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Canadian Family-Owned Retailer, Healthy Planet expands

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Canadian Family-Owned Retailer, Healthy Planet, Opens 25th Store in Ancaster, Ontario

Healthy Planet, one of Canada’s fastest growing health and wellness retail chains, with stores across Canada, and an online store that is open 24/7, today announces its 25th store opening in Ancaster, Ontario. The Healthy Planet Ancaster store is located in the heart of Meadowlands at 821 Golf Links Road, Unit 1A.

“Ancaster has seen exponential population growth in the last 5 years, particularly in the Meadowlands area, and it was time for us to bring Healthy Planet to this burgeoning town to better serve its needs for healthier living options” says Syed Rizvi, Director of Sales and Marketing for Healthy Planet Canada.

Healthy Planet is passionate about sourcing high quality vitamins, supplements, sports nutrition, natural health, green beauty and eco products, as well as a fresh selection of organic produce, for the lowest possible price.

Ancaster residents can rely on Healthy Planet for its knowledgeable staff and in-store expert events on the latest health and wellness trends and products. Healthy Planet, a Canadian family-owned business, prides itself in aligning with socially responsible manufacturers and distributors to ensure its customers have access to the best natural health products on the market.

About Healthy Planet Canada
Healthy Planet started in 1995 and today is one of Canada’s fastest growing health and wellness retail chains, with stores across Canada, and an online store that is open 24/7. Healthy Planet is passionate about sourcing the highest quality supplements, vitamins, sports nutrition, health foods, organic grocery, bath & beauty and eco-friendly products at the lowest possible price. With a philosophy rooted in making the world healthier and greener, Healthy Planet takes great pride in aligning with socially responsible manufacturers and distributors to ensure its customers live their best and healthiest life. To learn more about Healthy Planet visit HealthyPlanetCanada.com.

New Documentary Takes Aim at Internet Advertising

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Advertising as we knew it is dead. The new age of big data advertising is rooted in hard science, complicated math, and high technology. What was once best guesses and creative leaps, is now precise, targeted surveillance. With no regulations on the books, companies are free to compile reams of personal data on anyone who accesses the internet. Industry insiders are calling this new world of advertising “the wild west.”

YOU’RE SOAKING IN IT reveals the behind—the—scenes process of collecting personal information to design ads that are tailored to influence us at the precise moment we are most ready to spend. Is this the height of invasive efficiency…or simply the price we pay for free internet?

Whole Foods and Amazon prepare for more price cuts

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Latest round of reductions to offer extra savings for Prime members

Whole Foods Market and parent Amazon this week plan to kick off a round of price cuts, including lower prices on fresh produce for all customers and more exclusive weekly deals across departments for Prime members.

The companies said Monday that the price reductions are slated to go into effect on April 3. Prices available to all customers go down by an average of 20% on select items throughout the store.

Starting Wednesday, customers will find lower prices on hundreds of items throughout the store — namely for produce, including greens, tomatoes, tropical fruit and other fruit and vegetables. Items with price cuts will include large yellow mangoes ($1 each), mixed-medley cherry tomatoes ($3.49 for 12 oz.) and organic bunched rainbow chard ($1.99 each).

“Whole Foods Market continues to maintain the high quality standards that we’ve championed for nearly 40 years and, with Amazon, we will lower more prices in the future, building on the positive momentum from previous price investments,” Whole Foods co-founder and CEO John Mackey said in a statement. “The standards for how our products are sourced, grown and produced are powerful and set Whole Foods Market apart from the competition. We will continue to focus on both lowering prices and bringing customers the quality they trust and the innovative assortment they expect from our brand.”

Prime members shopping at Whole Foods will see twice the number of exclusive weekly deals and deeper discounts, Whole Foods and Amazon said. Over the next few months, members can expect more than 300 Prime deals on popular seasonal items.

Examples for April, to rotate on a weekly basis, include organic asparagus and strawberries at $2.99/lb., a $2 savings; sumo citrus for $2.49/lb., a $1.50 savings; air-chilled, no-antibiotic whole chicken at $1.79/lb., a 40% savings; spiral sliced ham at $3.99/lb., a 33% savings; animal welfare-rated, bone-in pork loin chops: for $4.99/lb., a $2 savings; and fresh, sustainable, wild-caught halibut fillet at $16.99/lb., a 35% savings.

