• The tide of cannabis legalization continues to rise
• Medical cannabis market on pace to hit $56 billion in seven years
• Company’s proprietary technology improves the bioavailability of cannabinoids

With the passage of laws permitting medicinal use of cannabis in at least 32 U.S. jurisdictions and Canada, producers of cannabinoids for medical purposes are racing to improve delivery methods for their formulations. Cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), are hydrophobic (literally, afraid of water). In practice, this means they do not dissolve or emulsify readily in water, which may seem to pose a problem, since, by composition, the human body is more than half water. Yet, paradoxically, for a drug to be readily absorbed, it must be largely hydrophobic, yet not completely so. It must, to some extent, dissolve in water. As a result, new, patented technology from Pressure BioSciences Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) may provide the ideal transport for CBD and other cannabinoids. PBIO’s Ultra Shear Technology (“UST”) has the capacity to develop water-soluble nanoemulsions that can be employed to improve the bioavailability of cannabinoids.

Emulsions are mixtures of two or more liquids (e.g., oils in water) that cannot be blended into each other without the addition of chemicals called emulsifiers (e.g., surfactants). Emulsions are used in multiple everyday products, including food, medical products, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, industrial lubricants, and even cannabis oil extracts (e.g., CBD). Nanoemulsions have been shown to have improved absorption while providing higher bioavailability, greater stability and other advantages, when compared to the standard, much larger macro- and micro-emulsions.

Nanoemulsions offer an advanced mode of drug delivery that’s expected to improve the bioavailability of a wide range of active agents. These nano-sized emulsions, in which two immiscible liquids are usually combined to form a single phase by means of an emulsifying agent that combines surfactant and co-surfactant, typically have droplet sizes that fall in the 20–200 nanometer range. It would take 10 million nanometers to cover a length of one centimeter (about 0.4 inches).

Interestingly, PBIO believes that its patented UST may be able to make commercial-scale nanoemulsions that would require far less emulsifying agents than current methods, perhaps even none. Emulsifying agents are chemicals; some are natural, some are not. With consumer demands for non-additive natural products, the availability of nanoemulsions that require little or no chemical emulsifiers should be well received by consumers and manufactures alike, and rewarded by shareholders.

Late last year, PBIO announced a partnership with Phasex Corporation. The aim of the collaboration is to combine PBIO’s patented UST and Phasex’s supercritical fluid (“SCF”)-based processing methods to enable the development of stable, water-soluble nanoemulsions of nutraceuticals, including CBD-enriched plant oil. Phasex is a pioneer in the development of SCF-based toll processors, which are used for extracting, purifying, recrystallizing and fractionating a wide range of polymers, natural extracts and other chemicals.

Complementing Phasex’s SCF extraction technology with PBIO’s UST makes a great deal of commercial sense. Currently, there is a market for new methods of turning hydrophobic extracts into stable, water-soluble formulations. UST offers the potential to solve that problem by producing stable nanoemulsions of oil-like products in water. The range of commercial applications is extensive and includes inks, industrial lubricants, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, as well as medically important plant oil extracts such as CBD. UST utilizes ultra-high pressure-driven fluid dynamic shear forces, combined with controlled temperatures, to engender homogenization.

Data from scientific studies indicate that nanoemulsions of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals may exhibit improved absorption, higher bioavailability, greater stability and lower levels of stabilizing additives (surfactants) when compared to the larger droplet sizes resulting from current emulsion processes. Because of these significant advantages, nanoemulsions are currently the focus of many research efforts worldwide. In this field, the PBIO-Phasex joint venture is poised to break new ground. Combining Phasex’s SCF extraction methodology with PBIO’s disruptive drug delivery technology may signal the genesis of an entirely new paradigm in therapeutic treatments.

The global medical marijuana market is set to reach a value of $55.8 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. As it expands, the demand for enabling medical technologies, such as UST, is set to rise. PBIO, it seems, is about to thrive in the brave new world of cannabis liberalization.

