AREB American Rebel Holdings Inc

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider and evaluate all of the information contained in this prospectus before you decide to purchase any Units, Warrants or Common Stock pursuant to this offering. The risks and uncertainties described in this prospectus are not the only ones we may face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we do not presently know about or that we currently believe are not material may also adversely affect our business, business prospects, results of operations or financial condition. Any of the risks and uncertainties set forth herein, could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

We currently do not own a manufacturing facility, and rely on a sole manufacturer and supplier for the production of our safes; while we have obtained favorable financing arrangements in the past from this manufacturer and supplier, there is no assurance that a future supplier would provide similar favorable financing arrangements

We currently rely on a sole manufacturer and supplier for the production of our safes. We do not have control over the operations of the facilities of the third-party manufacturer that we use. While we may acquire our own manufacturing facility in the future, or acquire our sole manufacturer, to provide us greater flexibility and control over our products manufacturing needs, the operation of such a future plant might prove unsuccessful and fail.

The manufacturer of our safes has extended favorable financing arrangements in the past, but there is no assurance that a future supplier would provide similar favorable financing arrangements. Therefore, the continued supply and manufacturing of our sales by our sole manufacturer and supplier are critical to our success. Any event that causes a disruption of the operation of our safes’ sole manufacturer for even a relatively short period of time would adversely affect our ability to ship and deliver our safes and other products and to provide service to our customers. We have previously experienced, including during the first months after the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, and may in the future experience, launch and production ramp up delays for our products as a result of disruption at our supplier’s manufacturing partners.

Additionally, we have fully qualified only a very limited number of suppliers in the past and have limited flexibility in changing suppliers. Any disruption in the supply of our branded safes from our supplier could limit the availability of our sales and negatively impact our revenues. In the long term, we intend to supplement safes manufactured by our supplier with safes manufactured by us, which we believe will be more efficient and result in a greater manufacturing volume and under our control. Our efforts to develop and manufacture such safes, however, have required and may require significant investments, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to achieve these targets in the timeframes that we have planned or at all. If we are unable to do so, we may have to curtail our planned safes or procure additional safes from suppliers at potentially greater costs, either of which may harm our business and operating results.

Furthermore, the cost of safes, whether manufactured by our supplier or by us, depends in part upon the prices and availability of raw manufacturing materials such as steel, locks, fireboard, hinges, pins and other metals. The prices for these materials fluctuate and their available supply may be unstable, depending on market conditions and global demand for these materials, including as a result of increased global production of electric vehicles and energy storage products. Any reduced availability of these materials may impact our access to these parts and any increases in their prices may reduce our profitability if we cannot recoup the increased costs through increased safe prices. Moreover, any such attempts to increase product prices may harm our brand, prospects and operating results.

Our success depends upon our ability to introduce new products that track customer preferences.

Our success depends upon our ability to introduce new products that track consumer preferences. Our efforts to introduce new products into the market may not be successful, and new products that we introduce may not result in customer or market acceptance. We develop new products that we believe will match consumer preferences. The development of a new product is a lengthy and costly process and may not result in the development of a marketable or profitable product. Failure to develop new products that are attractive to consumers could decrease our sales, operating margins, and market share and could adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.

Our business depends on maintaining and strengthening our brand, as well as our reputation as a producer of high-quality goods, to maintain and generate ongoing demand for our products, and any harm to our brand could result in a significant reduction in such demand which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.

The “American Rebel” name and brand image are integral to the growth of our business, as well as to the implementation of our strategies for expanding our business. Our success depends on the value and reputation of our brand, which, in turn, depends on factors such as the quality, design, performance, functionality and durability of our products, e-commerce sales and retail partner floor spaces, our communication activities, including advertising, social media and public relations, and our management of the customer experience, including direct interfaces through customer service. Maintaining, promoting, and positioning our brand are important to expanding our customer base and will depend largely on the success of our marketing and merchandising efforts and our ability to provide consistent, high-quality consumer experiences. To sustain long-term growth, we must continue to successfully promote our products to consumers, as well as other individuals, who value and identify with our brand.

Ineffective marketing, negative publicity, product diversion to unauthorized distribution channels, product or manufacturing defects, and those and other factors could rapidly and severely diminish customer confidence in us. Maintaining and enhancing our brand image are important to expanding our customer base. If we are unable to maintain or enhance our brand in current or new markets, or if we fail to continue to successfully market and sell our products to our existing customers or expand our customer base, our growth strategy and results of operations could be harmed.

Additionally, independent third parties and consumers often review our products as well as those of our competitors. Perceptions of our offerings in the marketplace may be significantly influenced by these reviews, which are disseminated via various media, including the Internet. If reviews of our products are negative, or less positive as compared to those of our competitors, our brand may be adversely affected and our results of operations materially harmed.

As a significant portion of our revenues is derived by demand for our safes and personal security products for firearms storage purposes, we depend on the availability and regulation of firearm/ammunition storage, as well as various economic, social and political factors.

Our performance is influenced by a variety of economic, social, and political factors. General economic conditions and consumer spending patterns can negatively impact our operating results. Economic uncertainty, unfavorable employment levels, declines in consumer confidence, increases in consumer debt levels, increased commodity prices, and other economic factors may affect consumer spending on discretionary items and adversely affect the demand for our products. In times of economic uncertainty, consumers tend to defer expenditures for discretionary items, which affects demand for our products. Any substantial deterioration in general economic conditions that diminish consumer confidence or discretionary income could reduce our sales and adversely affect our operating results. Economic conditions also affect governmental political and budgetary policies. As a result, economic conditions also can have an effect on the sale of our products to law enforcement, government, and military customers.

Political and other factors also can affect our performance. Concerns about presidential, congressional, and state elections and legislature and policy shifts resulting from those elections can affect the demand for our products. As most of our revenue is generated from sales of safes, which are purchased in large numbers for firearms storage, speculation surrounding control of firearms, firearm products, and ammunition at the federal, state, and local level and heightened fears of terrorism and crime can affect consumer demand for our products. Often, such concerns result in an increase in near-term consumer demand and subsequent softening of demand when such concerns subside. Inventory levels in excess of customer demand may negatively impact operating results and cash flow.