Also for Prime members, there will be 35% off all Justin’s brand products, $20 off Vega One Organic Shakes (24.3 oz. to 26.9 oz. sizes), 40% off all Kite Hill plant-based products, 35% off all Epic brand products and 20% off prepared sandwiches and wraps: 20% off. Prime members, too, can get an extra 10% off hundreds of sale items across the store.

Amazon and Whole Foods noted that the latest price cuts build on hundreds of lower prices introduced since the companies’ August 2017 merger, ranging from whole trade organic bananas and Chobani yogurt to 365 Everyday Value cage-free large eggs.

“When Whole Foods Market joined the Amazon family, we set out to make healthy and organic food more accessible. Over the last year, we’ve been working together tirelessly to pass on savings to customers,” said Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer. “Every time a customer walks into a Whole Foods Market, they expect and trust industry-leading quality standards across aisles. And now they will experience that same Whole Foods Market quality with even more savings across departments.”

With the price reductions, the companies also will look to drive Prime memberships. Through the end of April, customers who try Prime will be able to get $10 off their $20 purchase in-store at Whole Foods when they try Prime at amazon.com/WholeFoods10. New members will be able to try Prime free for 30 days.

Amazon and Whole Foods said the latest price cuts mark the third round of reductions following their merger. Savings efforts have included an additional 10% off hundreds of sale items throughout the store and up to 20 exclusive deals available weekly for Prime members, as well as 5% back for Prime members using the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card (and 3% back for cardholders without an eligible Prime membership).

Regions Continue to Shift Towards CBD Legalization With Growing List of Medical Applications

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hemp leaves on wooden background, seeds, cannabis oil extracts in jars.

The proliferation of cannabidiol, or CBD-based products, has exploded after U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill in December 2018. Now, CBD products are appearing at supermarkets, health and wellness stores, smoke shops, coffee shops, and farmer’s markets around the country. Due to the rapid emergence of the industry, CBD products have expanded outwards from traditional oils and tinctures to shampoos, bath bombs, pet treats, and gummy bears. However, CBD still remains in a grey area due to its classifications as a cannabis derivative. On the other hand, CBD doesn’t cause any psychoactive effects like its THC counterpart, which is why CBD regulations are much more lenient than those focused on THC. CBD is primarily marketed as a health and therapeutic product, which ultimately led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Epidiolex, a CBD-based drug to treat epilepsy, as well as other CBD synthetic compounds. The biggest barrier to the CBD market is currently the lack of clinical trials and research. Regardless, studies conducted by medical institutions have already added enough credibility to CBD to cause a string of countries to legalize medical cannabis applications. The CBD industry has already made significant milestones within the past year and is expected to continually grow as research continues to develop. According to data compiled by Brightfield Group, the U.S. hemp CBD market is projected to reach USD 22 Billion by 2022, outpacing the rest of the cannabis market combined. Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTC: PBIO), Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. (OTC: CWBHF) (CSE: CWEB), Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: NEPT) (TSX: NEPT), Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: RKDA), Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC: EMHTF) (TSXV: EMH)

The FDA has only approved Epidiolex for the treatment of epilepsy, however, studies have suggested that CBD is also effective in suppressing symptoms associated with cancer, chronic pain, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, depression, and many other medical conditions. CBD-based products are very versatile since they can potentially treat many conditions in different medical fields. Additionally, CBD requires a lower dosage and less frequent use when compared to traditional, medically-prescribed treatments such as opioids. Studies have shown that cannabis, in general, has significantly fewer side effects when compared to regulated and approved treatments within the market already. However, the FDA still requires much more research in order to approve or even possibly list cannabis-based medical treatments as a registered medicine. Regardless of the FDA’s decision, the market has already moved forward without the administration. “Literally overnight, you’re seeing CBD all around you and in everything,” said Troy Dayton, Chief Executive Officer of The ArcView Group, an Oakland, California-based cannabis investment and research firm. “This is a product that is going from relative obscurity to being on everyone’s mind: producers, consumers and especially entrepreneurs.”