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

• Proposed legislation would be more moderate than a current legalization initiative but allow more concessions than a more conservative bill submitted this season
• Jeremy Roberts is confident the yet undrafted bill will be ready for consistent debate before the end of the current legislative session on March 8
• Cannabis is illegal in Utah, with only one exception: non-psychoactive medical CBD oil extract is allowed for patients suffering from severe epilepsy

A medical cannabis bill that would advocate a more moderate approach and would “bridge the gap” between two very different legalization initiatives currently underway, has every chance to be successful, according to Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) CEO Jeremy Roberts, quoted by the Deseret News (http://ibn.fm/ujXBR). Roberts, who is also a member of the Utah Republican Party, discussed the matter with Rep. Lee Perry, who is planning on coming up with a “workable medical marijuana program in the state.” While the bill has not yet been formally drafted, with Perry still gathering input on language and contents, Roberts is confident that the initiative will be ready in time to be debated before the end of the legislative session on March 8.

Leveraging his experience as CEO of a merchant processing pioneer in the medical cannabis industry, Roberts said he met with several interested lawmakers in recent months to discuss what would be a “reasonable program” with appropriate controls in place to allow patients access to marijuana-based medication they need. Talks even focused on aspects of current marijuana legislation in other states, to determine which policies would make the most sense for Utah.

Cannabis is illegal in Utah, with the exception of a non-psychoactive medical CBD oil extract for patients with severe epilepsy. Advocates of medical marijuana legalization for people with serious medical conditions are rallying for a state-wide ballot sometime this year, an initiative that enjoys overwhelming support. About 76 percent of Utah voters are in favor of the initiative, according to a January survey by The Salt Lake Tribune and the Hinkley Institute of Politics with the University of Utah (http://ibn.fm/BTp4i). Opponents of the initiative, including Perry and Roberts, say the ballot goes further than most people realize and would basically provide backdoor access to the equivalent of a recreational program.

On the other side, Rep. Brad Daw has introduced a package of bills on medical marijuana which would allow terminally ill patients to try the substance and would have the state grow its own plant. Roberts believes the legislation proposed by Daw this session is too conservative, and not too different from the “ultra-conservative” initiatives that the legislature has come up with up to this point.

Lawmakers know that they need to pass a medical marijuana bill but “they haven’t been given a good option” so far, Roberts said. The Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions CEO is confident that what Perry will come up with be viewed as a better and more moderate option which the caucuses are going to love. The bill will most likely start by allowing unrestricted access to CBD oil to all patients who need it, and broad access to marijuana for terminally ill patients. Gradually, the bill will allow for higher ratios of THC to CBD for certain categories of patients, but it will most likely not allow access to the whole plant at any point, Roberts explained.

In a separate interview with Jane King of SCN Corporate Connect (http://ibn.fm/7cJh8), Roberts talked about his company’s commitment to regulatory compliance, as opposed to other companies in the industry which would rather “walk away” than put in the work to meet the federal government’s very strict guidelines and regulations. He said that part of his activity in Washington DC includes working with the authorities to show that “people actually can and are willing to comply with the regulations they put forth.”

Roberts also briefly discussed his company’s fully secure, state-of-the-art services to the medical marijuana sector, in particular its ability to track sales and tax collection from the moment when a buyer enters the vendors’ establishment, the purchases made, all the way through the payment of taxes. This functionality “hasn’t existed up until we’ve come to the marketplace, and we can actually show the provenance of funds in that market,” he said.

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions brought to the market the first and only comprehensive card processing service. Via Green, a proprietary payment system that was launched earlier in January 2018, the company aims to offer a “cure for the banking nightmare cannabis establishments face,” according to Roberts. The platform has full merchant account functionality that allows for repeat billing, online sales, client management and 100 percent secure electronic payments. The system is also fully compliant with Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCen) regulations and parameters for financial institutions serving the medical cannabis sector.

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

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• Update highlights proposed acquisitions, product development and growing IP portfolio
• Three new patent filings join established global rights to other patented technologies
• Innovative transdermal delivery technology increases bioavailability of cannabinoids
• Global cannabis market projected to reach $31.4 billion by 2021

Pivot Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCQB: PVOTF) has provided investors an update covering a number of recent achievements and ongoing activities, including the company’s proposed acquisitions of ERS Holdings, LLC and Thrudermic, LLC; its ongoing product development efforts; its growing IP portfolio; its termination of a previously announced standstill agreement; out-licensing of its IP; and its engagement of an established European distribution partner (http://ibn.fm/GZfrU). In a news release, Dr. Patrick Frankham, CEO of Pivot, stated, “We are overwhelmed by interested companies who now understand that derivatives and superior formulations will improve cannabis product experience and healthy outcomes.”