Federal and state legislatures frequently consider legislation relating to the regulation of firearms, including amendment or repeal of existing legislation. Existing laws may also be affected by future judicial rulings and interpretations firearm products, ammunition, and safe gun storage. If such restrictive changes to legislation develop, we could find it difficult, expensive, or even impossible to comply with them, impeding new product development and distribution of existing products.

Shortages of components and materials, as well as supply chain disruptions, may delay or reduce our sales and increase our costs, thereby harming our results of operations.

The inability to obtain sufficient quantities of raw materials and components, including those necessary for the production of our products could result in reduced or delayed sales or lost orders. Any delay in or loss of sales or orders could adversely impact our operating results. Many of the materials used in the production of our products are available only from a limited number of suppliers. We do not have long-term supply contracts with any suppliers. As a result, we could be subject to increased costs, supply interruptions, and difficulties in obtaining raw materials and components.

Our reliance on third-party suppliers for various raw materials and components for our products exposes us to volatility in the availability, quality, and price of these raw materials and components. Our orders with certain of our suppliers may represent a very small portion of their total orders. As a result, they may not give priority to our business, leading to potential delays in or cancellation of our orders. A disruption in deliveries from our third-party suppliers, capacity constraints, production disruptions, price increases, or decreased availability of raw materials or commodities could have an adverse effect on our ability to meet our commitments to customers or increase our operating costs. Quality issues experienced by third party suppliers can also adversely affect the quality and effectiveness of our products and result in liability and reputational harm.

We do not have long-term purchase commitments from our customers, and their ability to cancel, reduce, or delay orders could reduce our revenue and increase our costs.

Our customers do not provide us with firm, long-term volume purchase commitments, but instead issue purchase orders for our products as needed. As a result, customers can cancel purchase orders or reduce or delay orders at any time. The cancellation, delay, or reduction of customer purchase orders could result in reduced sales, excess inventory, unabsorbed overhead, and reduced income from operations.

We often schedule internal production levels and place orders for products with third party manufacturers before receiving firm orders from our customers. Therefore, if we fail to accurately forecast customer demand, we may experience excess inventory levels or a shortage of products to deliver to our customers. Factors that could affect our ability to accurately forecast demand for our products include the following:

Inventory levels in excess of consumer demand may result in inventory write-downs and the sale of excess inventory at discounted prices, which could have an adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition. If we underestimate demand for our products, our suppliers may not be able to react quickly enough to meet consumer demand, resulting in delays in the shipment of products and lost revenue, and damage to our reputation and customer and consumer relationships. We may not be able to manage inventory levels successfully to meet future order and reorder requirements.

We face intense competition that could result in our losing or failing to gain market share and suffering reduced sales.

We operate in intensely competitive markets that are characterized by price erosion and competition from major domestic and international companies. Competition in the markets in which we operate is based on a number of factors, including price, quality, performance, reliability, styling, product features, and warranties, and sales and marketing programs. This intense competition could result in pricing pressures, lower sales, reduced margins, and lower market share.

Our competitors include nationwide safe manufacturers and various smaller manufacturers and importers. Most of our competitors have greater market recognition, larger customer bases, and substantially greater financial, technical, marketing, distribution, and other resources than we possess and that afford them competitive advantages. As a result, they may be able to devote greater resources to the promotion and sale of products, to invest more funds in intellectual property and product development, to negotiate lower prices for raw materials and components, to deliver competitive products at lower prices, and to introduce new products and respond to consumer requirements more quickly than we can.

Our competitors could introduce products with superior features at lower prices than our products and could also bundle existing or new products with other more established products to compete with us. Certain of our competitors may be willing to reduce prices and accept lower profit margins to compete with us. Our competitors could also gain market share by acquiring or forming strategic alliances with other competitors.

Finally, we may face additional sources of competition in the future because new distribution methods offered by the Internet and electronic commerce have removed many of the barriers to entry historically faced by start-up companies. Retailers also demand that suppliers reduce their prices on products, which could lead to lower margins. Any of the foregoing effects could cause our sales to decline, which would harm our financial position and results of operations.

Our ability to compete successfully depends on a number of factors, both within and outside our control. These factors include the following:

Because we believe technological and functional distinctions among competing products in our markets are perceived by many end-user consumers to be relatively modest, effectiveness in marketing and manufacturing are particularly important competitive factors in our business.

We have a limited operating history on which you can evaluate our company.

We have a limited operating history on which you can evaluate our company. The corporate entity has existed since 2014 and started engaging in its current primary business operations in April 2019. As a result, our business will be subject to many of the problems, expenses, delays, and risks inherent in the establishment of a relatively new business enterprise.

We have a limited operating history upon which an evaluation of our business plan or performance and prospects can be made. Our business and prospects must be considered in the light of the potential problems, delays, uncertainties and complications encountered in connection with a newly established business and creating a new line of products. The risks include, in part, the possibility that we will not be able to develop functional and scalable products, or that although functional and scalable, our products and will not be economical to market; that our competitors hold proprietary rights that preclude us from marketing such products; that our competitors market a superior or equivalent product; that our competitors have such a significant advantage in brand recognition that our products will not be considered by potential customers; that we are not able to upgrade and enhance our technologies and products to accommodate new features as the market evolves; or the failure to receive necessary regulatory clearances for our products. To successfully introduce and market our products at a profit, we must establish brand name recognition and competitive advantages for our products. There are no assurances that we can successfully address these challenges. If it is unsuccessful, we and our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially and adversely affected.

The current and future expense levels are based largely on estimates of planned operations and future revenues. It is difficult to accurately forecast future revenues because our business is relatively new, and our market is rapidly developing. If our forecasts prove incorrect, the business, operating results and our financial condition will be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, we may be unable to adjust our spending in a timely manner to compensate for any unanticipated reduction in revenue. As a result, any significant reduction in revenues would immediately and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.

We are highly dependent on Charles A. Ross, our Chief Executive Officer. The loss of our Chief Executive Officer, whose knowledge, leadership and industry reputational upon which we rely, could harm our ability to execute our business plan.

We are highly dependent on Charles A. Ross, our Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of our Board of Directors and a large stockholder. Our success depends heavily upon the continued contributions of Mr. Ross, whose leadership, industry reputation entrepreneurial background and creative marketing skills may be difficult to replace at this stage in our business development, and on our ability to attract and retain similarly positioned prominent leaders. If we were to lose the services of our Chief Executive Officer, our ability to execute our business plan may be harmed and we may be forced to limit operations until such time as we could hire suitable replacements.