Pressure BioSciences, Inc. (OTCQB: PBIO) just announced breaking CBD news that the company, “released a new, short video demonstrating the ability of the Company’s proprietary Ultra Shear Technology (UST™) platform to create water-soluble CBD Oil that dissolves instantly, resulting in improved dosing effectiveness, enhanced absorption, and more aesthetically-pleasing products when added to carbonated soft drinks, vitamin-infused sports drinks, and beer.

In addition to superior aesthetic quality, the Company believes the resulting low nanometer-scale emulsions (“nanoemulsions”) of UST-processed CBD Oil will also result in optimized and reproducible bodily absorption, bioavailability, and dosing safety for CBD oil and other UST-processed materials, when compared to many of the processed CBD oils and products that are commercially available today.

Mr. Edgar Ward, President and CEO of NutraLife Biosciences (OTCQB: NLBS), said: “NutraLife manufactures and sells NUTRAHEMPCBD, a line of CBD-infused products that includes creams, sprays, and other products that support daily health and wellness uses. We strive to ensure that our CBD-infused products will always be of the highest quality possible; therefore, we are constantly looking for advanced technologies to continue to improve our manufacturing processes. After reviewing available data and PBI’s videos, we believe methods like PBI’s UST platform may enable us to offer products with superior quality and effectiveness.”

CBD is a non-psychoactive, oil-soluble compound extracted from the cannabis plant, and is typically marketed dissolved in plant oil. It has been widely reported to offer numerous health benefits from stress and anxiety relief, to decreased muscle, joint, cancer and other pain, reduced inflammation, and to nearly miraculous relief of persistent seizures. However, because CBD is an oil-based product, its ingestion typically results in poor absorption in water-based living systems. There has been enormous interest in the development of truly water-soluble CBD, to achieve efficient absorption and bioavailability from foods and beverages. The market for CBD beverages alone could achieve revenue of $260 million in just the U.S. by 2022 (Bloomberg, September 27, 2018) and much more world-wide. Unfortunately, because of solubility issues, many CBD products on the market today contain an inefficient over-abundance of CBD and/or undesirable chemicals to improve and stabilize its solubility in water. PBI believes that all of these beverages and other CBD-based products could substantially benefit from PBI’s Ultra Shear Technology platform, to achieve water solubility and stability from the physics of high-pressure shearing – rather than from dependency upon chemistry and reliance upon use of undesirable chemicals.

Dr. Brad Young, Chief Commercial Officer of PBI, commented: “We are very pleased to now show (in this follow-up video) the ability of our proprietary UST platform to mix CBD oil in water and infuse carbonated soft drinks, vitamin-infused sport drinks, and beer. This latest video further highlights the power of our UST platform to make nanoemulsions and its potential to help nutraceutical and beverage manufacturers make high-quality, oil-based products. With such compelling results to rely on, and with numerous opportunities ahead of us, we intend to accelerate the development of our UST platform to better address what we believe are several multi-billion-dollar markets in nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and food & beverages.”

For our latest “Buzz on the Street” Show featuring Pressure BioSciences, Inc. recent corporate news, please head over to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmWUGPEjZlY

Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: CWBHF) (CSE: CWEB) is the market leader in the production and distribution of innovative hemp-based cannabidiol wellness products. Recently, Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. surpassed 3,000 retail locations across the United States. At the end of 2017, Charlotte’s Web products were sold in approximately 2,000 locations. The Company had recently that it surpassed its 2018 year-end goal of 3,000 locations during the 3rd quarter. With CBD gaining mainstream market momentum, Charlotte’s Web, the industry pioneer and category leader in hemp-based CBD, has expanded its suite of product offerings across a wider variety of retailers, from small specialty health food stores to now including regional pharmacy and grocery chains. The Company recently added more than 40 Bartell drug stores in the North West. “Firstly, I would like to commend our incredible and committed staff who worked tirelessly to achieve this milestone,” stated Charlotte’s Web Chief Executive Officer Hess Moallem. “I would also like to thank our dedicated retail partners for their continued support of our mission and for valuing the trust that is closely associated with our brand name.”

Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: NEPT) (TSX: NEPT) specializes in the extraction, purification and formulation of health and wellness products. Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. recently announced that it had completed its initial commercial production lots and is now shipping cannabis extracts from its licensed, GPP facility in Sherbrooke, Quebec. After receiving its standard processing license from Health Canada on January 4, 2019, Neptune completed required testing and commissioning of its Phase 1 (CO2-based) extraction installation, after which it produced its first lots of cannabis extract. Upon successful analysis and testing, the products are now being shipped and invoiced. “The quality of the extracts in Neptune’s first production runs at our state-of-the-art facility has been terrific, and we are proud to begin deliveries. This marks an important step forward in the execution of our vision to lever our decades of extraction and wellness industry experience towards becoming the world’s leader in the extraction, purification and formulation of value-added, differentiated cannabis products,” said Jim Hamilton, President and Chief Executive Officer of Neptune.

Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: RKDA) develops and markets high-value food ingredients and nutritional oils that help meet consumer demand for a healthier diet. Building on the recent launch of Arcadia Specialty Genomics™, a new cannabis-dedicated division of the agricultural food ingredient company, Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. recently announced that it has been granted an Industrial Hemp Pilot Program License by Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture. The license allows for the cultivation of industrial hemp in Hawaii for the purposes of agricultural and academic research. Hemp and hemp products produced under the program may be commercially sold. With this license, Hawaii becomes the first state where Arcadia Specialty Genomics will commence its research and cultivation of hemp, planting on ten acres of recently-leased land next month. The unveiling of Arcadia Specialty Genomics’ mapped out a research focus on the development of novel cannabis varieties possessing productivity, pest resistance and crop quality traits for licensed cultivators, and as products such as hemp-derived CBD oils for the nutraceutical and food industries. The announcement of this industrial hemp license and upcoming cultivation facility in Hawaii underscores Arcadia’s commitment to rapidly transition its expertise as a leading science-driven company and genetics innovator in food crops into federal and state legal cannabis markets. “Industrial hemp, along with all strains of cannabis, are decades behind other agricultural crops in terms of improved plant genetics. With the explosive market growth projected in the industrial hemp and derivative markets, growers will need the very best hemp strains to meet demand, minimize waste, and ensure consistent quality. As the only company working in the cannabis industry with proven track record of improving plants and commercializing food ingredients from agricultural products using non-GM techniques, we’re ideally positioned to help hemp growers and end-users benefit from better hemp strains,” said Matt Plavan, CFO of Arcadia Biosciences and President of Arcadia Specialty Genomics. “Being licensed by the State of Hawaii to participate in this highly selective program gives us an important head start and we’re moving quickly to establish our Hawaii research program immediately as we pursue expansion through licenses in other states.”

Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQX: EMHTF) (TSXV: EMH) is a Licensed Producer under Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations and produces and sells dried cannabis and cannabis oil for medical purposes. Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. recently announced that Northern Vine Canada Inc. (Northern Vine), a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerald, successfully completed the export of cannabis oil to the United States on May 25th, pursuant to an import permit from the federal U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The cannabidiol (CBD)-containing cannabis oil is expected to be used by a US biopharmaceutical company to develop its proprietary cannabinoid technology for medical research and development and for its manufacturing process for future clinical trials. In addition, Northern Vine successfully imported isolated cannabigerol (CBG) from Spain on June 27th for medical research and the development of plant-based therapies with unique cannabinoid profiles. Northern Vine also recently received cannabinoid oil imports for medical research and development from Netherlands and Colombia, and has been approved for cannabinoid oil imports from China. “We are one of the few companies with DEA approval in the United States allowing us to support the development of novel cannabis-based medical-use drugs. This is representative of our capabilities focused on international clinical development,” said Chris Wagner, Chief Executive Officer of Emerald. “Importing unique isolates from sophisticated international producers for our own research and development is also aligned with our focus of driving the development of novel cannabis-based products to improve lives around the world.”