Based in Vancouver, Canada, Pivot Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutic pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals using proprietary drug delivery platform technologies. By developing and commercializing a number of pharmaceutical-grade formulations for cannabinoid-based consumer health care products, Pivot Pharmaceuticals is positioning itself to capitalize on the impressive growth of the cannabis market. According to market research company Brightfield Group, the marijuana market will experience a CAGR of 60 percent to reach $31.4 billion by 2021 (http://ibn.fm/8ePj2).

As part of its overall growth strategy, Pivot Pharmaceuticals recently filed three provisional patents for cannabinoid-based product delivery with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to a company press release (http://ibn.fm/tcV0W) issued on February 1, 2018. Its three patents cover:

• Transdermal nanotechnology delivery of cannabis using patches and creams
• Mucus topical cannabis delivery through buccal, nasal, vaginal and anal areas using a gel, mouthwash or suppository
• Inhalation delivery of cannabis for topic or systemic applications

These latest provisional patent filings join an established number of global rights to topical, oral, transdermal, food and beverage patented technologies that Pivot has already secured.

A case in point is Pivot’s recent acquisition of the BiPhasix™ Transdermal Drug Delivery technology for the delivery of cannabinoids. Oral delivery of cannabinoids can produce inconsistent absorption efficiencies and unfavorable side effects, while topical delivery technologies often suffer from weak formulation issues. By contrast, transdermal delivery has greater potential to produce a more favorable outcome without the negative side effects and absorption issues. Another benefit of transdermal delivery is that it enables patients to apply medication over a prolonged period with fewer side effects than with other methods of delivery. The BiPhasix™ delivery system, thoroughly tested in clinical trials approved by the FDA and EMA, was demonstrated to enhance the bioavailability of drugs and to improve clinical outcomes.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals also created subsidiary Pivot Green Stream Health Solutions Inc. to focus on improving the bioavailability of cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals. Pivot Green Stream will develop natural cannabinoid-based health products that qualify for the Natural Health Product (NHP) designation conferred by Health Canada.

In addition, Pivot has acquired the global rights from Solmic GmbH for the development and commercialization of the Solmic Solubilization Technology Platform. This formulation technology provides significantly higher bioavailability of active ingredients while masking unpleasant tastes and smells. This oral delivery platform greatly increases uptake of fat-soluble ingredients from the gut into the blood system, resulting in increased bioavailability.

The company has several products in its development pipeline which target cancer supportive care, pain and inflammation, dermatology and eye disease. They include PGS-N005, a cannabinoid-based topical cream to treat female sexual dysfunction. This formulation will treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder, aimed specifically at peri-menopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal women with a decline in sexual desire and response. It is estimated that up to 63 percent of women in the United States may be affected by this disorder, with the female sexual dysfunction market estimated to exceed $4 billion.

Pivot Pharmaceuticals has a seasoned management team with extensive clinical, product development, commercial and financial experience. The company has positioned itself to be a crucial vertical in the cannabis industry, with a focus on biotechnological development. As part of its business strategy, Pivot works with licensed producers (LPs) and licensed dealers (LDs) to bring new therapies to the market.

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

• WHO recommends that CBD not be a controlled substance
• Operations at various points in the cannabis and industrial hemp industries
• Launch of new products for convenience stores

Two major trends are fostering the success Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA) is having. With 29 states and the District of Columbia now permitting the use of cannabis for either medicinal or recreational purposes and public stigma surrounding cannabinoids fast fading, the cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) industry is moving toward a maturity that will make it an economic sector to be reckoned with. At the same time, an increasingly health-conscious American public is discovering the benefits of hemp-derived CBD, which, unlike delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is devoid of psychotropic properties.

The company, established in 2015 in California by Don Steinberg and Charles Larsen, is set to execute its vision of creating a diverse portfolio of cannabis- and hemp-based businesses. MCOA has already established a commanding presence at various points in the cannabis and industrial hemp markets, as well as the related services supply chains.

