Invest in MJ Blog

Recently I have been reading many articles and speaking with industry insiders about how The U.S. Department of Customs and Border Protection has been banning Canadians from entering the land of the not so free, United States of America.  I first heard about people being banned from entering the U.S. a couple of years ago if they had any direct relationship with cannabis cultivation, it now seems this department is targeting anyone who is engaged or somehow profiting from the cannabis industry in the U.S.

Today I read an article posted on the CBC website about how Sam Zniamer, who is a Vancouver venture capitalist for more than 30 years, had been stopped, interrogated and denied access to entering the U.S. for life.  He recently invested in legal American cannabis companies and as a result of their interrogation, he was deemed inadmissible to the land of the free. 

"To my shock and horror, I was told that I was deemed to be inadmissible to the United States because I was assisting and abetting in the illicit trafficking of drugs," Znaimer said. "They never asked whether I had consumed marijuana, the only thing that they're interested in is that I've been an investor in U.S.-based cannabis companies."

This trend of regulatory overreach by U.S. federal agents and employees against anyone in the cannabis industry is very concerning and makes for a difficult business climate.  Every non-American cannabis consumer, employee or person having ties to the cannabis industry should be concerned.  Once red-flagged, you are banned from entering the U.S. and will have to pay large sums in legal fees to get a waiver just to enter the U.S. again.  I wonder what the Canadian gov

Len Saunder who is an American immigration attorney said he's seen many cases over the past few months like Znaimer's, however in the prior 15 years that he's practiced law on the border, he'd never seen one.

"You're being barred because you're getting paid through drug money, even though it's marijuana," Saunders said. "It might as well be cocaine or heroin…These are not people who have criminal convictions, these are not people who are terrorists or a threat to the United States"

While there may be some great opportunities to invest in the legal U.S. cannabis industry, the US Federal Government has made it very difficult for anyone to do so legally and without repercussions.  Just like Sam and many others have recently experienced, I have spoken to several others who face the same predicament of being banned from entering the U.S. for having a connection to the cannabis industry in America.

When it comes to investing in the Cannabis industry, I would recommend looking at the Canadian opportunities.  As you can clearly see by these people's experiences, investing in the U.S. cannabis opportunities as a foreigner can get you banned for life and be costly to reverse.  If you do participate in the cannabis industry and have ties to U.S. opportunities, it is probably wise to not mention it at any border crossing points going into the U.S.  If you are asked any question about cannabis by a U.S. official, just choose not to answer and turn back to go home, hopefully the still won't red flag you on your next attempt entering the "Land of Not So Free".

Regards
Vin

 Looking to start farming Cannabis in Cannada, visit www.CannabisFarms.ca for more details.

Great news today, the Senate has voted to accept the government’s latest version of the long-debated legal marijuana legislation, this allows the way forward for the bill to pass into Canadian law.

 On Tuesday, June 19 in the evening, the Senate voted 52-29 to approve the government’s newest version of Bill C-45.

 A recent change in the legislation will allow home grown marijuana permitted across, this was a desire that the government’s wanted and a proposal from the Senate to allow provinces and territories to ban them has been stripped from the final bill.  This is great news for people wanting to grow the proposed 4 plants at home, however, for patients who are looking to grow larger quantities for their personal medication, we suggest learning how you can apply to grow Cannabis for yourself.

Cannabis is not yet legal in Canada so don't expect to go and buy it tomorrow because it is not expected to be available until late August or early September. The Federal Government has provided the provinces and municipalities eight to 12 weeks for their final preparations, but BUYING CANNABIS in Canada will become a reality in a few months.  Bill C-45 will now move to royal assent, the final step in the legislative process for, this could occur within days at the government’s discretion.

We wanted to take a quick minute and let you know that one of the Canadian Licensed producers we introduced to subscribers in the past will be going public on March 2, 2018.  See press release info below.