We cannot predict when we will achieve profitability.

We have not been profitable and cannot predict when or if we will achieve profitability. We have experienced net losses since our inception in December 2014.

We cannot predict when we will achieve profitability, if ever. Our inability to become profitable may force us to curtail or temporarily discontinue our research and development programs and our day-to-day operations. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that profitability, if achieved, can be sustained on an ongoing basis. As of December 31, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $26,969,657.

We have limited financial resources. Our independent registered auditors’ report includes an explanatory paragraph stating that there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

As a result of our deficiency in working capital at December 31, 2021 and other factors, our auditors have included a paragraph in their audit report regarding substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our plans in this regard are to increase product sales, increase production, obtain inventory financing, seek strategic alternatives and to seek additional capital through future equity private placements or debt facilities. In February of 2022, we completed a public offering for $10.5 million, which will allow us to operate through fiscal 2022.

We have recorded net losses since inception and have significant accumulated deficits. We have relied upon loans and equity financings for operating capital. Total revenues will be insufficient to pay off existing debt and fund operations. We may be required to rely on further debt financing, further loans from related parties, and private placements of our common and preferred stock for our additional cash needs. Such funding sources may not be available, or the terms of such funding sources may not be acceptable to the Company.

American Rebel has limited financial resources. There is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern if we are unable to raise additional funds.

We expect to require additional funds to further develop our business plan, including the anticipated launch of new products, in addition to continuing to market our safes and concealed carry product line. Since it is impossible to predict with certainty the timing and amount of funds required to establish profitability, we anticipate that we will need to raise additional funds through equity or debt offerings or otherwise in order to meet our expected future liquidity requirements. Any such financing that we undertake may be dilutive to existing stockholders. Along these lines, in February of 2022, we completed a public offering for $10.5 million, which will allow us to operate through fiscal 2022.

The sales of our safes are dependent in large part on the sales of firearms.

We market safes and other personal security products for sale to a wide variety of consumers. Although our customer base is large and diverse, and our products serve our customers’ different needs, our products have been particularly popular among collectors, hunters, sportsmen, competitive shooters, and gun enthusiasts. The sale of safe firearms storage and security components is influenced by the sale and usage of firearms. Sales of firearms are influenced by a variety of economic, social, and political factors, which may result in volatile sales.

Our financial results may be affected by tariffs or border adjustment taxes or other import restrictions.

Our current backpack and apparel suppliers have facilities both in China and Mexico and the imposition of tariffs or border adjustment taxes may affect our financial results. The current political climate is hostile to companies manufacturing goods outside of the US. At the current manufacturing levels, it is impractical to seek manufacturing facilities in the United States as US manufacturers are unable to meet or even approach the cost of manufacturing small quantities of custom-made goods. We are in the process of locating an alternative supplier which will have the capacity to produce commercial volumes of our backpacks and apparel to meet our expected demands. However, we have not yet located a suitable supplier and, even if we are able to do so, there is no guarantee that our manufacturing process will scale to produce our products in quantities sufficient to meet demand.

An inability to expand our e-commerce business and sales organization to effectively address existing and new markets that we intend to target could reduce our future growth and impact our business and operating results.

Consumers are increasingly purchasing products online. We operate a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store to maintain an online presence with our end users. The future success of our online operations depends on our ability to use our marketing resources to communicate with existing and potential customers. We face competitive pressure to offer promotional discounts, which could impact our gross margin and increase our marketing expenses. We are limited, however, in our ability to fully respond to competitor price discounting because we cannot market our products at prices that may produce adverse relationships with our customers that operate brick and mortar locations as they may perceive themselves to be at a disadvantage based on lower e-commerce pricing to end consumers. There is no assurance that we will be able to successfully expand our e-commerce business to respond to shifting consumer traffic patterns and direct-to-consumer buying trends.

In addition, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer operations are subject to numerous risks, including implementing and maintaining appropriate technology to support business strategies; reliance on third-party computer hardware/software and service providers; data breaches; violations of state, federal or international laws, including those relating to firearms and ammunition sales; online privacy; credit card fraud; telecommunication failures; electronic break-ins and similar disruptions; and disruption of Internet service. Our inability to adequately respond to these risks and uncertainties or to successfully maintain and expand our direct-to-consumer business may have an adverse impact on our business and operating results.

We sell products that create exposure to potential product liability, warranty liability, or personal injury claims and litigation.

Our products are used to store, in part, items that involve risk of personal injury and death. Our products expose us to potential product liability, warranty liability, and personal injury claims and litigation relating to the use or misuse of our products, including allegations of defects in manufacturing, defects in design, a failure to warn of dangers inherent in the product or activities associated with the product, negligence, and strict liability. If successful, any such claims could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition. Defects in our products may result in a loss of sales, recall expenses, delay in market acceptance, and damage to our reputation and increased warranty costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition. Although we maintain product liability insurance in amounts that we believe are reasonable, we may not be able to maintain such insurance on acceptable terms, if at all, in the future and product liability claims may exceed the amount of insurance coverage. In addition, our reputation may be adversely affected by such claims, whether or not successful, including potential negative publicity about our products.

Despite the Company’s indebtedness levels, we are able to incur substantially more debt. This could further increase the risks associated with its leverage.

We may incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future, although certain terms of current debt agreements prohibit us from doing so. To the extent that we incur additional indebtedness, the risks associated with its substantial indebtedness describe above, including its possible inability to service its debt, will increase.

At this stage of our business operations, even with our good faith efforts, investors in our company may lose some or all of their investment.

Because the nature of our business is expected to change as a result of shifts in the industries in which we operate, competition, and the development of new and improved technology, management forecasts are not necessarily indicative of future operations and should not be relied upon as an indication of future performance. Further, we have raised substantial debt and equity to fund our business operations, which to date have generated insufficient revenue to support our working capital needs.

While management believes its estimates of projected occurrences and events are within the timetable of its business plan, our actual results may differ substantially from those that are currently anticipated. If our revenues do not increase to a level to support our working capital needs, we will be forced to seek equity capital to fund our operations and repay our substantial debt balances, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all.

Product defects could adversely affect the results of our operations.

