Los Angeles, Calif. – March 5, 2019 – PRESS RELEASE – Moleaer Inc., a manufacturer of industrial-scale nanobubble generators, has expanded its innovative product line with the new Bloom nanobubble generator. The patent-pending Bloom, designed specifically for horticulture, can unlock the full potential of oxygen to improve crop production.

The Bloom produces trillions of charged nanobubbles, ~80nm in size, dissolving oxygen with greater than 90 percent efficiency. Moleaer’s nanobubbles remain in suspension after saturation, creating a reserve of available oxygen in the water. Oxygen nanobubbles combined with elevated dissolved oxygen (DO) improve water quality, increase nutrient absorption and mitigate disease. Installed in over 40 greenhouses, Moleaer’s nanobubble technology has consistently delivered shorter cultivation times and increased crop yields.

Created specifically for commercial greenhouses, the simple-to-install Bloom is available in 25-, 50- and 150-gallon-per-minute flow rates. A more advanced version, the Bloom IQ, features an integrated dissolved oxygen monitoring sensor and smart controller for programable operation and integration with climate control systems.

“We are thrilled with the results we have seen at our Revol Greens greenhouse since installing the Moleaer system,” said Steve Amundson, head grower and early adopter of Moleaer’s nanobubble technology. “The systems’ ability to help manage Pythium in water while promoting plant growth is substantial to our bottom line. The 12-percent improvement in our crop yield was very surprising. This technology has demonstrated to us that it should and will be standardized into our current facility and the three-hectare expansion we are doing this year.”

“Through rapid adoption of our technology within the Horticulture market and the value it creates, it became clear we needed to develop a nanobubble solution tailored towards the needs of growers,” said Warren Russell, chief commercial officer at Moleaer.  “The Bloom is designed specifically for commercial greenhouses, and we take great pride in helping horticulturists around the world grow crops more efficiently and cost-effectively using our advanced nanobubble technology.

For more information on the Bloom nanobubble generator, please visit our website at: https://www.moleaer.com/products/bloom

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 5:30 p.m. ET on March 25 to reflect comments received from Gene Markin, partner at Stark & Stark.

New Jersey lawmakers canceled their March 25 vote on a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis, citing lack of support in the Senate.

“I'm disappointed,” Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said at a news conference. “I think we were making headway. I think we've learned a few lessons about the way we approached it. If it was easy, every state would have done it this way.”

Gene Markin, partner at Stark & Stark, said that although he is uncertain which particular issues kept the bill from garnering enough support, the lack of votes could have stemmed from the expungement provisions included in the legislation.

"Some of the representatives wanted automatic expungements, which would be a remedy for all those people who got caught up and got records," Markin told Cannabis Business Times. "The bill has a legal process for the expungements where you have to hire an attorney and go through a paperwork process to get it. ... But it’s my understanding that there’s no way to create an automatic expungement process. You can’t because you need to have the paperwork to identify the specific person, the place [and] what the conviction or charge is that you’re looking to expunge. You need that process in order to get it right."

The future of legal marijuana is now uncertain as lawmakers turn their attention to the state budget, which has a July 1 deadline, according to a NorthJersey.com report. Legislative efforts will likely be postponed until after the November elections, when all 80 seats in the Assembly are on the ballot, NorthJersey.com reported. And if leaders ultimately cannot gain enough support in the legislature, they could place the issue on the ballot next year, according to a NJ.com report.

Last week, the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve the bill, titled the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Modernization Act, which set up the March 25 floor votes. Broadly speaking, the legislation would legalize the possession and personal use of one ounce or less of cannabis for adults 21 and older, establish a five-member regulatory commission, establish a tax on cannabis sales, dismiss all pending cannabis convictions of possession of up to five pounds and prohibit employers from considering past cannabis convictions during the hiring process, among other provisions.

Gov. Phil Murphy has placed cannabis legalization at the forefront of his policy platform, and Sweeney said Murphy and fellow Democrats worked over the last week to persuade lawmakers to pass the bill, NJ.com reported. While the Assembly had the 41 required votes to pass the legislation, the Senate only had 17 or 18 of the necessary 21 necessary votes.

“We moved closer to the goal than ever before,” Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) said in a statement. “Today does not mark the end of the process and effort. I remain committed to enacting the legislation.”

The canceled adult-use legalization vote also postponed two other measures tied to the bill, NJ.com reported: one that would expand the state’s medical marijuana program and another that would expunge thousands of past marijuana convictions. Murphy has indicated that if the legalization vote did not materialize, his administration would increase the number of medical marijuana cultivation licenses as a backup plan, NJ.com added.

"The problem is they have to do it under the old regime, which is the vertically integrated [alternative treatment centers] (ATCs), broken out by regions," Markin said. "It’s still under the old paradigm. If they were to push out new licenses, it would be under that instead of having a new framework, which this bill, had it been passed, would have provided."

New Jersey awarded six additional medical cannabis business licenses in December, which could also delay or deter the state from issuing new licenses, Markin added.

"I don’t know that they’re going to, just because they just had six [licenses] awarded in December and they still need to get up and running," he said. "I think it will depend on the demand, ... factoring in that these new six will become operational maybe by the end of the year. "

Regardless, Markin believes that although efforts have been delayed, the state is still on track to legalize cannabis at some point soon.