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the “Company” or “TGOD”) is pleased to announce that its common shares as well as the common share purchase warrants it issued pursuant to a warrant indenture dated November 1, 2017 (the “November Warrants”) will begin trading under the trading symbol “TGOD” and “TGOD.WT”, respectively, on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) at market open on May 2, 2018.

The TSX previously provided approval to list the common shares and the November Warrants on the TSX. Detailed information about the listing is available in the Company’s amended and restated final long form prospectus dated April 20, 2018, which is available under TGOD’s profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).

We think the company has tremendous potential given the fact they have raised approximately $270 million dollars and already has 5,000 shareholders.  Below are some links to the company investor information center and a recent article written about the IPO.  The IPO raise they did was oversubscribed and they sold 31,510,000 Units for gross proceeds of $115,011,500 (the “Offering”) at a price of $3.65 per Unit.

https://www.equities.com/news/tgods-ipo-and-share-structure-emphasizes-long-term-opportunity-in-burgeoning-cannabis-sector

https://tgod.ca/investor-centre/

https://tgod.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/TGOD-March-Prospectus-1.pdf

Highlights:

* Fully funded domestic operation from raising $160 million privately.
* Oversubscribed IPO financing for $135 million
* Post IPO cash position of $260 million
* 970,000 sq. ft. expansion underway across Ontario and Quebec, expected to produce 116,000 kg's annually
* Completely organic product and process leads to increased margins from higher sale price
* High quality, low cost model
* Proven management team specific to finance, consumer packaged goods, consumer products, brand building, international markets, and the cannabis industry.
* Strategic Investor Aurora Cannabis for $55m + $20m in IPO round = $75m
* 20% wholesale agreement with Aurora Cannabis
* Building four purpose built R&D laboratories to generate diverse product offerings, IP, and support clinical studies on cannabis
* Industry leading construction and design partners incl. Eaton corp, Ledcor group, Hamiltion utility corp, and Aurora Larssen Projects Inc.
* 5,000+ retail shareholders

A trading strategy you may want to consider is to buy the shares at the open and sell a few days later.  For longer-term investors, you can take a position now or a few weeks from now once the stock price settles into a trading range. Longer term, we believe this is a licensed producer stock worth holding. 

Visit the TGOD directory listing on Invest In MJ for more details and stock charts.

Please conduct your own due diligence before making an investment decision and consult your financial advisor.  I am already a shareholder in TGOD and have participated in the IPO round.

Regards
Vin Maru,
Editor at Invest In MJ

March 14, 2018 – Toronto, ON – The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the “Company” or “TGOD”) today announced that it has filed an amended and restated preliminary long form prospectus (the “Prospectus”) with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada in respect of its previously announced initial public offering of units of the Company (the “Units”). The Prospectus contemplates a minimum offering of $75,000,000 and a maximum offering of $100,000,000 through the issuance of a minimum of 20,547,945 Units and a maximum of 27,397,260 Units (the “Offering”) at a price of $3.65 per Unit.

Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (a “Unit Share”) and one-half of one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole warrant being a “Warrant”). Each Warrant is exercisable into one common share of the Company (a “Warrant Share”) at the price of $7.00 per Warrant Share, subject to adjustment, on or prior to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the date that is the earlier of (i) 24 months after the Closing Date and (ii) the date specified in any Warrant Acceleration Notice (as hereinafter defined). If, at any time, the volume-weighted average trading price of the common shares of the Company is equal to or greater than $9.00 for any 10 consecutive trading day period, the Company may provide written notice to Computershare Trust Company of Canada as warrant indenture trustee and the registered holders of Warrants (a “Warrant Acceleration Notice”) that the expiry time of the Warrants shall be accelerated to the date which is 30 days after the date of such Warrant Acceleration Notice, subject to TSX approval.

The Offering is being led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. as sole bookrunner and co-led with PI Financial Corp. (collectively, the “Co-Lead Agents”), together with Industrial Alliance Securities Inc., INFOR Financial Inc., Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. and Mackie Research Capital Corporation as agents (collectively, the “Agents”).