The design, manufacture and marketing of our products involve certain inherent risks. Manufacturing or design defects, unanticipated use of our products, or inadequate disclosure of risks relating to the use of our products can lead to injury or other adverse events. The Company may not properly anticipate customer applications of our products and our products may fail to survive such unanticipated customer use. If the Company’s products fail to adequately perform to meet the customer’s expectations, the customer may demand refunds or replacements which will negatively affect the Company’s profitability.

We could be exposed to significant liability claims if we are unable to obtain insurance at acceptable costs and adequate levels or otherwise protect ourselves against potential product liability claims.

Our products support the use and access to firearms and if our products are ineffective, we could require protection against potential product liability claims.

We will not be profitable unless we can demonstrate that our products can be manufactured at low prices.

To date, we have manufactured our products in limited volume. As the Company creates demand for its products, our projections require the benefit of volume discounts as we increase the size of our order. We can offer no assurance that either we or our manufacturing partners will develop efficient, automated, low-cost manufacturing capabilities and processes to meet the quality, price, engineering, design and production standards or production volumes required to successfully mass market our products. Even if we or our manufacturing partners are successful in developing such manufacturing capability and processes, we do not know whether we or they will be timely in meeting our product commercialization schedule or the production and delivery requirements of potential customers. A failure to develop such manufacturing processes and capabilities could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.

Our profitability in part is dependent on material and other manufacturing costs. We are unable to offer any assurance that either we or a manufacturing partner will be able to reduce costs to a level that will allow production of a competitive product or that any product produced using lower cost materials and manufacturing processes will not suffer from a reduction in performance, reliability and longevity.

War, terrorism, other acts of violence or natural or manmade disasters such as a pandemic, epidemic, outbreak of an infectious disease or other public health crisis may affect the markets in which the Company operates, the Company’s customers, the Company’s delivery of products and customer service, and could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.

Our business and supply chain may be adversely affected by instability, disruption or destruction in a geographic region in which it operates, regardless of cause, including war, terrorism, riot, civil insurrection or social unrest, and natural or manmade disasters, including famine, food, fire, earthquake, storm or pandemic events and spread of disease (including the outbreak of COVID-19).

Such events may cause customers to suspend their decisions on using the Company’s products and services, make it impossible to access some of our inventory, and give rise to sudden significant changes in regional and global economic conditions and cycles that could interfere with purchases of goods or services and commitments to develop new products and services. These events also pose significant risks to the Company’s personnel and to physical facilities, transportation and operations, which could materially adversely affect the Company’s financial results.

Any significant disruption to communications and travel, including travel restrictions and other potential protective quarantine measures against COVID-19 or other public health crisis by governmental agencies, could make it difficult for the Company to deliver goods services to its customers. War, riots, or other disasters may increase the need for our products and demand by government and military may make it difficult for use to provide products to customers. Further, travel restrictions and protective measures against COVID-19 could cause the Company to incur additional unexpected labor costs and expenses or could restrain the Company’s ability to retain the highly skilled personnel the Company needs for its operations. Due to the substantial uncertainty related to the effects of the pandemic, its duration and the related market impacts, including the economic stimulus activity, we are unable to predict the specific impact the pandemic and related restrictions (including the lifting or re-imposing of restrictions due to the Omicron variant or otherwise) will have on our results of operations, liquidity or long-term financial results.

We believe COVID-19 has not yet had a materially adverse effect on our operational results, but could at any time and without notice in the foreseeable future. As a result of COVID-19, at any time we may be subject to increased operating costs, supply interruptions, and difficulties in obtaining raw materials and components. COVID-19 has resulted in restrictions, postponements and cancelations of meetings, conferences, trade shows and the impact, extent and duration of the government-imposed restrictions on travel and public gatherings as well as the overall effect of the COVID-19 virus is currently unknown.

The costs of being a public company could result in us being unable to continue as a going concern.

As a public company, we are required to comply with numerous financial reporting and legal requirements, including those pertaining to audits and internal control. The costs of maintaining public company reporting requirements could be significant and may preclude us from seeking financing or equity investment on terms acceptable to us and our stockholders. We estimate these costs to be in excess of $100,000 per year and may be higher if our business volume or business activity increases significantly. Our current estimate of costs does not include the necessary expenses associated with compliance, documentation and specific reporting requirements of Section 404 as we will not be subject to the full reporting requirements of Section 404 until we exceed $700 million in public float market capitalization.

If our revenues are insufficient or non-existent, or we cannot satisfy many of these costs through the issuance of shares or debt, we may be unable to satisfy these costs in the normal course of business. This would certainly result in our being unable to continue as a going concern.

The Champion Safe Acquisition and any other acquisitions that we potentially undertake will involve significant risks, and any acquisitions that we undertake in the future could disrupt our business, dilute stockholder value, and harm our operating results.

Part of our growth strategy is to expand our operations through strategic acquisitions to enhance existing products and offer new products, enter new markets and businesses, strengthen and avoid interruption from our supply chain, and enhance our position in current markets and businesses. Acquisitions involve significant risks and uncertainties. The Champion Safe Acquisition, if completed, could provide significant risks and uncertainties. We cannot accurately predict the timing, size, and success of any future acquisitions. We may be unable to identify suitable acquisition candidates or to complete the acquisitions of candidates that we identify. Increased competition for acquisition candidates or increased asking prices by acquisition candidates may increase purchase prices for acquisitions to levels beyond our financial capability or to levels that would not result in the returns required by our acquisition criteria. Unforeseen expenses, difficulties, and delays frequently encountered in connection with expansion through acquisitions could inhibit our growth and negatively impact our operating results.

Our ability to complete acquisitions that we desire to make will depend upon various factors, including the following:

We may have little or no experience with certain acquired businesses, which could involve significantly different supply chains, production techniques, customers, and competitive factors than our current business. This lack of experience would require us to rely to a great extent on the management teams of these acquired businesses. These acquisitions also could require us to make significant investments in systems, equipment, facilities, and personnel in anticipation of growth. These costs could be essential to implement our growth strategy in supporting our expanded activities and resulting corporate structure changes. We may be unable to achieve some or all of the benefits that we expect to achieve as we expand into these new markets within the time frames we expect, if at all. If we fail to achieve some or all of the benefits that we expect to achieve as we expand into these new markets, or do not achieve them within the time frames we expect, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Unforeseen expenses, difficulties, and delays frequently encountered in connection with future acquisitions could inhibit our growth and negatively impact our profitability. Any future acquisitions may not meet our strategic objectives or perform as anticipated. In addition, the size, timing, and success of any future acquisitions may cause substantial fluctuations in our operating results from quarter to quarter. These interim fluctuations could adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock.

