain during the past year, topping $1.5 million, and a company press release about the agreement states that the companies expect revenues to exceed $8.2 million during the coming year, reaching about $14 million during the year after that, with annual profits of more than $2.8 million forecast after two years.

“We have spent a lot of time and effort to put the Company in a position to turn a profit in the very near future. With the anticipated acquisition of Direct Solar and the explosive growth we are seeing that goal could become a reality. We are excited about the future of SinglePoint and are in a stronger position now than we have ever been,” CEO Greg Lambrecht stated in a news release.

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

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

• Lexaria Bioscience is focusing on its pioneering DehydraTECH drug delivery technology
• The company boasts a portfolio of unique products
• Lexaria continues to conduct research regarding DehydraTECH technology for oral nicotine

Based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) focuses on technology for the improved delivery of bioactive compounds. Lexaria is the only global company with patents issued for the oral delivery of all cannabinoids. The company has developed and out-licenses its innovative and cost-effective DehydraTECH drug delivery platform. This technology changes the way that edible cannabinoids enter the body. DehydraTECH delivery technology offers a viable and often healthier substitute to other delivery processes for bioactive substances (http://ibn.fm/yih3f).

Lexaria Biosciences’ proprietary technology improves the taste, speed and delivery of bioactive compounds, including nicotine and cannabinoids. DehydraTECH is proven effective in multiple worldwide studies in significantly assisting the quantity of absorption of a range of lipophilic (fat-soluble) bioactive molecules. DehydraTECH also eliminates the strong tastes and odors of lipophilic compounds. Notably, this technology does so without the need for added sugar or sweeteners (http://ibn.fm/BPOdn).

Furthermore, the DehydraTECH drug delivery platform increases bio-absorption by up to 10 times and lessens the time of onset, with effects being felt within 15 to 20 minutes, as compared to 60 to 120 minutes without the platform. In addition, the technology is patent protected for cannabidiol (CBD) and all other non-psychoactive cannabinoids. Patents are also granted for THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), other psychoactive compounds and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs), as well as nicotine and other molecules.

Lexaria Bioscience has partnered with one of the world’s largest tobacco companies to fund the research and development of the DehydraTECH technology for oral nicotine. Through wholly owned subsidiary Lexaria Nicotine LLC, Lexaria is working to propel innovation in oral, reduced-risk nicotine consumer products utilizing DehydraTECH (http://ibn.fm/1JjdR).

Lexaria’s goal is to perform an extensive series of clinical investigations of oral types of nicotine delivery, funded by its partner, using DehydraTECH technology. The DehydraTECH platform has been shown to deliver nicotine to the brain quicker than traditional delivery systems. The technology could potentially apply to the treatment of nervous system diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, DehydraTECH avoids the dangers associated with smoking.

Lexaria also offers a suite of diverse products (http://ibn.fm/Mnu7n). These products include protein energy bars featuring fiber and protein; ViPova exotic teas, delivering cannabidiol in numerous flavors; and coffee. The company also sells TurboCBD capsules. These are high-absorption, full-spectrum hemp oil capsules. The capsules are designed to boost focus and memory while at the same time lessening fatigue and stress. TurboCBD capsules also contain ginseng and gingko.

Lexaria Bioscience is developing a patent family with supporting intellectual property (IP) in the pharmaceutical sector. Lexaria Pharmaceutical Corp. is the company’s wholly owned subsidiary. Lexaria Pharmaceutical has acquired exclusive international rights to Lexaria’s patent portfolio regarding pharmaceutical applications (http://ibn.fm/QNwSp).

Additionally, Lexaria Hemp Co. holds exclusive international rights to the Lexaria Bioscience patent portfolio regarding hemp-based applications. The Lexaria group also includes Lexaria CanPharm Corp., a Canadian entity. Lexaria CanPharm owns exclusive international rights to Lexaria’s IP applicable to psychotropic bioactive molecules, which act upon human CB1 and CB2 receptors in permitted areas.

Lexaria Bioscience is innovating on multiple fronts. The company’s business model offers the potential for considerable ROI, as it involves developing and out-licensing its DehydraTECH platform to third-party partners and distributors for enhanced revenue. Lexaria continues to move forward with its DehydraTECH drug delivery platform and the sale of company-developed and joint venture products.