The amended and restated preliminary prospectus contains important information relating to TGOD and the Units and is still subject to completion or amendment. Copies of the amended and restated preliminary prospectus are available from the Agents. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy the Units until a receipt for the (final) long form prospectus has been issued.

No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Units have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws. Accordingly, the Units may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of TGOD in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.

Robert Anderson

Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chairman

ABOUT THE GREEN ORGANIC DUTCHMAN HOLDINGS LTD. 

The Company is licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”) to cultivate medical cannabis. The Company carries out its principal activities producing cannabis from its facilities in Ancaster, Ont., pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) and its regulations.

The Company grows high quality, organic medical cannabis with sustainable, all-natural principles. The Company’s products are laboratory tested to ensure patients have access to a standardized, safe and consistent product.

The Company has a funded capacity of 116,000 kg and is situated on approximately 175 acres of land between two of the most populated areas of Canada; Ontario & Quebec.. The Company has negotiated favourable power rates and is building a combined 970,000 sq. ft. facility capable of producing 116,000 kg of premium, high- quality, organic cannabis. To date, the Company has raised approximately $160 million dollars and has over 4,000 shareholders.

Investors looking to learn more about TGOD may visit the Company’s Investor Centre at https://tgod.ca/investor-centre/ or contact the Company at invest@tgod.ca, and patients may now register for the Company’s beta patient program at https://tgod.ca/patients/

Contact Us:

E: invest@tgod.ca

T: 1 (416) 900-7621

W: www.TGOD.ca

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR OVER UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES

Posted on January 16, 2018January 16, 2018 by tgod

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the “Company” or “TGOD”) is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced brokered and non-brokered private placements. TGOD has issued 67,878,788 Units (the “Units”) at a price of $1.65 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $112,000,000. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (a “Common Share“) and one-half common share purchase warrant of the Company (a “Warrant“). Each whole Warrant is exercisable into one Common Share (the “Warrant Share“) at the exercise price of $3.00 per share and has an expiry date that is the earlier of (a) 36 months from the date the Common Shares commence trading on a recognized stock exchange (the “Listing Date“), and (b) February 28, 2021. The Company will make all reasonable efforts to ensure the Warrants are listed on the same exchange on which the Common Shares are listed.

The Company is pleased to announce the closing of Aurora Cannabis Inc.’s (TSX: ACB) strategic investment into TGOD. The investment consists of 33,333,334 Units, priced at $1.65 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $55 million.

To date, the Company has raised a total of $160 million, fully funding the expansion of 970,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art, ultra-high technology hybrid greenhouse facilities in Ancaster, Ontario and Valleyfield, Quebec. TGOD’s expansion and strategic partnership with Aurora positions the Company as an industry leader and sets the foundation for the highly anticipated upcoming 2018 IPO.

Upon completion of the Company’s expansion, it is expected to be one of the largest and most technologically advanced cannabis production facilities in the world, producing ultra-low cost, premium-quality organic cannabis. Additionally, TGOD’s facilities will be LEED certified and operating with close to a zero-carbon footprint with some of the lowest-cost power rates in the country.

LEED, stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design”, is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

In addition to Aurora’s investment in TGOD, the companies shall enter into a supply agreement, providing Aurora with the right to purchase up to 20% of TGOD’s annual production of premium high-quality organic cannabis.

Further, Aurora and Aurora Larssen Projects Inc. (“ALPS”) will provide additional services to TGOD on the completion and commissioning of its Ancaster and Valleyfield facilities, which are anticipated for Winter 2018. The facilities, when completed, will have an annual production capacity of 116,000 kg of premium, high-quality organic cannabis.

“Teaming up with Aurora, the industry’s innovation leader, provides us with a stable, supportive shareholder, through whom we have access to best-in-class technologies and industry know-how. This will significantly accelerate our time to market and establish TGOD as the world’s leading provider of premium organic cannabis,” said Csaba Reider, President of TGOD.

