As Recreational Cannabis Legalization Looms, the Field of Opportunity is Green for Canada's Leading Growers

NEW YORK, August 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Medical cannabis use has been legal in Canada since 2001, and Canada is now working to become the first industrialized nation to input a comprehensive system permitting the recreational use of marijuana. Sweeping legislation has been introduced by the Canadian government that takes aim at permitting nationwide recreational cannabis use by July 2018-a move applauded by companies that are currently licensed to produce medical marijuana in Canada or are engaged in providing services to growers. These companies include ABcann Global Corporation (TSX.V: ABCN) (OTC: ABCCF) (ABcann Profile), which recently closed a milestone financing agreement with Cannabis Wheaton Income Corp. (TSX.V: CBW) (OTC: KWFLF), an investor and supporter of cannabis cultivation companies, as well as Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (OTC: TWMJF), Aphria Inc. (TSX: APH) (OTC: APHQF), and Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX: ACB) (OTC: ACBFF).

Despite the widespread legalization of medical marijuana in Canada, the licensing requirements for cannabis growers are incredibly strict, with only three percent of the growers who apply for licensing obtaining approval. ABcann Global (TSX.V: ABCN.V) (OTCQB: ABCCF) was one of Canada's very first companies to successfully obtain licensure to produce medical cannabis. Under Canada's Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, ABcann obtained its production license in March 2014, followed by the successful attainment of a cannabis sales license in December 2015.

ABcann went public in May 2017 with an IPO priced at $0.80 per share, and PI Financial analyst Jason Zandberg quickly initiated coverage with a one-year price target of $2.25 (USD). As of August 21, 2017, ABcann's price was at $0.90 (CAD) and $0.73 (USD); its market cap was at $89.664 million (CAD) and $72.727 million (USD); and the company's YTD return was 275 percent. The company's annual production capacity is currently at 1,000 kg, and build-out plans presently in motion would increase that to an estimated 20,000 kg.

Though ABcann is still young as a publicly traded security, the company has become one of the foremost medical cannabis growers in Canada, standing out with its proprietary growing technology, which results in the production of top-quality, organically grown, pesticide-free medical-grade cannabis. ABcann's low current market cap presents a clear opportunity for investors-particularly when contrasted with the company's Canadian cannabis peers, which, as previously mentioned, are few in number. There are currently only 54 licensed cannabis producers in all of Canada^[1].

Comparable competing companies with much higher prices and market caps than ABcann include Canopy Growth Corp. (OTC: TWMJF) (TSX: WEED.TO), which, as of August 21, was at a price of $8.51 (CAD) and $6.79 (USD) and had a market cap of $1.436 billion (CAD) and $1.143 billion (USD); Aphria Inc., (OTCQB: APHQF) (TSX.V: APH.V) with a price of $5.73 (CAD) and $4.57 (USD) and a market cap of $795.436 million (CAD) and $634.405 million (USD) as of August 21; and Aurora Cannabis Inc., (OTCQX: ACBFF) (TSX.V: ACB) with a price of $2.42 (CAD) and $1.93 (USD) and a market cap of $887.615 million (CAD) and $707.891 million (USD).

ABcann's growth potential is indisputable. Within just three months of becoming a publicly traded company, ABcann has raised $43 million in cash, which has enabled the company to rapidly carry out its expansion strategy and business model. Recent financing from cannabis streaming company Cannabis Wheaton Income (OTC: KWFLF) (TSX.V: CBW.V) has positioned ABcann to grow at a rate unprecedented in Canada's marijuana market. Cannabis Wheaton, which invests in and supports a broad range of promising marijuana cultivation companies, announced near the end of July that it has obtained Exchange approval to purchase $30 million of ABcann Global common shares with a $15 million cash tranche priced at $2.25 per share. The initial investment of $15 million is part of a larger phased investment to construct additional square footage of pure cannabis cultivation space adjacent to ABcann's current 14,500-square-foot cultivation facility in Ontario. ABcann has confirmed that its plans to commence construction at its Kimmett facility in Q3 2017 remain on track, and that the previously announced plans for a 71,000-square-foot phase 1 facility have been expanded to 100,000 square feet. 

In producing its medicinal cannabis, ABcann employs a proprietary plant-growing technology that includes the use of environmentally-controlled chambers that can monitor and regulate all variables during the growing process. Through a partnership with the University of Guelph, ABcann has mastered mass yield techniques and has developed, at its production facility in Napanee, Ontario, a pioneering, computer-controlled environmental system that duplicates natural growing environments. This controlled indoor system combines scalable growing chambers, LED lighting, and organic fertilizers and soil while simultaneously eliminating toxins and pesticides. All aspects of the process are monitored and controlled, resulting in consistent, high-quality plant production in mass quantities.

Thanks to the company's innovative approach and systems, ABcann is able to produce organically grown and pesticide-free, high-yielding cannabis plants that produce top-quality products that are consistent with each new batch. The company can control both environmental and nutrient demands to create particular strains of cannabis, free of the variation that is so common when large quantities of marijuana are produced in less-controlled, larger rooms and in greenhouse-type environments. This modular approach to systems technology eradicates scale-up risk and enables ABcann to locate its operations anywhere in the world while maintaining consistency and product quality.

In addition to its Canada operations, ABcann is pursuing opportunities in Germany, Australia and other jurisdictions and is also endeavoring to develop multiple delivery vehicles.

ABcann compares impressively with other companies in Canada's explosive medical cannabis industry-companies with much higher market caps and share prices. With Canada on the verge of blanket legalization of marijuana, the opportunity for investors is clear. In a country where stringent licensing standards have made cannabis growers few and far between, ABcann is a standout marijuana player to be reckoned with.

Editorial Sources:

1. Government of Canada: http://nnw.fm/2ehJD
   

For more information on ABcann Global please visit: ABcann Global (TSX.V: ABCN) (OTCQB: ABCCF)

About NetworkNewsWire 

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

http://www.NetworkNewsWire.com
+1-212-418-1217 Office
Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with NNW or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW & FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements.  The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements.

Media Contact:
FN Media Group, LLC
editor@financialnewsmedia.com
+1-(954)345-0611