CannabisNewsWire
Editorial Coverage: The North American Marijuana Index of
leading cannabis stocks continues to hold onto the 250 range that it meteorically climbed into at the
start of the year.
- Growing acceptance of cannabis is setting the stage for a
consumable cannabis boom.
- Major companies have begun to throw their hats into the
ring.
- North America is steadily headed towards broad
legalization.
Canada is legalizing cannabis across the board, Mexico is
fast-tracking legalization, and industrial hemp appears to be
headed for legalization in the United States thanks to landslide
approval in the Senate (86 to 11) of its version of the new
hemp-friendly Farm Bill. Prospects of a shift in the reluctant
attitude of the House as Democrats prepare to take majority there
have also had a positive impact. The global cannabis market is on
track to hit $146.4 billion by
the end of 2025, and the industry hasn’t even seen the first
real breakout commercial product in the fastest-growing CBD
(cannabidiol) and beverages/edibles markets. Lexaria
Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) (LXRP
Profile) is a contender for that recognition with
bio-absorption-enhancing technology and a growing line of hemp oil
CBD products. GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ:
GWPH) continues to be the leading name in cannabinoid
prescription medicines with its FDA-approved, oral CBD anti-seizure
solution, Epidiolex. WeedMD Inc. (OTCQX: WDDMF) (TSX.V:
WMD) ranks as one of the top licensed Canadian producers,
with a multichanneled distribution strategy and 70,000 square feet
of production space already online. HEXO Corp. (OTC: HYYDF)
(TSX: HEXO) is another Canadian producer with a track
record for low-cost production that currently has around 310,000
square feet of space with plans to tack on a whopping 1 million
square feet by the end of the year. Los Angeles-based
MedMen Enterprises, Inc. (OTCQX: MMNFF) (CSE:
MMEN) is a rapidly expanding U.S. cannabis company with 19
licensed facilities in four key states representing both
cultivation and dispensaries.
To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.
Cannabis-Infused Consumables Primed to
Explode
Cannabis-infused beverages saw 88 percent
growth in sales from 2016 to 2017, according to analyst
Flowhub, and that benchmark is likely to be met or surpassed this
year. CBD and the widely known psychoactive cannabinoid THC
(tetrahydrocannabinol) are finding their way
into alcoholic beverages as decades-old cannabis prohibition
slowly retreats ahead of growing consumer confidence about the
safety of medical cannabis and recreational marijuana use.
With huge new markets opening up across North America, the
potential for cultivators appears to be almost unlimited. Even in
places where recreational-use legalization may be a long shot,
typically some form of medical access already exists. With baseline
metrics such as these, it is little wonder that the North American
cannabis market alone was recently projected to hit $41 billion this year, before climbing to $95 billion
in 2026.
Bioavailability Tech Could Be Game-Changer
Because of the way the body metabolizes ingested cannabinoids,
edibles traditionally are understood to act slowly, taking one to
two hours to kick in. Comparatively poorer absorption by the
gastrointestinal tract prompts many consumers to pursue more
dangerous methods of consumption, such as smoking, in order to
achieve the desired effectiveness more rapidly. Lexaria
Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) has
developed a proprietary lipophilic enhancement technology to bypass
this problem, achieving bio-absorption rate increases 10 times greater than other products while slashing
the effect onset time from hours to under 20 minutes.
Lexaria’s proprietary technology is patent protected for CBD and
other nonpsychoactive cannabinoids and has patents pending for THC,
other psychoactive cannabinoids, NSAIDs (non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs), nicotine and other molecules. Essentially
a B2B, Lexaria is in an enviable position amid the rise of cannabis
edibles ranging from recreational drinks to CBD-based
nutraceuticals, with a key piece of technology that the company can
out-license to third-party partners. Moreover, the company’s
proprietary technology may mask undesirable tastes, eliminating the
need for sugar-filled edibles, and may actually allow cannabinoids
to bypass being broken down by the liver if desired.
Established Presence, Superior Tech—A One-Two Knockout
Punch
Lexaria also already has a considerable, established presence in
the edibles space, with brands such as the company’s ViPova line of
CBD-infused coffee, tea and hot chocolate. The company has seen
success since 2014 with beverages such as its original Yunnan Black
Tea, which contains 50 mg of Multi Scandinavian full-spectrum hemp
oil per serving. These beverages lack the typical oily residue
found in most CBD-infused drinks and have virtually no cannabis
odor or flavor.