The Link Between Coffee and Lung Cancer

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Drinking your favourite cup of coffee has been linked to a slew of health benefits, such as a longer life span, and a decreased risk of conditions including depression, heart attacks and certain cancers.

But a new study suggests that there may be a downside to your morning brew: Researchers found that drinking two or more cups of coffee or tea may increase a person’s risk of lung cancer.

The findings were presented on March 31, here at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Of note, the link was even true for nonsmokers. People who smoke cigarettes are also more likely to drink coffee and tea, it was difficult in previous studies to disentangle the effects of these drinks from those of smoking, in developing lung cancer, said lead study author Jingjing Zhu, a Ph.D. student at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

In the new study, an international group of researchers analyzed data from 17 different studies that included a total of 1.2 million participants in the U.S. and Asia. The studies noted whether participants drank coffee or tea or smoked cigarettes. About half were nonsmokers.

The participants were tracked for an average of 8.6 years. During that time, more than 20,500 participants developed lung cancer.

The researchers found that nonsmokers who drank two or more cups of coffee a day had a 41% higher risk of lung cancer than those who didn’t drink coffee. Similarly, nonsmokers who drank two or more cups of tea a day had a 37%  greater risk of lung cancer than non-tea drinkers. (Because data was taken from multiple studies, the exact definition of a cup varied.)

The study also found that a person’s risk didn’t change significantly between ages, races or the type of coffee people drank — both decaf and caffeinated coffee seemed to be associated with similar risks. In fact, decaf coffee was associated with a 15% higher risk than caffeinated coffee, Zhu said.

The study had several limitations. For example, although the participants were tracked for years after the studies started, data on smoking and coffee and tea intake was measured only one time, at the beginning of the studies. So if people changed their behaviours throughout the years, it could have skewed the results, Zhu said.

What’s more, if nonsmokers were exposed to second-hand smoke — which wasn’t accounted for but could also increase lung cancer risk — that could have also skewed the results, she said.

Dr Julie Fisher, an oncologist at the Levine Cancer Institute in North Carolina who was not part of the study, said that the findings were “interesting” and “compelling,” but noted that because it’s an association finding, she “certainly would not draw conclusions based on this.”

However, though there’s still much more research needed, Fisher told Live Science that she agreed that “maybe there’s something in the coffee brewing process” that’s driving the link.

Other coffee findings presented at the meeting were more comforting: Drinking coffee wasn’t associated with an increased risk of glioma or colorectal cancer in men and women; nor was it associated with bladder cancer or renal cell carcinoma in male smokers. Coffee was found to be associated with a lower risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women and tea with a lower risk of glioma in women. In both men and women, decaf coffee was found to be associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Effect of Low-Protein Diet Supplemented With Keto Acids on the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease

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Farmer holding crate with vegetables

Hypoproteic diets are most often discussed for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who do not receive dialysis.

A very low-protein diet supplemented with ketoanalogues of essential amino acids(keto-diet) proved effective in ameliorating metabolic disturbances of advanced CKD and delaying the initiation of dialysis without deleterious effects on nutritional status.

Several recent studies report that the keto-diet could also slow down the rate of decline in renal function, with better outcomes after the initiation of dialysis. Results of a single-centre randomized controlled trial addressing the rate of CKD progression revealed a 57% slower decline in renal function with the keto-diet compared with a conventional low-protein diet (LPD). The keto-diet allowed the safe management of selected patients with stage 4-5 CKD, delaying dialysis for almost 1 year, with a major impact on patient quality of life and health expenditures. Therefore, the keto-diet could be a link in the integrated care model. Careful selection of patients, nutritional monitoring, and dietary counselling are required.

Low protein diets (LPDs) are milestones in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Concerns over compliance and safety limit their use. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and main results of a multiple-choice approach to LPDs adapted to patient preferences.