“The supply agreement with Aurora validates our strategy to produce premium-priced organic cannabis. With this significant cornerstone investor and customer, we will be able to leverage our deep consumer packaged goods and brand building experience, as well as Aurora`s well-established brand recognition to pursue rapid growth,” said Mr. Reider.

Rob Anderson, TGOD chief executive officer, added: “Partnering with the industry leader in terms of innovation and execution validates how TGOD’s differentiated business model creates substantial value for our partners and shareholders. This is a synergistic partnership that will help TGOD reach an international audience with its premium products and rapidly capture market share in this incredibly dynamic market, and will provide further differentiation and diversification to Aurora’s product offering. We look forward to working with the teams at ALPS and Aurora as we execute on our de-risked but aggressive growth strategy.”

Investors looking to learn more about TGOD may visit the Company’s Investor Centre at https://tgod.ca/investor-centre/ or contact the Company at invest@tgod.ca, and patients may now register for the Company’s beta patient program at https://tgod.ca/patients/

ABOUT THE GREEN ORGANIC DUTCHMAN HOLDINGS LTD.

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. produces Farm Grown, Pharma Grade Organic Cannabis.

The Company grows high quality, organic medical cannabis with sustainable, all natural principles. The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. products are laboratory tested to ensure patients have access to a standardized, safe and consistent product.

TGOD has a funded capacity of 116,000 kg and is situated on 175 acres of land between two of the most populated areas of Canada; Ontario & Quebec. TGOD owns one of the largest land packages in Canada with some of the lowest power rates in the country. The Company is building a combined 970,000 sq. ft. facility capable of producing 116,000 kg of premium, high- quality, organic cannabis. To date, the Company has raised $160 million dollars and has over 4,000 shareholders.

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. is licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”) to cultivate medical cannabis. The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. carries out its principal activities producing cannabis from its facilities in Ancaster, Ont., pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) and its regulations.

This news release contains forward-looking information, which includes known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Important factors — including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts and the parties’ due diligence reviews, and general market conditions — that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Investor Relations

Email: invest@tgod.ca

Phone: 1 (905) 304-4201

www.tgod.ca

Yesterday the Marijuana stocks listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange sold off as a result of a bulletin issued by the TMX.   The announcement affected Canadian companies listed on the TSX and was in regards to their “Business Activities Related to Marijuana in the United States.”  TSX provided some clarity of its policy, suggesting that “Issuers with ongoing business activities that violate U.S. federal law regarding marijuana are not complying with the Requirements.” 

Any company with direct or indirect ownership of direct cannabis companies, arrangements with them, providing goods or services to them and any sort of commercial interests is contrary to its policy according to the TSX.

They will take the remainder of the year and review the listed companies that are engaged in direct or ancillary services:

The Exchange notes that if a listed issuer is engaging in activities that are contrary to the Requirements, the Exchange has the discretion to initiate a delisting review under Policy 2.9 of the Manual.

The good thing is that while the selloff in Canadian LPs should be short lived as most LPs have not pursued U.S operations, with the exception of Aphria (TSX: APH) (OTC: APHQF).  They have investments in Arizona (Copperstate Farms) and in Florida, through ownership of and licensing to Liberty Health Sciences (CSE: LHS) (OTC: LHSIF), which is also vying for licenses in Ohio. 

With the exception of a handful of other companies listed on the TSX or TSX Venture most Canadian companies with cannabis business in the United States are listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE), which has no similar issue.  Any company listed on the TSX could move to the CSE or adopt the OTC in the U.S. as its primary exchange.  

The support for cannabis legalization by the public is stronger today than over the last few decades.  However, most non-cannabis users still believe the old stereotype about "stoners" — that marijuana smokers are apathetic, unsuccessful, flaky… and the list goes on.

But, contrary to the popular stereotype which is based mostly on miss-information or lack of research, there is a new study which suggests they are in fact among the most satisfied and successful among us.  

As it turns out, cannabis consumers are among the most well-adjusted and successful of American adults, based on results from BDS Analytics’ landmark cannabis consumer research study.