Meanwhile, MCOA’s wholly owned subsidiary, hempSMART™, Inc., continues its mission of bringing high quality hemp-derived CBD-based products to market through its affiliate marketing program. Its patent-pending product, hempSMART Brain, is designed to provide safe and effective support of healthy brain function, and its recently launched hempSMART Full Spectrum Drops offer a full-spectrum CBD tincture formulated with hemp and fractionated coconut oils. Moreover, in December 2017, MCOA announced the debut of a new personal care product: hempSMART Pain Cream (http://ibn.fm/poJ6c), and hempSMART Pain Capsules are formulated with 10mg of full spectrum, non-psychoactive CBD per serving, derived from industrial hemp as the core ingredient, which, along with a proprietary blend of other natural ingredients, delivers an all-natural formulation.

MCOA has also partnered with the founders of HoneyB Healthy Living to develop Convenient Hemp Mart, LLC’s BeniHemp branded products targeting convenience stores, according to a recent news release (http://ibn.fm/z7rTU). MCOA has invested $100,000 into the start-up project in exchange for a 25 percent equity stake.

Now that the Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) of the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recommended that ‘cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) not be internationally scheduled as a controlled substance’ (http://ibn.fm/mlSXz), MCOA looks set for success in the fast developing cannabis and industrial hemp CBD markets.

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

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• U.S. heading for number three spot in global LNG exports
• PGAS to leverage shipping expertise to enter U.S. LNG export market
• PGAS operates crude oil tanker fleet in Mediterranean and West Africa

Now that the U.S. has copped the number one spot in global natural gas production, the country is moving quickly to join the frontrunners in global LNG exports. A feature in the Houston Chronicle (http://ibn.fm/fRFNn), citing U.S. Department of Energy data, ‘projects that LNG production capacity will quadruple by the end of 2019, making the (U.S.) the largest source of LNG after Qatar and Australia.’ Much of the exported LNG will leave the U.S. from Texas, where Petrogress, Inc. (OTC: PGAS) has widened its international footprint by establishing a subsidiary. The company plans to leverage its expertise in oil transportation and shipping, gained in the tough Mediterranean and West African markets, to gain a competitive advantage as the U.S. heads for global dominance in the natural gas market.

Through its Texas subsidiary, Petrogress Oil & Gas Energy Inc., PGAS is poised to capitalize on the seismic shifts transforming the natural gas industry in the U.S. Just a few years ago, the country was heavily reliant on imports of natural gas and was expected to remain that way for the near future. However, the shale revolution reversed that prospect, and the U.S. dispatched its first exports of LNG in February 2016 (http://ibn.fm/eqFPX), according to the American Petroleum Institute (API). Buoyed by growing exports to Mexico, the U.S. is currently the world’s largest natural gas producer, a position it took from Russia in 2009. This means that, since 2008, when output was 55 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), U.S. natural gas production has increased by 32 percent, reaching 72.5 Bcf/d in 2016.

PGAS has set up a number of American business units to join the export extravaganza. Petrogress Oil & Gas Energy Inc., in Texas, will handle trading and logistics, while a sister subsidiary incorporated in Delaware, Navigas Carriers Inc., will manage natural gas activities. Through Navigas Carriers, PGAS plans to begin leasing LNG tankers to enter this lucrative LNG export market. To complement the shipping operations, Petrogress Oil & Gas Energy Inc. will actively seek opportunities in operating and developing natural gas production and transmission facilities, along with LNG processing, in the U.S. It will also explore opportunities for developing refinery operations in North and West Africa, and for the transport and sales of LNG in Europe.

From its international offices in Piraeus, Greece, PGAS will oversee its U.S. operations as well as its Mediterranean and West African businesses. For some time, the company has been successfully operating as a fully integrated international merchant of petroleum products, focusing on the supply and trade of light petroleum fuel oil (LPFO), refined oil products and other petrochemical products to local refineries in those regions.

As a holding company, PGAS provides its services through five wholly owned subsidiaries: Petrogres Co. Limited, which provides management of crude oil purchases and sales; Petronav Carriers LLC, which manages day-to-day operations of its beneficially-owned affiliated tanker fleet, currently consisting of four vessels; Petrogress Int’l LLC, a holding company for subsidiaries currently conducting business in Cyprus and Ghana; Petrogress Oil & Gas Energy Inc.; and its U.S. export shipping unit, Navigas Carriers Inc.