 

Methods

From December 2007 to January 2013, all CKD patients (stages 4/5; progressive stage 3) without contraindications (malnutrition, short life expectancy), were offered two main LPDs (proteins 0.6 g/kg daily): Vegan supplemented (LPD-KA) or with “aproteic” commercial food (LPD-ACF). LPDs followed a qualitative approach based on forbidden and allowed food; one to three free meals per week, and flexible control policy (1–3 mo). Start of dialysis, death, and combined outcome (death–dialysis) were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox model. Comparison with dialysis in patients with glomerular filtration rate (GRF) <15 mL/min, (corresponding to “early” dialysis start) employed standardized mortality rates, with respect to the Italian and the United States Dialysis Registry.

 

Results

One hundred eighty-five patients (222 patient-years) started at least a trial of LPD-KA, 122 (177 patients-years) LPD-ACF; only 3 patients with GFR <30 mL/min denied an LPD trial. Patients who chose LPD-KA were younger than those on LPD-ACF (63 versus 74 y), had less comorbidity (82% versus 93%), higher proteinuria (1.4 versus 0.7 g/d) and lower GFR (17 versus 23 mL/min) (P < 0.001). Median daily protein intake was 0.7 g/kg on both diets (Maroni-Mitch formula). The combined outcome (death or dialysis) was not influenced by the diet chosen (Cox analysis). The relative risk for death on the diet (patients with GFR <15 mL/min) was 0.5 with respect to the Italian Registry and 0.3 to the United States Dialysis Registry. The diets had comparable costs (1 y on dialysis: 50 patient-years on LPD).

Conclusions

The choice of diet is strictly linked to patient characteristics, thus supporting a multiple-choice offer. Once corrected for baseline data, both LPDs led to similar results, suggesting at least survival equivalence with dialysis, at a lesser cost.

Go outside, your body will thank you.

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Spring has sprung! The birds are singing, the sun is out and it’s time to put away your winter jackets for the season. Researchers have studied the impact of nature on human well-being for years, but recent studies have found a more direct correlation between human health, particularly related to stress, and the importance of people’s access to nature and managed landscapes.

Tensed or stressed out? Head to the cottage or local park. One study found that students sent into the forest for two nights had lower levels of cortisol — a hormone often used as a marker for stress — than those who spent that time in the city.

We know the natural environment is “restorative,” and one thing that a walk outside can restore is your waning attention. In one early study, researchers worked to deplete participants’ ability to focus. Then some took a walk in nature, some took a walk through the city, and the rest just relaxed. When they returned, the nature group scored the best on a proofreading task. Other studies have found similar results — even seeing a natural scene through a window can help.

People who live within a half mile of green space (such parks, public gardens, and greenways) were found to have a lower incidence of fifteen diseases by Dutch researchers — including depression, anxiety, heart disease, diabetes, asthma and migraines.

Get down and dirty! Soil is the new Prozac, according to Dr. Christopher Lowry, a neuroscientist at the University of Bristol in England. Mycobacterium vaccae in soil mirrors the effect on neurons that Prozac provides. The bacterium stimulates serotonin production, which explains why people who spend time gardening and have direct contact with soil feel more relaxed and happier.

Living landscapes help you heal faster. Multiple studies have discovered that plants in hospital recovery rooms or views of aesthetically-pleasing gardens help patients heal up to one day faster than those who are in more sterile or harsh environments.

All of these benefits reinforce the importance of maintaining our yards, parks and other community green spaces. Trees, shrubs, grass, and flowering plants are integral to human health. Not only do they provide a place for kids and pets to play, they directly contribute to our mental and physical well-being.

 

The ABC’s of CBD

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The cannabis boom has arrived. Along with the numerous potent clouds of potent smoke be produced all across the nation, there’s an influx of consumers in need of information.

Legal marijuana is being sold across Canada in a variety of retail outlets, but what about the healing properties of cannabis? CBD might be the answer to a pain-free lifestyle.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol also known as CBD, does not produce a high or intoxication. There is some evidence that CBD may block or lower some of the effects of THC on the mind. This may occur when the amount of CBD in the cannabis is the same or higher than the amount of THC. CBD is also being studied for its possible therapeutic uses.