"I think we’re still going in the right direction," he said. "Obviously, things take longer always than expected. I think certainly if there’s any activity or movement in New York or [Pennsylvania], then that would certainly put pressure on New Jersey and we might actually get a favorable vote by the end of the year. But right now, it’s a slow-moving machine."

VANCOUVER, March 22, 2019 – PRESS RELEASE – CannAmerica Brands Corp. has announced that on March 14, 2019, it entered into a binding letter of intent (LOI) with THC, Inc., under which THC will have an exclusive license to manufacture and distribute CannAmerica branded cannabis infused gummy products, other edible products, vape products, droppers, capsules, beverages, shatter and wax concentrate product in Oklahoma.

Terms of the LOI are as follows:

• The initial term of the license agreement will be for a period of 1 year and, upon mutual agreement, will be renewable for successive one year periods.
• Net price payable from THC to the company will be determined by a per package/unit fee relating to CannAmerica products that THC decides to produce. 
• THC also agrees to pay the company a license fee to manufacture and distribute the company’s products.
• THC will purchase all un-infused consumable ingredients, packaging supplies and branded hardware exclusively from the company.
• THC will follow formulations and processes provided by the company.
• During the first 180 days of the Initial Term, THC is expected to employ two full-time sales people to exclusively promote, market, advertise and sell Licensed Products.

Subject to Board approval from the company and completion of satisfactory due diligence, the parties intend to enter into a Definitive Agreement on or before May 1, 2019.

"The company looks forward to the opportunities an agreement with THC Inc offer to introduce the brand into Oklahoma and the Southern United States,” said Dan Anglin, CEO and co-founder of CannAmerica.  “The prospect of expanding our products into Oklahoma’s newly created cannabis marketplace and increasing awareness of our brand and product lines in the Southern United States is a step forward to reaching the company’s growth goals for 2019 and providing more legal-age Americans in the Southern United States access to our quality products.”

For more information, please visit www.cannamericabrands.com.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PRESS RELEASE -- NorCal Cannabis, one of the largest vertically integrated cannabis operators in California, has announced four new additions to lead the company's product development, marketing strategy and brand initiatives. The new hires, all who previously hailed from notable brands, include Jeffrey Graham, Chris Gomersall, Alex Lopoukhine and Nish Nadaraja.

Senior executives hail from brands such as Google, Instagram, Yelp, BlackRock and TripAdvisor.

"NorCal's mission of bridging the strong roots and rich heritage of the cannabis industry to its bright future is reinforced by the communal skills and success of our seasoned team of experts in the marketing, retail and branding spaces," said Douglas Cortina, NorCal's chief executive officer. "Under our chief marketing officer, Joel Lunenfeld's, leadership, the marketing team will play a critical role in ensuring NorCal continues to use cannabis as a force for good in the community."

Graham, an expert in understanding consumer behavior and marketing effectiveness, joins NorCal as Vice President Business Intelligence. Graham has built world-class research and analytics teams for various business sectors including those in media, technology and finance. Most notably, Jeffrey led the research team at The New York Times, where he helped developed the digital subscription model which changed the trajectory of the Times' business. He also served as the head of advertising research for the Americas at Google, where his team created methodologies to better understand digital behavior. Prior to his work at Google, he worked at Twitter, where he helped develop the company's go-to market strategy, and built a research and analytics team which supported the company's clients worldwide. Most recently, Jeffrey held an executive role at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, where he managed a global team of researchers and data scientists.

As Vice President Executive Creative Director for NorCal, Gomersall will lead internal and external creative teams across all of NorCal's verticals and products including branding, design, packaging, content and marketing, retail experiences, strategic partnerships, event activations and more. He brings a wealth of experience as he's led creative departments at various advertising agencies that have produced award winning work for the world's biggest brands. Previously, he served as a council board member for Microsoft Gaming Advertising Advisory Council and the American Association of Advertising Agencies Branded Content Committee. Most recently, Gomersall led creative strategy at both Facebook and Instagram. He is also the founder of Atomized, a marketing visualization platform. Currently, he sits on the board of directors at the Miami Ad School.

Lopoukhine joins the NorCal team as the Director of Brand and Product Marketing. Lopoukhine started his career in the cannabis industry after ten years in travel, most recently at TripAdvisor where he led global distribution and co-branding initiatives with brands like Google, Kayak, Groupon, Yelp and more. Prior to TripAdvisor, Lopoukhine helped launch and scale the travel brand of LivingSocial, Groupon's largest competitor. Lopoukhine has received industry recognition, including acknowledgment as a Phocuswright 'Young Global Leader,' advised a number of early stage companies and is a fervent advocate for refugee rights.

Nadaraja recently joined NorCal as Director of Retail Marketing. Prior to joining the cannabis industry, Nadaraja was the sixth employee at Yelp, where he created the Yelp Elite Squad and was Head of Brand and Community from 2005-2010. Additionally, he has consulted and advised both start-ups and big brands in the Bay Area and has invested in six restaurants. He will use his experience in brand loyalty, hospitality and customer service to lead NorCal's retail marketing efforts.