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

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• ETST intends to make 2018 its breakout year, seeks uplisting to the OTCQB Venture Market
• Company manufactures using European CO2 extraction process with organically grown, unfiltered industrial hemp
• ETST engages a new distributor to market revamped product line to major retailers, also adds several new members to its executive team

On February 13, Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTC: ETST) officially launched its High Grade Full Spectrum Cannabinoids products and a corresponding marketing strategy, as the company detailed in a recent news release (http://ibn.fm/Q4pQN). Additionally, it signed a distribution agreement with Mr. Checkout to market its revamped product line to major retailers and stores, such as Walmart, Target and Walgreens (http://ibn.fm/BgSyv).

The revamped line consists of industrial hemp product formulated as a cannabinoid complex, which is naturally occurring in the industrial hemp plant and is rich in terpenes and saponins. The company’s products are mixed, bottled and packaged in the U.S., and reorders are currently being accepted online. The line appears in modern and edgy packaging.

Based in Florida, ETST markets high-purity, high-grade hemp cannabidiol (CBD) oil. It is 100 percent natural and organic. The company has three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Earth Science Pharmaceutical markets low-cost, non-invasive medical devices for the detection of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); Cannabis Therapeutics is an emerging biotechnology company; and KannaBidioiD focuses on the recreational space with its hemp and Kanna blends.

ETST recently strengthened its core executive team (http://ibn.fm/kTUuA) through the addition of Jill Buzan as chief sales officer, Wendell Hecker as chief financial officer and Gabriel Aviles as chief learning officer. The company expects the moves to foster bottom line growth in 2018.

In a news release, Nickolas S. Tabraue, COO and president of ETST, said, “Between appointing a new Chief Sales Officer, launching revamped industrial hemp products with fresh branding and marketing strategies, and our new distributor, Mr. Checkout, we are on track for a record-setting revenue month.” He added that the company intends to make 2018 its breakout year, for which it is laying a strong foundation in the first quarter.

The company also announced that it has completed the paperwork for its uplisting to the OTCQB Venture Market later this year.

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

• KBSF, through subsidiaries, operates more than 50 stores in China and also sells its line to multi-brand retailers
• Company is vertically-integrated – designing, marketing, manufacturing and selling its line of men’s footwear, apparel and accessories while targeting style-conscious urban males
• China-based company offers line of menswear that is practical, yet modern and stylish, enabling the client to express his personality through his clothes

KBS Fashion Group Limited (NASDAQ: KBSF) has named Keyan Yan its new CEO and president (http://ibn.fm/FLC2N). He continues to serve as board chairman of the company. The size of the board was reduced to seven.

Xiaowen Zheng tendered his resignation as CEO, president and director of the company, but KBSF said that this was not a result of any disagreement or dispute with the company or its management regarding any matters relating to operations, policies or practices.

China-based KBSF is a fully-integrated casual menswear company that, through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets and sells its own line of menswear. It targets urban males in the 20-40 age range with apparel, footwear and accessories. KBSF operates over 50 KBS stores and sells via a number of multi-brand stores.

The company is focused on the practical and “keep best style” concept in fashion design. It offers clothes in modern and colorful contemporary styles. The company says that the fashion offered by KBSF is designed for the stylish man who wishes to show his personality through his clothes.

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

• Reign Coin holders share in growth of network’s collectively-owned assets
• Crypto-dividends can be passively collected, air dropped into each coin holder’s wallet
• Blockchain-based Reign Coin’s loyalty rewards program backed by Australian sapphires

Reign Sapphire Corp. (OTCQB: RGNP), a unique direct-to-consumer, custom and branded jewelry company headquartered in Los Angeles, California, aims to launch an Initial Coin Offering (“ICO”) for Reign Coin, its sapphire-backed cryptocurrency, as soon as regulatory approval is received. Reign’s unique crypto model is supported by the company’s own Australian-sourced supply chain and features inventive crypto-dividends stemming from interest and growth transaction fees related to the network’s collectively-owned assets.