CBD is a non-psychoactive, oil-soluble compound extracted from the cannabis plant, and is typically marketed dissolved in plant oil.  It has been widely reported to offer numerous health benefits from stress and anxiety relief, to decreased muscle, joint, cancer and other pain, reduced inflammation, and to nearly miraculous relief of persistent seizures. However, because CBD is an oil-based product, its ingestion typically results in poor absorption in water-based living systems.  There has been enormous interest in the development of truly water-soluble CBD, to achieve efficient absorption and bioavailability from foods and beverages.

CBD has had a complicated journey towards legislation in North America, with the final say often coming down to how it was produced. CBD derived from hemp has generally been considered permissible while CBD from marijuana has not.

One of the sticking points seems to be that although there are studies showing CBD can alleviate feelings of social anxiety, and that it reduces inflammation and works as a pain reliever, medical claims made by CBD producers and manufacturers are untested and not regulated.

The Cannabis Act states that “Other products, such as edible products and concentrates, will be legal for sale approximately one year after the Cannabis Act has come into force and federal regulations for their production have been developed and brought into force.”

CBD products have quickly grown from traditional oils and extracts to soft drinks, pet treats, and gummy candy. However, CBD still remains in a grey area due to its classifications as a cannabis derivative. On the other hand, CBD doesn’t cause any psychoactive effects like its THC counterpart, which is why CBD regulations are much more lenient than those focused on THC.

Studies have suggested that CBD is also effective in suppressing symptoms associated with cancer, chronic pain, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, depression, and many other medical conditions. CBD-based products are very versatile since they can potentially treat many conditions in different medical fields.

Additionally, CBD requires a lower dosage and less frequent use when compared to traditional, medically-prescribed treatments such as opioids. Studies have shown that cannabis, in general, has significantly fewer side effects when compared to regulated and approved treatments within the market already. However, the Health Canada still requires much more research in order to approve or even possibly list cannabis-based medical treatments as a registered medicine.

It appears that the Canadian government is going with a slow roll out, focusing on psychoactive cannabis containing THC, with plans to address CBD and other cannabis products at a later date.

However, although it may seem that all of this uncertainty will be ironed out by years end, purchasing CBD in Canada will still require effort, despite the new laws. Legal CBD products will continue to only be available through authorized retailers and products will carry security features on the packaging like cigarettes and alcohol. There will also be strict limitations in place in terms of the health claims producers can make. Health Canada follows the legislative lead and also makes no distinction between CBD from hemp or marijuana.

As with any emerging industry, there are certain to be growing pains, both in Canada and the United States. Unfortunately for CBD users in Canada, the much longed for legalization has not automatically made CBD accessible for all.

Zimbabwe Organic Certifications granted to Organto Supply Partner

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Organto recently announced that its strategic supply partner in Zimbabwe has received organic certification for lands to be devoted to exclusive production of organic vegetables for Organto. As a result, Organto has commenced receipt of a supply of organic green beans for the European market.

Organto’s strategic supply partner in Zimbabwe is an established supplier of conventional and organic fruits and vegetables.  In late 2018, Organto entered into a five-year agreement whereby Organto would have exclusive sales rights for certain organic products produced by the supply partner. It was initially focused on value-added year-round organic vegetables, including organic green beans, organic snow peas and organic sugar snaps.  The receipt of these licenses represented the final step in the approval process and deliveries to Organto have now commenced.  The certifications from Eco-Cert S.A. cover two growing operations located in separate provinces. They offer diverse climatic features, critical as a year-round supply of value-added vegetables.

“We are pleased that our supply partner has now received organic certification for these growing operations, and we are excited to commence delivery of organic green beans, which will be followed by other value-added organic vegetable and fruit products. Our supply partner has also started planting organic snow peas and organic sugar snaps and we expect to have these products available for commercial distribution in mid-May, 2019.” commented Steve Bromley, Chair and Interim CEO of Organto Foods Inc.  “We have been challenged in the past by supply/demand imbalances on these products, so we are looking forward to adding this strategic supply to our year-round branded and distributed products platform.”

Organto also plans to add organic soft fruits, other organic vegetables including organic asparagus tips plus root crops, such as organic ginger, in alignment with Organto’s strategic business model, and as a second phase to this strategic relationship.