If we finance any future acquisitions in whole or in part through the issuance of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, existing stockholders will experience dilution in the voting power of their Common Stock and earnings per share could be negatively impacted. The extent to which we will be able or willing to use our Common Stock for acquisitions will depend on the market price of our Common Stock from time-to-time and the willingness of potential acquisition candidates to accept our Common Stock as full or partial consideration for the sale of their businesses. Our inability to use our Common Stock as consideration, to generate cash from operations, or to obtain additional funding through debt or equity financings to pursue an acquisition could limit our growth.

We may not be able to successfully fund future acquisitions of new businesses due to the lack of availability of debt or equity financing on acceptable terms, which could impede the implementation of our acquisition strategy and materially adversely impact our financial condition, business and results of operations.

In order to make future acquisitions, we intend to raise capital primarily through debt financing, additional equity offerings, the sale of stock or assets of our businesses, and by offering equity in the businesses to the sellers of target businesses or by undertaking a combination of any of the above. Since the timing and size of acquisitions cannot be readily predicted, we may need to be able to obtain funding on short notice to benefit fully from attractive acquisition opportunities. Such funding may not be available on acceptable terms. In addition, the level of our indebtedness may impact our ability to borrow funds on acceptable terms. Another source of capital for us may be the sale of additional shares of Common Stock, subject to market conditions and investor demand for the shares at prices that we consider to be in the interests of our stockholders. These risks may materially adversely affect our ability to pursue our acquisition strategy successfully and materially adversely affect our financial condition, business and results of operations.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR LEGAL AND REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT

Failure to comply with applicable laws and changing legal and regulatory requirements could harm our business and financial results.

Our policies and procedures are reasonably designed to comply with applicable laws, accounting and reporting requirements, tax rules and other regulations and requirements, including those imposed by the SEC, and foreign countries, as well as applicable trade, labor, safety, environmental, labeling and gun safety related laws, such as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act as well as state laws. The complexity of the regulatory environment in which we operate, and the related cost of compliance are both increasing due to additional or changing legal and regulatory requirements, our ongoing expansion into new markets and new channels, and the fact that foreign laws occasionally conflict with domestic laws. In addition to potential damage to our reputation and brand, failure by us or our business partners to comply with the various applicable laws and regulations, as well as changes in laws and regulations or the manner in which they are interpreted or applied, may result in litigation, civil and criminal liability, damages, fines and penalties, increased cost of regulatory compliance and restatements of our financial statements and have an adverse impact on our business and financial results.

Our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.

As of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, we had net operating loss carryforwards, or NOLs, for federal and state income tax purposes of $26,969,657 and $20,870,713, respectively, which begins to expire in 2034. Net operating loss carryforwards are available to reduce future taxable income. The federal net operating losses generated before 2018 will begin to expire in 2032. The federal net operating losses generated in and after 2018 may be carried forward indefinitely. The expiration of state NOL carryforwards vary by state and begin to expire in 2024. It is possible that we will not generate taxable income in time to use NOLs before their expiration, or at all. Under Section 382 and Section 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change NOLs and other tax attributes to offset its post-change income may be limited. In general, an “ownership change” will occur if there is a cumulative change in our ownership by “5 percent stockholders” that exceeds 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. Our ability to use NOLs and other tax attributes to reduce future taxable income and liabilities may be subject to annual limitations as a result of prior ownership changes and ownership changes that may occur in the future (which may be outside our control).

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, or the Tax Act, as amended by the CARES Act, NOLs arising in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, are subject to an 80% of taxable income limitation (as calculated before taking the NOLs into account) for tax years beginning after December 31, 2020. In addition, NOLs arising in tax years 2018, 2019, and 2020 are subject to a five-year carryback and indefinite carryforward, while NOLs arising in tax years beginning after December 31, 2020, also are subject to indefinite carryforward but cannot be carried back. Our NOLs may also be subject to limitations in other jurisdictions. For example, California recently enacted legislation suspending the use of NOLs for taxable years 2020, 2021, and 2022 for many taxpayers. In future years, if and when a net deferred tax asset is recognized related to our NOLs, the changes in the carryforward/carryback periods as well as the new limitation on use of NOLs may significantly impact our valuation allowance assessments for NOLs generated after December 31, 2017.

If we are unable to protect our intellectual property, we may lose a competitive advantage or incur substantial litigation costs to protect our rights.

Our future success depends upon our proprietary technology. Our protective measures, including patent and trade secret protection, may prove inadequate to protect our proprietary rights. The right to stop others from misusing our trademarks, service marks, and patents in commerce depends to some extent on our ability to show evidence of enforcement of our rights against such misuse in commerce. Our efforts to stop improper use, if insufficient, may lead to loss of trademark and service mark rights, brand loyalty, and notoriety among our customers and prospective customers. The scope of any patent that we have or may obtain may not prevent others from developing and selling competing products. The validity and breadth of claims covered in technology patents involve complex legal and factual questions, and the resolution of such claims may be highly uncertain, and expensive. In addition, our patents may be held invalid upon challenge, or others may claim rights in or ownership of our patents. Company owned trademarks are listed under the heading Intellectual Property on page 46.

We are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of Section 15(d) and 12(g) of the Exchange Act that require us to incur audit fees and legal fees in connection with the preparation of such reports. These additional costs could reduce or eliminate our ability to earn a profit.

We are required to file periodic reports with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. In order to comply with these requirements, our independent registered public accounting firm will have to review our financial statements on a quarterly basis and audit our financial statements on an annual basis. Moreover, our legal counsel will have to review and assist in the preparation of such reports. The costs charged by these professionals for such services cannot be accurately predicted at this time because factors such as the number and type of transactions that we engage in, and the complexity of our reports cannot be determined at this time and will affect the amount of time to be spent by our auditors and attorneys. However, the incurrence of such costs will obviously be an expense to our operations and thus have a negative effect on our ability to meet our overhead requirements and earn a profit.