The study surveyed consumers (acceptors) and abstainers (rejecters) across a wide variety of mental, social and financial factors. The survey analysed extensive data from two US states that have voted to legalise the sale of cannabis -California and Colorado.

Among the findings, Cannabis Consumers are: 

Accomplished Personally and Professionally

• Average annual household income among California Consumers is $93,800, compared to $72,800 for Acceptors and $75,900 for Rejecters.
• The percentage of people holding master’s degrees among California Consumers is 20 percent, compared to 13 percent for Acceptors and 12 percent for Rejecters.
• Full-time employment is enjoyed by 64 percent of Colorado Consumers, compared to 51 percent of Acceptors and 54 percent of Rejecters.

Satisfied with Life

• Nearly five in 10 Colorado Consumers agree they are more satisfied with life today than they were a year ago, compared to about four in 10 among Acceptors and Rejecters.

Parents Raising Families

• Cannabis Consumers are the most likely segment to be parents in California: 64 percent of Consumers are parents, compared to 60 percent of Acceptors and 55 percent of Rejecters.
• In addition, Consumers in California are significantly more likely to have children ages 10 years or younger at home — 37 percent of Consumers compared to 23 percent of Acceptors and 11 percent of Rejecters

Active Socially and Creatively

• Among Colorado Consumers, 36 percent agree they are very social people, compared to 21 percent for Acceptors and 28 percent for Rejecters.
• Acceptors in Colorado were more likely to enjoy the fine arts and describe themselves as creative.

Enjoy the Outdoors

• When compared to Rejecters, Consumers in both Colorado and California say they enjoy outdoor recreation at a higher rate — 50 percent for Colorado Consumers compared to 36 percent for Colorado Rejecters, and 57 percent for California Consumers compared to 26 percent for California Rejecters.

Nurturing and Volunteers

• In California, 60 percent of Consumers agree that they are nurturing people, compared to 41 percent of Rejecters. Also, 38 percent of Consumers say they volunteer their time to help others, compared to 25 percent of Rejecters.

The following is a comment from Linda Gilbert, head of the consumer research division at BDS: “Cannabis consumers are far removed from the caricatures historically used to describe them”.

Public support for cannabis legalization is at an all-time high, the misconception and myths around cannabis users is clearly debunked from this study.  We are thankful that real insight and studies are now being done around cannabis. Over the years we expect this trend to continue and more light will be shed on the benefits of cannabis use.  This will hopefully shatter the misconceptions and false information typically cited by people who are anti-cannabis.  The tides are turning and the truth is being shared, that is a positive step forwards towards the legalization of cannabis.

See full report and details about BDS Analytics. June 6 2017

Invest In MJ News (#IMJ) Update for March 15 2017

As we mentioned a few days ago, we are in a healthy correction in the Cannabis sector for stock price and valuations.  In Canada, the valuations of the licensed producers have gotten way ahead of itself over the last few months; they should start to build a base during the summer before moving higher going into fall and winter of 2018.

Looks like the sector will move sideways for some time, this creates a good trading opportunity, new entry points for new positions or adding to existing positions.  Sign up for our newsletter to get more ideas on investing and trading the MJ Stocks.

One of the companies we provide coverage on is Emblem Cannabis, the chart below is some initial technical analysis we provide as part of our research.  You can view price charts and company info on Emblem from our company directory.  Our latest news letter provides more details on Emblem, investment and trading strategies. 

Our company directory listing provides detailed information on various publicly traded companies including price charts.  You are welcome to use the charting tool and perform your own technical analysis to the price action of the company’s stock. 