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

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

• Wildflower Brands Inc. sees annualized revenues exceeding $1 million for online sales
• The company’s diverse brands service customers nationwide, totaling distribution in over 300 stores
• The CBD product market is estimated to grow to $22 billion by 2022 and $75 billion by 2030

Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF), a Vancouver-based cannabis company focused on developing and designing branded products in the cannabis sector, intends to become a global wellness leader through its strategic varied brands in the industry.

Wildflower Brands recently achieved more than 300 percent organic growth in online sales since January 2018, seeing annualized revenues exceeding $1 million. This marked the company’s ninth consecutive quarter of increased revenue, primarily due to its direct-to-consumer online store sales. The company’s distribution in other U.S. markets includes over 80 health care and wellness practitioners, totaling distribution in over 300 stores nationwide  (http://ibn.fm/JZaWO).

The company’s multiple brands work in synergy, allowing Wildflower to diversify its reach into the cannabis industry. King Extracts, a California-based company, was acquired in August 2017. Its focus is on cannabis technology and delivery systems, specifically in California. The company offers a discreet, 97mm small rechargeable vaporizer called the King Recharge. Its concentrates are “clean and sophisticated blends made from CO2 extractions” and are “fractionally distilled for clarity and purity… to deliver a robust, full-flavor profile.”

Wildflower Wellness, the eponymous brand of Wildflower Brands, is a CBD wellness company based in Vancouver and focused on establishing a brand reputation for uncompromising quality and trust. Wildflower’s products are available nationwide in more than 300 brick-and-mortar stores as well as online, and the brand is known for its “uncompromising quality and mission to connect people with the healing power of plants.” Wildflower Wellness products include CBD vaporizers, capsules, tinctures, soaps and topicals, all of which are backed by a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

Finally, Exclusive, a dispensary of high-quality cannabis products and accessories, serves the Los Angeles, California, area, with licenses to operate end-to-end in the regulated market. The company “enjoys a close association with select hospital oncology departments and community programs.”

These distinct brands enable Wildflower Brands to engage multiple industries, sharing its expertise in CBD-infused products. The lucrative U.S. CBD market is estimated to grow to $22 billion by 2022 (http://ibn.fm/Tfd8w) and $75 billion by 2030 (http://ibn.fm/quGYY).

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

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

• Data gathered through ShieldSaver’s proprietary license-plate recognition technology is applicable for repairs, maintenance, insurance, purchasing, parts and more
• New ShieldSaver app allows consumers to connect, source and schedule windshield repairs quickly and at reduced cost
• The automotive glass industry was estimated at $12 billion in 2017; it’s expected to grow at a CAGR of 7 percent until 2024

SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) continues to bolster its reputation as a diversified tech holding company with operations in multiple industries and verticals with astute acquisitions and investments. Subsidiary ShieldSaver, acquired in 2018, opens SinglePoint’s portfolio to the multibillion-dollar automotive repair and maintenance industry (http://ibn.fm/EsfSC). The significance of ShieldSaver’s proprietary license-plate recognition technology, which gathers data on both cars and consumers, is considerable, since the data has value far beyond the obvious, as a NetworkNewsAudio publication explains (http://ibn.fm/3iYdI).

The most apparent use is to identify when repairs are needed and then approach car owners about getting the work done, but the data also has value to other stakeholders (http://ibn.fm/KOhU5), such as insurance companies, parking-lot owners, parts suppliers and people buying cars, as it can give them a better understanding of both individual vehicles and the bigger picture. Efficient repair and maintenance work can have valuable knock-on effects, according to an NNW editorial (http://ibn.fm/ZXeSE) titled ‘Data and Connectivity Take Center Stage in Changing World of Automobile Technology’.

The automotive glass market exceeded $12 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7 percent until 2024 (http://ibn.fm/lv0Vy). Increased vehicle production and sales, novel safety regulations and the demand for advanced glass technologies (smart glass, for example) are all projected to contribute to the massive growth (http://ibn.fm/56uqf).

SinglePoint’s new ShieldSaver app (http://ibn.fm/Sl8Z5) allows people to connect to ShieldSaver’s services directly from their phones, so that they can source and schedule windshield repairs quickly and at reduced cost. ShieldSaver has also developed strategic partnerships with some big names within the sector, including Mygrant Glass, Wally Park, LAZ Parking and others.