However, for as long as we remain a smaller reporting company as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not smaller reporting companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, reduced financial statement disclosure in registration statements, which must include two years of audited financial statements, reduced financial statement disclosure in annual reports on Form 10-K, and exemptions from the auditor attestation of management’s assessment of internal control over financial reporting. We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer a smaller reporting company.

If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our business and operating results could be harmed, investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, and the trading price of our Common Stock, if a market ever develops, could drop significantly.

Our internal controls may be inadequate, which could cause our financial reporting to be unreliable and lead to misinformation being disseminated to the public.

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over our financial reporting. As defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f), internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the principal executive and principal financial officer and effected by the Board of Directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and includes those policies and procedures that:

Our internal controls may be inadequate or ineffective, which could cause financial reporting to be unreliable and lead to misinformation being disseminated to the public. Furthermore, our accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we report our financial condition and results of operations, and they may require our management to make estimates about matters that are inherently uncertain. Investors relying upon this misinformation may make an uninformed investment decision.

Failure to achieve and maintain an effective internal control environment could cause us to face regulatory action and also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, either of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects.

However, our auditors will not be required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 until we are no longer a smaller reporting company.

RISKS RELATED TO AN INVESTMENT IN OUR SECURITIES

The Champion Safe Acquisition may not be accretive and may cause dilution to our earnings per share, which may negatively affect the market price of the shares of Common Stock.

Although we currently anticipate that the Champion Safe Acquisition will be accretive to earnings per share (on an adjusted earnings basis that is not pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”)) from and after the Champion Safe Acquisition, this expectation is based on preliminary estimates, which may change materially.

Our issuance of shares of Common Stock at the closing of this offering to finance a portion of the amounts to be paid in connection with the Champion Safe Acquisition may cause dilution to our earnings per share or decrease or delay the expected accretive effect of the Champion Safe Acquisition and cause a decrease in the market price of shares of Common Stock.

In addition, we could also encounter additional transaction-related costs or other factors such as the failure to realize all of the benefits anticipated in the Champion Safe Acquisition. All of these factors could cause dilution to our earnings per share or decrease or delay the expected accretive effect of the Champion Safe Acquisition and cause a decrease in the market price of shares of Common Stock.

We may fail to realize all of the anticipated benefits of the Champion Safe Acquisition or those benefits may take longer to realize than expected. We may also encounter significant difficulties in integrating the businesses.

Our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Champion Safe Acquisition will depend, to a large extent, on our ability to integrate the businesses. The combination of independent businesses is a complex, costly and time-consuming process. As a result, we and the applicable Champion Entities will be required to devote significant management attention and resources prior to closing to prepare for integrating, and we will be required to devote significant management attention and resources post-closing to integrate, our business practices and operations and those of the applicable Champion Entities. The integration process may disrupt the businesses and, if implemented ineffectively, would restrict the realization of the full expected benefits. The failure to meet the challenges involved in integrating the businesses and to realize the anticipated benefits of the transactions could cause an interruption of, or a loss of momentum in, the activities of the combined company and could adversely affect the results of operations of the combined company.

In addition, the overall integration of the businesses may result in material unanticipated problems, expenses, liabilities, competitive responses, loss of customer and other business relationships, and diversion of management’s attention. The difficulties of combining the operations of the companies include, among others:

Many of these factors will be outside of our control or the control of the applicable Champion Entities and any one of them could result in increased costs, decreases in the amount of expected revenues and diversion of management’s time and energy, which could materially impact the business, financial condition and results of operations of the combined company. In addition, even if the operations of our business and the businesses of the applicable Champion Entities are integrated successfully, the full benefits of the transactions may not be realized, including the synergies, cost savings or sales or growth opportunities that are expected. These benefits may not be achieved within the anticipated time frame, or at all. Further, additional unanticipated costs may be incurred in the integration of our business and the businesses of the applicable Champion Entities. All of these factors could cause dilution to our earnings per share, decrease or delay the expected accretive effect of the transactions, and negatively impact the price of the shares of Common Stock. As a result, it cannot be assured that our combination with the applicable Champion Entities will result in the realization of the full benefits anticipated from the transactions.

We and the applicable Champion Entities will incur direct and indirect costs as a result of the Champion Safe Acquisition.

We and the applicable Champion Entities will incur substantial expenses in connection with and as a result of completing the Champion Safe Acquisition and, over a period of time following the completion of the Champion Safe Acquisition, we further expect to incur substantial expenses in connection with coordinating our businesses, operations, policies and procedures and those of the applicable Champion Entities. While we have assumed that a certain level of transaction expenses will be incurred, factors beyond our control could affect the total amount or the timing of these expenses. Many of the expenses that will be incurred, by their nature, are difficult to estimate accurately.

The Champion Purchase Agreement may be terminated in accordance with its terms and the Champion Safe Acquisition may not be completed.

The Champion Purchase Agreement contains a number of conditions that must be fulfilled to complete the Champion Safe Acquisition. Those conditions include but are not limited to (i) us obtaining sufficient financing to consummate the acquisition, (ii) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of each party contained in the Champion Purchase Agreement (subject to certain materiality qualifications), (iii) each party’s compliance with or performance of the covenants and agreements in the Champion Purchase Agreement in all material respects, and (iv) entry by Champion Safe Co., Inc. into employment and non-competition agreements with certain employees of the Champion Entities, including the Seller.

While we intend to use the proceeds of this offering to fund the Champion Safe Acquisition, this offering is not contingent on the completion of the Champion Safe Acquisition. If we fail to consummate the Champion Safe Acquisition, the shares of Common Stock will remain outstanding and we may choose to use the net proceeds of this offering for a variety of other purposes, including other potential acquisitions and organic growth of the Company. If the Champion Safe Acquisition is not consummated, holders of the shares of Common Stock will be exposed to the risks faced by the Company’s existing business without any of the potential benefits from the Champion Safe Acquisition. In these circumstances, such holders will also be relying on the judgment of our management and board of directors with regard to the use of the proceeds from this offering, and will not have the opportunity, as part of their investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. In these circumstances it is possible that the proceeds will be invested in a way that does not yield a favorable, or any, return for us or our securityholders.

