Mounting Evidence on Therapeutic Benefits of Cannabis Unleashes Tsunami

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Oct 18, 2017, 08:30 ET

NEW YORK, October 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

A tsunami has started: Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis sativa plant, has shown tremendous promise for broad-ranging medical benefits, and consumers are taking notice. CBD products are derived from either industrial hemp or marijuana plants, and sales have soared as companies scramble to exploit the enormous opportunity. Total CBD sales exceeded $200 million in 2016, and conservative projections peg overall sales in excess of $2.1 billion by 2020, a 700% increase from 2016. The hemp-derived CBD market is projected to grow at an astounding compounded annual growth rate approaching 55% over the next five years, positioning it as the fastest growing sub-segment within the multi-billion-dollar legal cannabis and hemp market. Some of the most promising players in the space include PotNetwork Holding Inc. (OTC: POTN) (POTN Profile), given a four-fold price target by an equity research firm, Terra Tech Corp (OTC: TRTC), INSYS Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: INSY), Cannabis Science Inc. (OTC: CBIS) and 22nd Century Group Inc. (NYSE: XXII).

Thousands of scientific studies tout the benefits of medical CBD. Research continues to be encouraging for CBD's anti-seizure properties, singularly effective in treating certain epilepsies. Its effect on epilepsy and lack of significant side effects makes CBDs an attractive treatment option for multiple neurological disorders such as neurodegeneration, neuronal injury, and psychiatric diseases. CBD significantly reduces inflammation, and is already used to treat chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia. CBD has also demonstrated promising therapeutic results treating multiple anxiety disorders, mood symptoms, rheumatoid arthritis, nausea and insomnia. But the list of benefits is only growing. It appears to ease inflammation in the pancreas in Type 1 diabetes; there's evidence that it has potential to prevent Alzheimer's disease symptoms; and CBD appears to suppress the growth of cancer cells and promote the death of these cells (http://nnw.fm/Gag71). In multiple studies, CBD has been well-tolerated in adults across a wide range of dosages. With so many direct applications, the prospects of combination pharmaceutical therapies and the promise of a myriad of new remedies, it is little wonder the CBD market is exploding, and companies are vying to capitalize on the immense opportunity.

Through its subsidiaries, PotNetwork Holding (OTC: POTN) researches, develops and sells premium hemp extracts throughout the U.S. and internationally. The company's products are made with federally legal hemp-derived CBD, and are available in a variety of flavors and sizes tailored to exceed consumer needs and expectations. As the primary operating entity of PotNetwork, Diamond CBD, Inc. produces and markets 15 different CBD brands that have gained international acceptance for both quality and consistency. With its staff of scientists and chemists, Diamond CBD develops and produces only the highest quality CBD oil across multiple product lines for specific medicinal uses. Scientific research and depth of knowledge of natural hemp molecules and their properties determine the course of new product development. The company insists on 100% natural lab-tested CBD ingredients, with the process meticulously monitored from the source farm through every stage of production and final delivery to retail outlets.

To deliver and expand products of exceptional quality and efficacy, PotNetwork is building a team of medical professionals with knowledge and expertise in the intricacies of CBD and how to best achieve optimal therapeutic results. Keeping with strategy, PotNetwork recently appointed Dr. Richard Goulding, MD as its Chief Executive Officer (http://nnw.fm/6HEfH). A veteran of medical science with extensive knowledge of CBD's prophylactic benefits, Dr. Goulding will be instrumental in directing the company's mission to develop scientifically targeted formulas designed to deliver consistent results for a wide spectrum of maladies. His insight on the latest research utilizing cannabis for multiple medical applications is expected to strongly enhance the company's ability to excel in the marketplace. As Dr. Goulding stated in a press release announcing his appointment, "From what I've been able to discover, it seems we have only scratched the surface in this marketplace. It truly is an optimum time to be involved in an industry whose time has come."

Not alone in his assessment, equity research firm SeeThruEquity identifies a "burgeoning legal cannabis and hemp industry," and said it expects PotNetwork to increase YOY revenues 712% in fiscal year 2017, driven by new product launches, aggressive marketing initiatives, and entry into new markets (http://nnw.fm/xZ4jH). The report sets a price target of $0.25 per share for POTN, four times the current level. PotNetwork has 484 million shares outstanding and a market capitalization of $29 million.

As a cannabis-focused agriculture company, Terra Tech Corp. (OTCQX: TRTC) produces, extracts and distributes medical cannabis, and is engaged in plant science research and development, food production, and closed environment agriculture. The company operates through multiple subsidiary businesses, including: Blüm, its retail and medical cannabis facilities; IVXX Inc., which produces cannabis extracted products for medical cannabis dispensaries in California and Nevada; Edible Garden, which cultivates and sells local and sustainably grown hydroponic produce; and MediFarm LLC, which is focused on medical and adult-use cannabis cultivation and permitting businesses in Nevada. The company has nearly 665 million shares outstanding and carries a hefty $135+ million market capitalization.

INSYS Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: INSY) develops and commercializes innovative drugs and drug delivery systems. INSYS currently markets two products: Subsys®, which is sublingual Fentanyl spray for breakthrough cancer pain; and a generic version of Dronabinol, a synthetic chemical form of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In 2011, the company launched its Dronabinol SG Capsule, a generic equivalent to Marinol (synthetic THC), an approved second-line treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and anorexia associated with weight loss in AIDS patients. In 2012, the company launched its proprietary sublingual fentanyl spray for breakthrough cancer pain. Since late 2014, Subsys® has been the most prescribed transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl product with 48% market share on a prescription basis. This enormous market share is in part explanatory of the company's eye-popping 203 PE ratio and a market cap of $664 million. There are almost 73 million shares outstanding and big money is well positioned with 28% institutional ownership.

Engaged in medical marijuana research and development, Cannabis Science Inc. (OTC: CBIS) works on phytocannabinoids to target critical illnesses and adheres to scientific methodologies to develop, produce, and commercialize phytocannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products. The company is involved in the creation of cannabis-based medicines, with and without psychoactive properties, to treat disease and the symptoms of disease. Cannabis Science's products are medical cannabinoid formulations developed from one or more of the cannabinoid compounds found in the cannabis plant and the company focuses on development of governmentally approved pharmaceuticals. The company has 2.5 billion shares outstanding and market cap of $87 million.

Through genetic engineering and plant breeding, 22nd Century Group Inc. (NYSE: XXII) can increase or decrease the level of nicotine and nicotinic alkaloids in tobacco plants and the levels of cannabinoids in cannabis plants. The company's primary mission in tobacco is to reduce the harm caused by smoking and its primary mission in cannabis is to develop proprietary hemp/cannabis strains for new medicines and agricultural crops. The company is engaged in research and development of specialized plant varieties of hemp/cannabis, such as plants with low to no amounts of THC; plants with high levels of CBD and other non-THC cannabinoids; research and development of less harmful tobacco products and tobacco plant varieties; and a smoking cessation aid consisting of very low nicotine cigarettes. Not a pure CBD play, the company has 102 million shares outstanding and a market cap of $293 million.

According to research from Brightfield Group and HelloMD, 80 percent of all people who use CBD found the products to be "very or extremely effective," and nearly half of all CBD users actually stop taking traditional medications like Tylenol or prescription drugs like Vicodin, as reported by Forbes (http://nnw.fm/30jLR). With such overwhelming endorsement by retail consumers of medicinal cannabidiol, there is little doubt that CBD is becoming a mainstream therapeutic that will continue to grow in market size and acceptance.

For more information on PotNetwork Holding Inc., visit PotNetwork Holding (OTC: POTN)

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