“With the new application SinglePoint led in developing over the past year, we have started to grab a lot of attention,” Dan Shikiar, founder of ShieldSaver, said in the NNW editorial. “Opportunities have started to pile up after our first showcase – people who see the ShieldSaver platform absolutely love it. We feel this market is underserved and is ripe for new technologies to streamline for customers and providers.”

SinglePoint specializes in the acquisition of small and mid-sized companies that operate in new technological fields. These acquisitions provide opportunities for investment across a wide range of assets, including payment solutions, cannabis brands, blockchain technology developers and more. Through acquisitions into horizontal markets, SinglePoint is building a solid portfolio that ensures a rich and diversified holding base.

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

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

• 2018 major milestones included launch of medicinal and recreational sales channels
• Company sold nearly 406 kilograms of premium cannabis, despite having only 20 percent of Kelowna 1 grow rooms operational during Q4 2018
• Flowr optimizes yields, producing premium and ultra-premium cannabis products with a goal of no irradiation, to maximize profitability

The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF), a Canadian licensed producer of premium cannabis products, recently shared details of several milestones achieved during the fourth quarter of 2018 that included the company’s first recorded revenues, with nearly 260 kilograms of premium cannabis grown in-house during the period, despite only 20 percent of its facility being operational. Flowr Co-CEO Vinay Tolia noted the significance of the sale as he addressed shareholders during an April 4 conference call.

“The fourth quarter of 2018 marked a major milestone for Flowr, as we launched our medicinal and recreational sales channels after receiving our licenses in August 2018, and sold nearly 406 kilograms of premium cannabis, despite having only 20% of our grow rooms in Kelowna 1 operational during the quarter itself,” Tolia said in a news release (http://ibn.fm/eI6Cb).

Flowr’s cultivation facilities, built with proprietary, patent-pending systems, are designed to consistently generate high crop yields of premium and ultra-premium cannabis products. Flowr’s flagship facility, an 84,000-square-foot campus on seven acres in Kelowna, British Columbia, is engineered to meet pharmaceutical industry production standards for cleanliness without resorting to the taste- and smell-killing gamma irradiation that most other licensed producers use to clean their product (http://ibn.fm/Rmyoh).

Flowr currently has 10 grow rooms in Kelowna 1 licensed for use, with eight rooms propagated with plants, and expects to have all 20 grow rooms fully constructed by the end of the third quarter of 2019. Completion of Kelowna 1 should enable the company to begin capitalizing on strategic growth opportunities for medicinal and recreational use, with approximately 10,000 kilograms of capacity for premium cannabis flower on an annualized basis.

“As a global leader in the premium cannabis industry, our design and cultivation expertise along with our superior IP know-how enables us to grow high quality cannabis on a large scale at what we believe will be industry-leading yields,” Tolia emphasized in a news release. “The revenue numbers reflect our ability to grow and process high quality product with only a fraction of our facility and packaging area complete. Once our Kelowna 1 facility is completed in Q3 2019, our operational efficiency will only improve.”

Flowr also plans to expand its product line by selling a selection of its premium, high-quality cannabis in clone and seed form to customers both at home and abroad. Company Co-CEO Tom Flow announced the venture in an earlier news release (http://ibn.fm/yzT78), calling the move “an exciting and potentially very big market for Flowr that is a natural extension of our high-yield, high-quality approach to cultivation.”

“Growing great cannabis starts with great genetics and clean healthy plants, something few companies are able to provide,” Flow stated in the release. “As we ramp up production, we believe Flowr will be able to offer the select cultivars we use to produce our premium cannabis to cultivators globally.”

According to Stratistics MRC, the global cannabis market accounted for $10.39 billion in 2017 sales and is expected to reach $154.82 billion by 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 35 percent during the forecast period. Some of the key factors propelling the market growth are the medicinal properties of cannabis, increasing legalization of cannabis and advances in genetic development and intellectual property related to cannabis (http://ibn.fm/w6eed).