The market price for the shares of Common Stock following the closing of the Champion Safe Acquisition may be affected by factors different from those that historically have affected or may currently affect the shares of Common Stock.

Upon completion of the Champion Safe Acquisition, holders of shares of Common Stock prior to the Champion Safe Acquisition will become holders of shares in the combined company. The results of operation of the combined company may be affected by factors different from those currently affecting us. For a discussion of our business and of some important factors to consider in connection with our business, see the discussion under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, which is incorporated by reference herein.

Stockholders’ voting power and ownership interest may be diluted significantly through our efforts to obtain financing and satisfy obligations through issuance of additional shares.

Our Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation authorizes our Board of Directors to issue up to 600,000,000 shares of Common Stock and up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which we have designated 100,000 shares as Series A - Super Voting Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) (which were issued to two members of our current management, Messrs. Charles A. Ross, Jr. and Doug E. Grau, and have superior voting rights of 1,000 to 1 over shares of our Common Stock, resulting in nearly 96% of the available stockholder votes). While the Certificate of Designation is named “Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock”, the Company’s Existing Series A Preferred Stock is not convertible into shares of Common Stock of the Company or redeemable by either the Company or another person. The power of the Board of Directors to issue shares of Common Stock, preferred stock or warrants or options to purchase shares of Common Stock or preferred stock is generally not subject to stockholder approval, except for issuances of more than 20% of the company’s outstanding Common Stock or voting power.

While we just completed a capital raise utilizing a financial institution, we may attempt to raise additional capital by returning to the market to sell shares, possibly at a deep discount. These actions may result in dilution of the ownership interests and voting power of existing stockholders, further dilute Common Stock book value, and may delay, defer or prevent a change of control.

Additionally, series of preferred stock may carry the preferred right to our assets upon liquidation, the right to receive dividend payments before dividends are distributed to the holders of Common Stock, superior voting or conversion rights and the right to the redemption of the shares, together with a premium, prior to the redemption of our Common Stock.

Our board of directors has the authority, without stockholder approval, to issue preferred stock with terms that may not be beneficial to Common Stockholders and with the ability to affect adversely stockholder voting power and perpetuate their control over us.

Our Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation allow us to issue shares of preferred stock without any vote or further action by our stockholders. Our Board of Directors has the authority to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of preferred stock. As a result, our Board of Directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that would grant to holders the preferred right to our assets upon liquidation, the right to receive dividend payments before dividends are distributed to the holders of Common Stock and the right to the redemption of the shares, together with a premium, prior to the redemption of our Common Stock.

Our Common Stock may be affected by limited trading volume and our share price may be volatile, which could adversely impact the value of our Common Stock.

There can be no assurance that an active trading market in our Common Stock will be maintained. Our Common Stock is likely to experience significant price and volume fluctuations in the future, which could adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock without regard to our operating performance and the market price of our Common Stock may drop below the price paid by investors. In addition, we believe that factors such as our operating results, quarterly fluctuations in our financial results and changes in the overall economy or the condition of the financial markets, including as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, could cause the price of our Common Stock to fluctuate substantially. These fluctuations may also cause short sellers to periodically enter the market in the belief that we will have poor results in the future. We cannot predict the actions of market participants and, therefore, can offer no assurances that the market for our Common Stock will be stable or appreciate over time.

Warrants are speculative in nature.

The Existing Warrants included in our February 2022 public offering do not confer any rights of Common Stock ownership on their holders, such as voting rights or the right to receive dividends, but rather merely represent the right to acquire shares of our Common Stock at a fixed price for a limited period of time. Specifically, commencing on the date of issuance, holders of the Existing Warrants may exercise their right to acquire the Common Stock and pay an exercise price of $2.01 per share, prior to five years from the date of issuance, after which date any unexercised Existing Warrants will expire and have no further value. Until holders of the Existing Warrants acquire Common Stock upon exercise of the Existing Warrants, the holders will have no rights with respect to the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Existing Warrants. Upon exercise of the Existing Warrants, the holder will be entitled to exercise the rights of a Stockholder as to the security exercised only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise. Moreover, the market value of the Existing Warrants is uncertain and there can be no assurance that the market value of the Existing Warrants will equal or exceed their public offering price. There can be no assurance that the market price of the Common Stock will ever equal or exceed the exercise price of the Existing Warrants, and consequently, whether it will ever be profitable for holders of the Existing Warrants to exercise the Existing Warrants.

Provisions of the Existing Warrants sold in our February 2022 public offering could discourage an acquisition of us by a third party.

In addition to the discussion of the provisions of our governing organizational documents, certain provisions of the Existing Warrants offered in our February 2022 public offering could make it more difficult or expensive for a third party to acquire us. The Existing Warrants prohibit us from engaging in certain transactions constituting “fundamental transactions” unless, among other things, the surviving entity assumes our obligations under the Existing Warrants. These and other provisions of the Existing Warrants could prevent or deter a third party from acquiring us even where the acquisition could be beneficial to our stockholders.

Our executive officers and directors, and their affiliated entities, own a significant percentage of our stock and will be able to exert significant control over matters subject to stockholder approval.

Our executive officers and directors beneficially own approximately 12% of our Common Stock. In addition, as referenced above, we issued 100,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock to two members of our current management, Messrs. Charles A. Ross, Jr. and Doug E. Grau, which have superior voting rights of 1,000 to 1 over shares of our Common Stock, resulting in nearly 96% of the available stockholder votes. While the Certificate of Designation is named “Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock”, the Company’s Existing Series A Preferred Stock is not convertible into shares of Common Stock of the Company or redeemable by either the Company or another person.

Accordingly, these stockholders may, as a practical matter, continue to be able to control the election of a majority of our directors and the determination of all corporate actions after this offering. This concentration of ownership could delay or prevent a change in control of the Company.

We do not anticipate that we will pay dividends on our Common Stock and, consequently, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our Common Stock.

We have never paid cash dividends on our Common Stock. We do not expect to pay cash dividends on our Common Stock at any time in the foreseeable future. The future payment of dividends directly depends upon our future earnings, capital requirements, financial requirements and other factors that our Board of Directors will consider. Since we do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our Common Stock, return on your investment, if any, will depend solely on an increase, if any, in the market value of our Common Stock.