Latest Company Financing News:

Organigram Announces Issuance of Stock Options

MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK--(Marketwired - March 14, 2017) - Organigram Holdings Inc. (TSX VENTURE:OGI)(OTCQB:OGRMF) ("Organigram" or the "Company") announces that it has issued an aggregate of 1,500,000 incentive stock options to Greg Engel, a director of the Company and the Company's Chief Executive Officer, at an exercise price of $2.36 per share. View Company Directory Listing on #IMJ

Kitrinor Metals Inc. and Scythian Biosciences Inc. Announce Closing of Subscription Receipt Financing of $13,085,000 With Strategic Lead Investment From Aphria Inc.
Scythian Biosciences Inc. is developing a proprietary Cannabinoid combination therapy for the prevention and treatment of concussions and traumatic brain injury

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 14, 2017) - NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

Further to the press release dated February 21, 2017, Kitrinor Metals Inc. (TSX VENTURE:KIT) (the "Company") and Scythian Biosciences Inc. ("Scythian"), a company incorporated under the federal laws of Canada, are pleased to announce that Scythian completed an initial tranche of a brokered private placement offering of subscription receipts ("Subscription Receipts") led by Clarus Securities Inc. (the "Lead Agent"), together with Haywood Securities Inc. and Canaccord Genuity Corp. (collectively, the "Agents"), for gross proceeds of C$13,085,000 (the "Offering"). 

GrowGeneration Secures $1,650,000 in Capital From Merida Capital Partners to Continue to Fuel Growth
DENVER, CO--(Marketwired - March 14, 2017) - GrowGeneration Corp. (OTCQB: GRWG)

METATRON (OTC PINK: MRNJ) Announces $1,000,000 Reg A Capital Raise to fund Cannabis & Vaporize, a Secure Chat App
DOVER, DE--(Marketwired - Mar 14, 2017)

Over the last few years we have seen an explosion of companies marketing, branding and selling CBD based products.   The trend to sell these products in the US will continue to grow as it becomes well know that the Cannabidiol from the cannabis plant does have many medical and health benefits.   Many of the CBD based products are sourced from the Hemp plant which makes it easier to sell in the US as most hemp based products can be sold in the US and do not necessarily require FDA approval for sale if marketed as a health supplement and not a medicine.  

There are a number of companies growing hemp and then extracting CBD oils for use in bi-products that are then marketed as health supplements by other companies.  The supply of CBD has seen tremendous growth over the last few years, the brands and products created and marketed by hundreds of companies  does bring a lot of competition to the market.  As more people become aware of CBD and its benefits, we do believe the sales of CBD based products will continue to grow.   However with more competition these companies will see their profit margins get squeezed and many will fail to bring their products to market.  

There are many companies listed on various stock exchanges that participate in product branding and sales of CBD based products.  While many have gained attention from the investment community, we do have to stress that most of them are using the same components for their products and it will be difficult to differentiate their products from others.  The point is, 90% of these companies do not have anything unique in terms of a product offering and many will fail.  If you are going to invest in companies that market and sell CBD based products, make sure they have a great marketing and branding strategy, have strong distribution partners, a proven management team and are well funded.  

The main purpose of this article is to get a better understanding of CBD and Cannabidiol, the investment opportunities and value of CBD will be discussed in the future.

Below is a basic overview of what CBD and Cannabidiol is and the potential health and medical benefits. The exert and infographic below was provided by Monica Bing from http://cannabisowl.com/

Cannabidiol is a major phytocannabinoid and accounts for about 40% of the marijuana plant’s extract. With quite a broad scope of medical applications, it's use is increasing among all populations and countries and research suggests it to be helpful for seizures, anxiety and other ailments.

CBD exerts its actions through a variety of pathways. This non psychoactive component is considered to have a wide scope of potential therapeutic usage. The exact cause for these effects is not clear. But this miracle herb seems to prevent the breakdown of a chemical in the brain that affects pain, mood, and mental function. 

CBD is consumed in a variety of forms including oil, tinctures, edibles, capsules, lotion and even chewing gum by patients. But CBD oils are becoming popular among chronic pain sufferers. This oil also works against convulsions, anxiety, insomnia, and ulcers.

In fact, this oil is the new hope of a cure for those suffering from terminal illnesses. Recent studies report that medical use of this oil can help people find relief from severe health conditions like cancer and chemotherapy treatment, atopic dermatitis, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS.