Reign CEO Joseph Segelman notes that the company’s groundbreaking Reign Coin offering will be backed by conflict-free Australian sapphires, which form an attractive and solid basis for the new cryptocurrency’s initial price and subsequent valuations.

“We are diligently working on this exciting project, and have applied for the relevant trademarks and patents,” Segelman said in a news release (http://ibn.fm/QkuAV). “We are confident that Reign Coin will add long-term shareholder value and complement our existing businesses.”

Reign Coins are designed to earn interest and fees through transactions, which are then shared collectively by all coin holders in the network through crypto-dividends. Dividends can be air dropped to each holder’s Reign Coin wallet. A portion of the cumulative transaction fees can be reinvested into sapphires – the asset backing each Reign Coin – which are expected to increase the currency’s base price and improve the solidity of each coin. Reign expects to release Reign Coin’s white paper later this month and will update shareholders upon its availability.

Reign’s focus on providing conflict-free, ethically-sourced sapphires to its customers in a mine-to-finger approach is especially appealing to consumers wishing to know where their gemstones come from, Segelman said in a May 2017 article (http://ibn.fm/7MAZ4).

“We can guarantee the plot of land practically within a couple feet of where the sapphires were mined from. We can also guarantee that it’s been mined in an ethical way, that the topsoil is environmental and gets replanted [post mining] and made good,” Segelman said. “We can provide that guarantee and the assurance that what you see is what you get, and that what’s on your finger we’ve been part of the whole process.”

The Gemological Institute of America (http://ibn.fm/fdTDI) reports that millennials – a key consumer target for Reign – are the newest generation of gem and jewelry enthusiasts. They are “particularly inclined to take factors such as fair-trade status, sustainability, and human rights into account before making a purchase,” the report states.

Millennials are also keeping a close eye on the cryptocurrency frenzy, with 30 percent of those in the 18 to 34 age range stating that they would rather invest in a cryptocurrency such as bitcoin than government-backed stocks or bonds (http://ibn.fm/EI1Ve). A recent poll from Swell Investing, a California-based investment company that focuses on social justice-oriented portfolios, reached the same conclusion (http://ibn.fm/67ltz).

Reign’s lean operating model includes sharing central marketing and operational infrastructure throughout its three distinct, niche direct-to-consumer jewelry brands. The company is a member of the American Gem Trading Association, which is committed to fair trade and processing of gemstones. Reign Brands operates through four key divisions: Reign Sapphires, which offers ethically produced, millennial-targeted sapphire jewelry; Coordinates Collection, a provider of custom jewelry inscribed with location coordinates to commemorate life’s special moments; and Le Block, which offers classic customized jewelry and the athleisure jewelry brand ION Collection by Jen Selter.

Reign’s portfolio also includes Reign Ventures, a joint-venture platform for investment and development of technology-related products, and Reign Blockchain, which authenticates sapphires as conflict-free.

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

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• Closing of $112 million in private placement financing fully funds expansion plans
• Time-to-market accelerated as Aurora Cannabis inks strategic investment/partnership with TGOD
• Highly anticipated IPO scheduled for March 2018
• Organic, medical-grade cannabis grown at low cost increases profit margins

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (“TGOD”) continues to make headlines as it forms strategic partnerships and banks investment funds to fuel the company’s expansion plans to become the largest organic cannabis company in the world. The company’s recent announcement of its closing of $112 million in private placement financing included a cornerstone investment of $55 million by marijuana industry powerhouse Aurora Cannabis Inc. (OTCQX: ACBFF) (TSX: ACB) (http://ibn.fm/rCOHQ). To date, TGOD has raised $160 million with over 4,000 shareholders.

TGOD is setting the industry standard on several fronts, including environmental stewardship, natural resource sustainability and development of a consortium of world-class architectural, construction and utility management teams dedicated to responsible practices. As a Canadian licensed cannabis producer, TGOD prides itself on growing completely organic, pesticide-free, grown-in-live-soil cannabis. In an interview with Equities.com (http://ibn.fm/8sPu8), Danny Brody, TGOD’s vice president of investor relations, said that he believes the company’s commitment to growing medical grade cannabis sets it apart.