RISKS RELATED TO THE INDUSTRY

The industry in which we operate is competitive, price sensitive and subject to risks of governmental regulations or laws. If our competitors are better able to develop and market products that are more effective, less costly, easier to use, or are otherwise more attractive, we may be unable to compete effectively with other companies.

The safe and personal security industry is characterized by intense competition. We will face competition on the basis of product features, reliability, price, apparent value, and other factors. Competitors may include large safe makers and other companies, some of which have significantly greater financial and marketing resources than we do, and firms that are more specialized than we are with respect to particular markets. Our competition may respond more quickly to new or emerging styles, undertake more extensive marketing campaigns, have greater financial, marketing and other resources than ours or may be more successful in attracting potential customers, employees and strategic partners.

Our industry could experience greater scrutiny and regulation by governmental authorities, which may lead to greater governmental regulation in the future.

The rapidly growing interest in new concealed carry products that this rapidly growing market may attract the attention of government regulators and legislators. The current trend in legislation is to roll back or minimize access to firearms restrictions, but there can be no assurance that this trend will continue.

RISKS RELATED TO THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY

Federal regulation and enforcement may adversely affect the implementation of medical controlled substance laws and regulations may negatively impact our revenues and profits.

Currently, many states plus the District of Columbia have laws or regulations that recognize, in one form or another, legitimate medical uses for cannabis and consumer use of cannabis in connection with medical treatment. Many other states are considering similar legislation. Conversely, under the Controlled Substance Act (the “CSA”), the policies and regulations of the Federal government and its agencies are that cannabis has no medical benefit and a range of activities including cultivation and the personal use of cannabis is prohibited. Unless and until Congress amends the CSA with respect to medical marijuana, as to the timing or scope of any such potential amendments there can be no assurance, there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law. Active enforcement of the current federal regulatory position on cannabis may thus indirectly and adversely affect our revenues and profits. The risk of strict enforcement of the CSA in light of Congressional activity, judicial holdings, and stated federal policy remains uncertain.

The DOJ has not historically devoted resources to prosecuting individuals whose conduct is limited to possession of small amounts of marijuana for use on private property but has relied on state and local law enforcement to address marijuana activity. In the event the DOJ reverses its stated policy and begins strict enforcement of the CSA in states that have laws legalizing medical marijuana and recreational marijuana in small amounts, there may be a direct and adverse impact to our business and our revenue and profits. Furthermore, H.R. 83, enacted by Congress on December 16, 2014, provides that none of the funds made available to the DOJ pursuant to the 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act may be used to prevent certain states, including Nevada and California, from implementing their own laws that authorized the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.

Variations in state and local regulation and enforcement in states that have legalized medical controlled substance that may restrict marijuana-related activities, including activities related to medical cannabis and Biotech complex work on cannabis, may negatively impact our revenues and profits.

Individual state laws do not always conform to the federal standard or to other states laws. A number of states have decriminalized marijuana to varying degrees, other states have created exemptions specifically for medical cannabis, and several have both decriminalization and medical laws. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia and Guam have legalized the recreational use of cannabis. Variations exist among states that have legalized, decriminalized, or created medical marijuana exemptions. For example, Alaska and Colorado have limits on the number of marijuana plants that can be homegrown. In most states, the cultivation of marijuana for personal use continues to be prohibited except for those states that allow small-scale cultivation by the individual in possession of medical marijuana needing care or that person’s caregiver. Active enforcement of state laws that prohibit personal cultivation of marijuana may indirectly and adversely affect our business and our revenue and profits.

It is possible that federal or state legislation could be enacted in the future that would prohibit us or potential customers from using our products, and if such legislation were enacted, our revenues could decline, leading to a loss in your investment.

We are not aware of any federal or state regulation that regulates the sale of indoor cultivation equipment to medical or recreational marijuana growers. The extent to which the regulation of drug paraphernalia under the CSA is applicable to the sale of our dispensaries is found in the definition of “drug paraphernalia.” Drug paraphernalia means any equipment, product, or material of any kind that is primarily intended or designed for use in manufacturing, compounding, converting, concealing, producing processing, preparing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance, possession of which is unlawful.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

Cannabis is illegal under U.S. federal law. In those states in which the use of cannabis has been legalized, its use remains a violation of federal law pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 811). The Controlled Substances Act classifies cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance, and as such, medical and adult use cannabis use is illegal under U.S. federal law. Unless and until Congress amends the Controlled Substances Act with respect to cannabis (and the President approves such amendment), there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law. Since federal law criminalizing the use of cannabis pre-empts state laws that legalize its use, enforcement of federal law regarding cannabis is a significant risk and would likely result in our inability to precede with our business plans, especially in respect of expanding the reach of our dispensaries sale.

We are indirectly engaged in the medical and adult use cannabis industry in the United States where local state law permits such activities. The legality of the production, cultivation, extraction, distribution, retail sales, transportation and use of cannabis differs among states in the United States. Due to the current regulatory environment in the United States, new risks may emerge, and management may not be able to predict all such risks.

As of September 2021, there were 36 states, plus the District of Columbia (and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands), that have laws and/or regulations that recognize, in one form or another, legitimate medical uses for cannabis and consumer use of cannabis in connection with medical treatment. In addition, Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for adult use.

Due to the conflicting views between state legislatures and the federal government regarding cannabis, cannabis businesses are subject to inconsistent laws and regulations. There can be no assurance that the federal government will not enforce federal laws relating to cannabis and seek to prosecute cases involving cannabis businesses that are otherwise compliant with state laws in the future. While we are not subject to these laws, the uncertainty of U.S. federal enforcement practices going forward and the inconsistency between U.S. federal and state laws and regulations present risks for our dispensary safes business, including incurring substantial costs associated with compliance or altering certain aspects of our business plan.

Because marijuana is illegal under U.S. federal law, we may be unable to access to U.S. bankruptcy protections in the event of our bankruptcy.

We have no plans and no current need to seek bankruptcy protection. However, in the event we ever need to seek bankruptcy protection, we may have difficulty accessing bankruptcy courts considering our indirect involvement in the medial and adult use cannabis industry in the United States. Many courts have denied cannabis businesses bankruptcy protections because the use of cannabis is illegal under federal law. If we were to experience a bankruptcy, there is no guarantee that U.S. federal bankruptcy protections would be available to us, which would have a material, adverse effect on the Company.