The Growth of Cannabis Legalization Across North America

NEW YORK, March 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a report by Ameri Research Inc., the global legal cannabis market was valued at $14.3 billion in 2016 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 21.1% between 2017 to 2024. The market is projected to reach a value of $63.5 billion by 2024. The legal cannabis market is in a period of vigorous growth, which is a direct result of increasing legalization and decriminalization of cannabis products across North America. The report specifies that the legalization trend is moving beyond the U.S. In 2017, the Canadian prime minister has introduced a bill to legalize cannabis for recreational purposes. The proposed bill mandates the legal age for consumption of cannabis at 18 years, and provides clarity on the federal and state laws in regulating the cultivation, storage and distribution of cannabis across the country. WeedMD Inc (OTC: WDDMF), Aphria Inc. (OTC: APHQF), Canopy Growth Corporation (OTC: TWMJF), GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH), Cara Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CARA)

According to CBC, Canada is one of only two countries, together with the Netherlands - that currently exports cannabis, allowing firms in Canada to take instant benefit of recent medical cannabis legalizations in more than 20 countries. CBC reported that the, "offerings in today's Canada medical marijuana market differ little from those used recreationally - the smokable plant and, more recently, oil extracts. More than 70 companies have licenses from the federal drug regulator, Health Canada, to cultivate, produce and sell medical marijuana, with more than half those licenses granted in 2017 or 2018."

WeedMD Inc (OTC: WDDMF) is also listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol 'WMD'. Today the company announced breaking news that it, "has submitted an application to obtain a Health Canada Dealer's License ("Dealer's License") under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act ("CDSA") and its associated regulations. The Dealer's License will enable WeedMD to conduct research and development ("R&D") and store cannabis derivatives that are not currently covered under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR"). The Dealer's License also positions the Company to export cannabis oils and concentrates to international markets, as well as to process natural health products.

"As we ramp up our cannabis production to a rate of more than 20,000 kg annually, the Company will be supporting its commercial initiatives with R&D to expand its product offerings for domestic and international markets. With our new state-of-the-art laboratory at the Aylmer facility, we will be able to conduct research to bring novel formulations and dosing methods to market with a Dealer's License," said Dr. Luc Duchesne, Chief Scientific Officer of WeedMD. "Additionally, we will be able to test cannabis products in-house which will increase efficiencies and enable us to collect valuable data about strains and their desired effects."

This is another R&D initiative that WeedMD is undertaking, having recently announced its partnership with the world-renowned Technion-Israel Institute of Technology here. Under the WeedMD-Technion partnership, WeedMD will submit 25 of its strains for inclusion in the Cannabis Data Project, which maps strains and their efficacy in treating certain medical conditions. As there are only a limited number of Dealer's Licenses amongst the 90 Licensed Producers in Canada, securing this license is a critical step in advancing WeedMD's medical and recreational growth strategies. The Company will work both independently and with research institutions to accelerate innovation for cannabinoid applications and delivery systems and further its position in the global cannabis market."

About WeedMD Inc. - WeedMD Inc. is the publicly-traded parent company of WeedMD Rx Inc., a federally-licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). The Company operates a 26,000 sq. ft. indoor facility in Aylmer, Ontario, and is awaiting its second-site cultivation license for its greenhouse facility located in Strathroy, Ontario, representing 610,000 sq. ft. or 14 acres under glass. WeedMD has entered into supply agreements in addition to strategic relationships with established cannabis brands. The Company is focused on providing medical cannabis to the long-term care, assisted living and seniors' markets in Canada through its specialized and comprehensive platform. It is dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners and furthering public understanding of the role that medical cannabis plays - including as it pertains to regulatory requirements, indications and potential side effects

Aphria Inc. (OTCQB: APHQF), one of Canada's lowest cost producers, produces, supplies and sells medical cannabis. Located in Leamington, Ontario, the greenhouse capital of Canada. Aphria is truly powered by sunlight, allowing for the most natural growing conditions available.  On February 14, 2018, the company announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent with the Société des alcools du Québec to guarantee a supply of high-quality, safe and clean cannabis products for sale in the Quebec adult-use market through their retail outlets and e-commerce platform. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will supply the Quebec market with up to 12,000 kg of branded cannabis products in the first year of the agreement, including cannabis oils and other derivative products and several strains of high-quality Ontario- and B.C.-grown dried cannabis flower.

Canopy Growth Corporation (OTC: TWMJF) is a world-leading diversified cannabis and hemp company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and Softgel capsule forms. Recently, the company announced the signing of a definitive supply agreement with Sunniva Inc. Through the terms of this two-year agreement, Canopy Growth will purchase up to 90,000 kilograms of dried cannabis from Sunniva's wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, Sunniva Medical Inc., a late-stage Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR") applicant, and sister company of Natural Health Services, the sector's largest non-Licensed Producer medical patient network with tens of thousands of active registrations in the ACMPR. The agreement will see Sunniva grow Canopy's existing line-up of award winning genetics as well as its own branded products, both for sale through Canopy Growth's extensive distribution network, including Tweedmainstreet.com, the planned Tweed retail store network across the country, and through provinces in which Canopy has already established historic supply agreements. The deal secures a diverse supply of curated cannabis products for Canopy Growth and a reliable sales channel and stream of revenue for Sunniva, with appropriate risk sharing formulas in place for both parties.

GW Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: GWPH), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercialising novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform, announced on February 5th, that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has accepted for review the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Epidiolex® (cannabidiol) for adjunctive treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) and Dravet syndrome.  Justin Gover, GW's Chief Executive Officer stated, "We also continue to see a significant flow of clinical data from the Epidiolex program through both medical meetings such as the American Epilepsy Society and in publication including our recent Lennox-Gastaut syndrome results in The Lancet.

Cara Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CARA) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities designed to alleviate pain and pruritus by selectively targeting peripheral kappa opioid receptors (KORs). Cara is developing lead molecules that selectively modulate peripheral CB receptors without targeting CNS cannabinoid receptors. Cara's most advanced CB compound, CR701, is in preclinical development. "Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists like CR701 have the potential to provide improved pain relief for patients suffering from neuropathic pain." Cara Therapeutics CMO Joseph Stauffer said.

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