This ultimate oil is also gaining ground as a viable treatment option for several childhood illnesses and conditions. For some parents, CBD for kids becomes a last option. For many families, CBD is a miracle molecule that allows their children to live normal lives without hospitalisations, doctor visits, dangerous medications, and being stuck indoors. 

The following infographic outlines the utility of Cannabidiol.

There were always some questions about what a Trump Gov’t would mean to the cannabis industry.  With very little mention of it during the elections and after him taking office, industry participants and companies had no clear indication on what his presidency would mean to the cannabis industry.  Today, comments from press secretary Sean Spicer has shed some light on what their thoughts are on the subject of medical and recreational marijuana.  

While the comments haven’t given a green light for moving forwards with cannabis reforms at the federal level, it does look like the president appreciates medical marijuana laws.  However the recreational marijuana initiatives by various states may come under scrutiny and become questionable under Jeff Sessions at the Dept. of Justice.   The comments below don’t give much indication on what this would mean to the recreational market, but it does create a lot more uncertainty.    The question around the recreational market will be left to the Dept. of Justice and Secretary Sean Spicer does believe there will be greater enforcement around it and the DOJ will be looking into it further.  What “greater enforcement” means to States who have current or planned recreational laws is uncertain, but we are confident they will get more aggressive with the illegal and grey market area when it comes to marijuana sales and use.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sean Spicer, 2/23/2017, #15

Q     I have a question on medical marijuana.  Our state voters passed a medical marijuana amendment in November.  Now we're in conflict with federal law, as many other states are.  The Obama administration kind of chose not to strictly enforce those federal marijuana laws.  My question to you is:  With Jeff Sessions over at the Department of Justice as AG, what’s going to be the Trump administration’s position on marijuana legalization where it’s in a state-federal conflict like this?

MR. SPICER:   There’s two distinct issues here: medical marijuana and recreational marijuana.  

I think medical marijuana, I’ve said before that the President understands the pain and suffering that many people go through who are facing especially terminal diseases and the comfort that some of these drugs, including medical marijuana, can bring to them.  And that's one that Congress, through a rider in 2011 -- looking for a little help -- I think put in an appropriations bill saying the Department of Justice wouldn’t be funded to go after those folks.  

There is a big difference between that and recreational marijuana.  And I think that when you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around this country, the last thing that we should be doing is encouraging people.  There is still a federal law that we need to abide by in terms of the medical -- when it comes to recreational marijuana and other drugs of that nature.  

So I think there’s a big difference between medical marijuana, which states have a -- the states where it’s allowed, in accordance with the appropriations rider, have set forth a process to administer and regulate that usage, versus recreational marijuana.  That’s a very, very different subject.

Q:  So is the federal government then going to take some sort of action around this recreational marijuana in some of these states?

MR. SPICER:  Well, I think that’s a question for the Department of Justice.  I do believe that you’ll see greater enforcement of it.  Because again, there’s a big difference between the medical use which Congress has, through an appropriations rider in 2014, made very clear what their intent was in terms of how the Department of Justice would handle that issue.  That’s very different than the recreational use, which is something the Department of Justice I think will be further looking into.  

So what does this mean for companies operating in the recreational market?  It surely does create uncertainty and that is something the market doesn’t like.   The cannabis sector has gained much attention over the last year, especially leading up to the US elections and after.  Many of the stock prices has risen significantly over the last 6 months as the industry is anticipating the recreational market will continue to expand in the various states which have moved towards legalization. 

What does this mean for investments in the US related cannabis industry?  We believe that the euphoria in company valuations and the stock price rising as it has over the last 6 months will become subdued.  The sector needs to take a breather and digest the potential outcome of anti-recreational DOJ.  While we remain optimistic on the sector overall, investors should keep in mind the stock prices and valuations probably have gotten ahead of themselves and are likely for a correction.  We will be providing an update to our newsletter subscribers very shortly on what this means to their current and future investment strategies and objectives when it comes marijuana stocks with exposure to US markets.  Sign up for our newsletter to get additional insights and opportunities on the cannabis sector.