At the low cost of only 2 cents per milligram ($1.25 per
serving), the company’s delicious ViPova teas, which come in a
variety of flavors including Earl Grey and Herbal Masala Chai, are
a testament to Lexaria’s ability to deliver high-value beverages to
the cannabis market. The increased bioavailability of the CBD in
these beverages, thanks to the company’s proprietary technology,
combined with the low per-unit price, represents an incredible
value that consumers are noticing. Also, Lexaria’s product mix
currently includes the company’s branded Lexaria Energy Foods as
well as TurboCBD supplements.
Bottles and Cans Giving Way to Packets of
Powder
Capitalizing on its bioavailability-enhancing technology and
established presence as a CBD-infused product developer, Lexaria
has now moved to tackle the U.S. soft drinks market, which is
expected to be worth $388 billion-plus by
2025, introducing a discreet, single-serving foil packet
cannabinoid drink powder named ChrgD+. Lexaria is confident that a
small two-gram foil packet that can be discreetly carried in a
shirt pocket or purse for incorporation into a beverage will be a
big hit. After all, consumers can’t show up at their kid’s soccer
game with a can of soda whose branding announces “cannabis” to
everyone in view.
The multi-spectrum cannabinoid portable drink powder ChrgD+ can
turn any drink into a CBD-infused beverage, including wine or
cocktails. While currently only available in a CBD-from-hemp
version, Lexaria is in talks with cannabis companies to realize its
objective of deploying a THC version of the powder.
Powdered single-serving packets of consumers’ favorite drinks
have exploded in popularity during recent years as an increasing
number of beverage makers are opting to give consumers the
convenience of mixing their own drinks from flavor packets
containing the rich, distinct flavor profiles of brands they have
come to know and love. The same thing is now happening in CBD
drinks, and Lexaria may possess some distinct advantages over the
competition.
All Kinds of Consumables
CBD and THC appear to be rapidly making their way into all kinds
of consumables. The industry’s reputation continues to be improved
in the eyes of consumers due to advancing breakthroughs in
cannabinoid medicines used to treat everything from epileptic
seizures to inflammatory bowel disease.
GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) broke the
blockade in cannabinoid medicines with the highly purified,
plant-derived CBD indication Epidiolex, which is available in the
United States as of November 2018 for the treatment of seizures
associated with severe forms of epilepsy. This one company has
arguably done more than any other to improve public perception of
the cannabis sector, specifically medical cannabis. The company is
not resting on its laurels either, following up the availability of
Epidiolex via physician prescription with a patient support program
designed to help Epidiolex users obtain access to therapy.
WeedMD Inc. (OTCQX: WDDMF) (TSX.V: WMD) moved
recently to exploit its position as a leading federally licensed
Canadian producer and distributor by executing a pivotal, exclusive
development agreement with Montreal-based pharmaceuticals, natural
health products and cosmetics developer Smart Medicines GMP. The
partnership maps out a comprehensive five-year development plan,
including ramping up the operational capabilities of Smart
Medicines’ 10,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Montreal
laboratory. WeedMD also recently signed a multiyear retail sales
distribution agreement with Lifford Cannabis Solutions, which
specializes in helping cannabis companies advance their products
through control boards to retail.
HEXO Corp. (OTC: HYYDF) (TSX: HEXO), which
produces cannabis through its Hydropothecary brand, issued a major
announcement in August that it will develop nonalcoholic,
cannabis-infused beverages with Molson Coors Canada. This joint
venture with one of the world’s biggest beer makers is a serious
play by HEXO to establish itself in the burgeoning cannabis-infused
drinks market. This announcement was followed up by word that HEXO
has closed on the acquisition of its first major facility outside
of Quebec, taking a big step toward realizing the company’s
hub-and-spoke business expansion strategy.
MedMen Enterprises, Inc. (OTCQX: MMNFF) (CSE:
MMEN) recently signed a definitive $33 million agreement
to acquire control of Level Up (Kannaboost Technology and CSI
Solutions), which has a 25,000-square-foot production facility as
well as retail locations in Scottsdale and Tempe, Ariz.
Furthermore, MedMen will obtain a 40 percent stake in the
top-selling K.I.N.D. Concentrates brand via the acquisition. MedMen
also recently acquired the retail operations and license for a key
location in Santa Ana, California, from Captor Capital Corp. in an
all-stock transaction, adding to the company’s growing strategic
footprint in one of the most affluent areas of Southern
California.
With several of the world’s largest beverage makers on the fence
about entrance into the CBD-infused beverages market, the stage is
set for smaller players, as well as majors from parallel sectors
without a significant ground game in nonalcoholic drinks. But
beverages are just one aspect of a rapidly evolving industry that
spans the gamut from edibles and concentrates to grow-ops and
biopharma development.
For more information on Lexaria Bioscience Corp., visit Lexaria
Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP)
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