ABOUT ORGANTO

Organto’s business model is rooted in its commitment to sustainable business practices focused on environmental responsibility and a commitment to the communities where it operates, its people and its shareholders.  Organto is comprised of two independent business units, i) the Organto Foods Group, and ii) the Organto Global Cannabis Group. The Organto Foods Group is an integrated provider of year-round value-added branded organic vegetables and seasonal organic and non-GMO fruit and vegetable products using an asset-light business model to serve a growing socially responsible and health-conscious consumer around the globe. The Organto Global Cannabis Group is focused on the growing market for medicinal cannabis around the world, with initial efforts focussed on key regions of Latin America, utilizing low-cost natural growing operations and a diverse and exclusive IP seed library to deliver the medicinal properties consumers expect.

Zenabis Now Licensed to Sell Cannabis Oil

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Photo by Roberto Valdivia on Unsplash

Zenabis Global Inc. (“Zenabis”) (TSXV: ZENA) announced today that it is now licensed to process and sell cannabis oil products in Canada. The license enables Zenabis to now sell cannabis oil produced at its Atholville, New Brunswick facility, one of the largest indoor cannabis growing facilities in Canada, where Zenabis was already processing oil. Zenabis expects to market and sell cannabis oil products to its medical clients and to adult use consumers through supply and distribution agreements that Zenabis has in place with nine Canadian jurisdictions including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and the Yukon.

Zenabis expects to have its initial cannabis oil products available for sale in both the medical and adult use markets by early Q2, 2019 and will be launching additional formats and formulations throughout the year.

“This approval provides us with the ability to serve new and existing customers with an expanded range of adult use and medical products through new and easy to use consumption methods. This product category is incredibly important for Zenabis, as it supports our overall growth and product leadership strategy,” said Andrew Grieve, Chief Executive Officer of Zenabis. “Ingestion of cannabis oil tends to offer a longer lasting effect than vaping or smoking dried cannabis, providing medical clients and adult use consumers with a broader set of options in Zenabis products. We look forward to bringing our cannabis oil products to market and continuing to innovate and expand our product offerings. In addition, with this update to our Atholville processing license, we now have the capacity to develop a variety of additional value-added cannabis oil products, and cannabis extract products consistent with the proposed amendments to the Cannabis Regulations that allow for greater product diversity.”

Cannabis Oil: A Value-Added Product Opportunity

Cannabis oil is a value-added option for both medical clients and adult use cannabis consumers. Cannabis oil products may be sold as oral drops or sprays, or in soft gel capsules, providing consumers a convenient, controlled and discrete dose. Cannabis oil tends to have longer lasting effects when compared to vaporizing or smoking dried cannabis. Zenabis cannabis oil products are manufactured from high-grade plant material using highly engineered extraction methods to ensure the highest quality of consumer products. Zenabis values quality first and, as with all Zenabis products, our cannabis oil is tested by an independent third-party lab to ensure product safety, consistency and quality.

Zenabis Atholville License Amendment and Construction Update

Zenabis is pleased to announce that it has received license amendment approval from Health Canada for three additional flower rooms at its Zenabis Atholville facility. This represents an additional 2,100kg of annual production capacity and 10,500 sq. ft. of incremental licensed operational space. With this amendment, the combined licensed annual production capacity of Zenabis Atholville, Zenabis Stellarton, and Zenabis Delta is now 10,200kg.

Construction at Zenabis Atholville remains on budget and on schedule, with ongoing conversion work expected to add an additional 25,000kg in annual production capacity that will become operational in stages over the course of Q2 2019.

Employee Count Surpasses 600

Zenabis’ employee count continues to grow in line with its operational footprint, largely driven by several recent license approvals from Health Canada, including the standard cultivation license granted to our facility in Stellarton, NS, and today’s announcements on the approval to process and sell cannabis oil products and the expansion of our operational space in Atholville, NB. The number of Zenabis’ employees, including contractors and seasonal workers, now exceeds 600, have been fewer than 400 as of December 1st, 2018.

Note: Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor it’s Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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