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

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

• A majority of Canadian cannabis users identified quality and safety as top factors in choosing where to purchase cannabis
• Canada’s Shoppers Drug Mart is now the exclusive direct-to-patient online provider of FlowrRx products
• Flowr grows premium cannabis with a goal of non-irradiation using production methods that are expected to generate high crop yields at low operating costs

Medicinal cannabis patients in Canada are rightly concerned about how cannabis products prescribed by their physicians are produced. According to Canada’s national statistical agency, Statistics Canada, 76 percent of medical cannabis patients responding to the Q4 2018 ‘National Cannabis Survey’ identified quality and safety as the top factors used in their decision-making process when choosing where to fill their prescriptions (http://ibn.fm/yRfzw).

The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR) (OTC: FLWPF), a Canadian licensed producer of premium cannabis products, cultivates its cannabis in a purpose-built facility with controlled environments engineered to grow premium cannabis in rooms that meet pharmaceutical industry production standards for cleanliness. Control over cultivation and innovative practices result in a cost-efficient cultivation process. As the company notes, high yields per square foot are key to ensuring low operating costs and profitability.

Flowr aims to avoid irradiating its final product, something that approximately 80 percent of other cannabis companies do, according to Cannabis Tech (http://ibn.fm/gRISH). Flowr’s commitment to delivering a clean cannabis product that meets Health Canada’s strict testing requirements with a goal of no irradiation sets it apart, as CEO Vinay Tolia explained in a podcast (http://ibn.fm/ieuOV), noting that “the plant needs a lot of TLC.”

Medical cannabis patients can now purchase Flowr’s premium FlowrRx products through the Shoppers Drug Mart online medical cannabis platform, as the company recently announced in a news release (http://ibn.fm/juq7F). This direct-to-patient distribution agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart provides medical cannabis patients with several options.

“Flowr’s premium medical cannabis is grown in what we believe is the industry’s most advanced GMP designed cultivation facility. This relationship is testament to our commitment to ultra-high-quality cannabis cultivation and further solidifies Flowr’s role in Canada’s medical cannabis landscape,” Tolia said in the news release.

Canada opened up recreational cannabis to adult users in October 2018 and has since released new regulations governing cannabis-infused edibles and beverages, along with cannabis concentrates, which are set to be legalized in mid-October 2019. According to Stratistics MRC, the global cannabis market accounted for $10.39 billion in 2017 sales and is expected to reach $154.82 billion by 2026, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 35 percent during the forecast period (http://ibn.fm/bpoFd).

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

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

• Sustainable growth in revenue mainly stemmed from the North American transaction solutions segment
• The total processing volume also grew to reach $3.3 billion, most of which was covered by North America
• Net Element subsidiaries like Aptito have been contributing to the U.S. market growth with the provision of cost-efficient, tailored and innovative niche services

Net Element Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) recently announced solid financial growth in 2018. The company’s revenue over the year went up to $65.8 million, marking an increase of 10 percent on an annual basis. Growth through the company’s North American transaction solutions segment was the primary driver for the strong results, as the company’s management announced in an earnings conference call on April 2, 2019 (http://ibn.fm/ZfEls).

The North American transaction solutions segment experienced annual growth of 16 percent in 2018. The United States accounted for 90 percent of the overall revenue, while international revenue contributed 10 percent.

In 2018, the company’s total processing volume reached $3.3 billion – an increase of 18 percent in comparison to 2017 figures. North America accounted for $2.9 billion, marking an increase of 27 percent as compared to the previous year.

According to Net Element’s management team, the North American transaction solutions segment also showed positive trends in terms of development and acquisitions. During 2018, the company acquired recurring cash flow portfolios from sales partners that are anticipated to contribute to over $9 million in gross profit over the coming four years.

The payment industry is evolving rapidly due to new technologies and changing customer needs. These market dynamics create opportunities for companies like Net Element and its subsidiaries.

Under wholly owned subsidiary Aptito, for example, Net Element provides complete business management solutions and cloud-based POS for the restaurant industry (http://ibn.fm/EYbbH). Such innovative solutions are a good choice for both large businesses and small restaurants or startups in the industry attempting to establish market position on limited budgets.

Aptito has developed a range of payment solutions tailored to the needs of various clients in the restaurant industry. These include Aptito POS, mPOS (http://ibn.fm/hib83), kiosks and digital menus. This integrated product range is favored over competitive solutions due to cost-efficiency, ease of use, simplified inventory management, improved scheduling and payroll management and cloud-enabled functionality.