“From day one we believed that organic product is key,” Brody stated. “That is one of our key differentiators that we will be continuing as we build out our operation.”

With this new infusion from investors, TGOD is able to fully fund a 970,000 square foot expansion of its organic cannabis production facilities located in Ontario and Quebec, two of Canada’s most populated provinces. The facilities, capable of producing 116,000 kg of cannabis annually, are slated to come online in Q4 2018 and Q2 2019, respectively. While medical marijuana has been legal in Canada since 2001 and is projected to grow to $2.1 billion by 2020, the recreational marijuana market is expected to reach $22 billion by 2024, according to a Deloitte report (http://ibn.fm/xLOdC).

The “Canadian Advantage” is real and the opportunities are unparalleled, both in Canada and internationally, as TGOD management noted in its latest corporate presentation to shareholders. As the first G7 nation poised to legalize recreational marijuana use, Canada is having a profound impact on legalization efforts around the world. In contrast, there are 29 states in the U.S. that currently allow some form of marijuana use, although there are measures on several ballots that could add legal cannabis to the lawbooks in additional states in the near future (http://ibn.fm/7MSPg). John Kagia, a cannabis industry analyst for New Frontier Data, called the recent move toward Canadian legalization a “wake up call to all investors who were sitting on the sidelines, that this is really going to happen.”

Although full implementation of legal cannabis for adults in Canada is expected to be in place by July 2018, there is some waffling on the timing, as legislation allowing for recreational cannabis must still pass Parliament (http://ibn.fm/hzjYl). Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said lower levels of government have informed her that more time – as much as eight to 12 weeks – may be required following adoption of the law (http://ibn.fm/Q5jkC).

Timing is important, as TGOD is proving with its recent investment news and early spring 2018 plans to transition from a privately-held company to a publicly-traded one. TGOD believes that its unique approach to producing high quality, pharma-grade cannabis, coupled with its solid commitment to core values, offers numerous opportunities for additional joint ventures, licensing and distribution partnerships for a sustainable and successful future.

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

• Jamie Burke, CEO of Outlier Ventures, predicts a bull run first, then a ‘crypto winter’ during which the market will become focused on proper market fundamentals; he sees cryptocurrencies achieving $1 trillion in value in 2018
• Thomas Glucksmann of Gatecoin sees bitcoin pushing $50,000 by December
• Digital coins may also gain in value, but beware of future market bubbles, says Mick Sherman, CEO of Hercules Tech

Cryptocurrencies could reach levels of up to $1 trillion this year, experts say, with bitcoin hitting up to $50,000 (http://ibn.fm/uz34o). Despite volatile financial markets, several experts predict that a bull run market could materialize later this year, as noted in a piece published by CNBC. In fact, some say that digital coins, or tokens, could appreciate as well.

Jamie Burke, CEO of Outlier Ventures, told CNBC that cryptocurrencies could pass the $1 trillion mark in value in a bull run market this year. Burke founded this venture capital firm, which focuses on blockchain investments.

“We believe after February the market will likely go on a bull run comparative if not greater than last year potentially reaching the trillion-dollar mark before a proper crypto winter sets in where the market becomes more focused on proper market fundamentals,” he said in an email to CNBC.

Thomas Glucksmann, head of APAC business development with cryptocurrency exchange Gatecoin, added, “There is no reason why we couldn’t see bitcoin pushing $50,000 by December.” He also referenced a bitcoin lightning network that could increase the speed of bitcoin transactions. He said that it’s only a matter of time before an exchange-traded fund backed by cryptocurrency.

“Increasing regulatory recognition of cryptocurrency exchanges, the entrance of institutional capital and major technology developments will contribute to the market’s rebound and push cryptocurrency prices to all new highs this year,” Glucksmann wrote.

Digital coins, or utility tokens, may have no immediate utility value, but they may appreciate as they can be used to build new blockchain applications. Mick Sherman, co-founder and CEO of Hercules Tech, told CNBC, “Utility tokens and assets with a working platform and clear-cut reason for requiring both a blockchain and their own token, are more likely to appreciate in value this year. Some of these crypto assets will not be used for years, meaning they have no utility value.”

Sherman also cautioned investors that, despite future growth, there could be more bubbles ahead for blockchain projects.