The restaurant niche is characterized by rapid growth and ever-changing trends. Currently, it generates four percent of the U.S. GDP and employs more than 15 million people (http://ibn.fm/Qu20w). Due to this rapid industry growth, restaurants have to work hard to maintain competitive advantage through cost-efficient solutions and services that enable the enhancement of client satisfaction levels.

Net Element is a global financial technology and value-added solutions group that supports electronic payment acceptance in an omni-channel environment. It operates a payment-as-a-service transactional model and value-added services platform for small and medium enterprises.

In 2018, Net Element was named one of the top 10 retail payment service companies by Retail CEO Outlook. The selection of the best service providers is made on the basis of the delivery of time-focused, effective and economic payment solutions and services.

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

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

• Vaping is growing in popularity in the United States and internationally, driving cannabis concentrate sales toward a forecast reach of $47.11 billion by 2025
• VPR Brands has built on the successful acquisition of Vapor Corp. technologies and has recently been growing into the cannabidiol (CBD) derivatives space
• VPR Brands’ GoldLine Hemp products are also finding a niche in the convenience store market as a variety of CBD-free hemp edibles

Vaporizers and e-cigarettes have been enjoying growing popularity in recent years, becoming the largest driver behind cannabis concentrate sales and maintaining a position as the second-largest marijuana product category in the United States (http://ibn.fm/TYH3P). Meanwhile, a burgeoning international market has begun to take shape as a new field for commerce. Innovative technology holding company VPR Brands, LP (OTC: VPRB), whose assets include patented atomization-related products and technology, is building on the expanding opportunities with a variety of products aimed at conscientious vape consumers.

Analysts at Research and Markets foresee growth in the global vaping tank market, calling for a CAGR of 28.92 percent between 2019 and 2023 (http://ibn.fm/IKRxX). Grand View Research predicts a similar 23.8 percent CAGR between 2018 and 2025, culminating in sales of $47.11 billion (http://ibn.fm/upFuU).

VPR Brands has enjoyed steady growth in sales since acquiring Vapor Corp. in 2016, thanks to a product base that includes premium open tank mod Honey Stick – the first lifestyle brand to market to offer a ceramic sub-ohm vaporizer that’s available in three different sizes. Sub-ohm vaporizers have become popular with consumers looking for a stronger straight-to-lung vapor or flavor thanks to their low-resistance, higher-wattage output mechanics (http://ibn.fm/WHm6C).

In addition to the Honey Stick, VPR Brands’ technology is making premium cannabis concentrate vaporizers available to white label customers through its private label program. Its portfolio of brands also includes high definition Helium e-liquid, which is sent in vaping chillers that are scientifically proven to preserve flavor, freshness and aroma by utilizing a squeezable bottle with a drip tip that’s engineered to deliver 77 percent vegetable glycerin, as well as Vaporin, another vaporizer brand in VPR’s portfolio that was recently launched as a convenience friendly sub-ohm series of starter kits. All of these are available through Vapor Store Direct, one of VPR’s websites that is dedicated to serving e-liquid wholesalers in the United States with internationally elite brands and a strong suite of restock supplies.

In recent months, VPR Brands has also successfully entered the cannabidiol-derived products market with brands such as GoldLine’s Gummies And Pure Honey Stix, tinctures, pre-rolled flower, vapable products and creams; GoldLine Hemp’s CBD-free hemp edibles developed specifically for the convenience store market segment; and VaporX, which combines some of the best off-the-shelf products from brands such as KangerTech, eLeaf, Aspire, Pioneer4You, JoyeTech and Samsung to create connoisseur-grade vaporizer kits.

“One of our most notable accomplishments in 2018 was the successful release of our GoldLine product division, which sells cannabidiol (CBD),” CEO Kevin Frija informed shareholders in a December news release. “Our GoldLine product division is not only a good parallel to our vape portfolio, but also gives us exposure within the consumable supplements and nutraceuticals sectors, greatly increasing our target markets and potential customers. We believe that the repeat business frequency in these sectors adds an exponential factor into our growth equation… We expect to continue to add to our product line, while also increasing our supply to meet growing demand.”

The company launched its international sales efforts in 2017, with plans to headquarter Director of International Sales Ezequiel Pavlotsky in the European Union this year so that he can best represent the company and build relationships with distributors in the region’s varied countries. Frija said that VPR Brands had almost completed the required testing and certification to allow all of the company’s products to be imported and sold in the EU at the time.

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

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