Legislation will legalize many forms of Cannabis, including CBD, allowing for institutional investment
NEW YORK, Oct. 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cannagreed.com News Commentary
Nine states and Washington, D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana; many other states have legalized medical marijuana, and there are several ballot initiatives in next month’s elections where many other states will become medical and recreational legal. And with the anticipated passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, it will remove Hemp as a controlled substance, making CBD, which is derived from the plant, legal under federal law.
The legalization of hemp will present endless investment opportunities. Companies in the CBD space will surely see a rise in valuations, as many more outlets will now be able to sell CBD products because the grey area around if it’s classified as a controlled substance will be lifted. These companies will also see an increase in conventional and institutional investment as well, which will also contribute to the increase in valuations.
Investor interest in CBD, a non-psychoactive component of marijuana, increased after the Drug Enforcement Administration said Thursday it now places FDA-approved drugs with CBD in “Schedule V,” defined as having the lowest potential for abuse. Other products that are classified as Schedule V are over-the-counter treatments for diarrhea, cough suppressants, and muscle relaxers. Brightfield Group, a cannabis research firm, recently raised its projections for the CBD industry, stating that it could reach $22 billion in market size by 2022.
Bobby Burleson, an analyst at Cannacord Genuity, expects that market share for cannabis-infused beverages “should expand meaningfully over the next several years,” outpacing overall retail demand for marijuana by more than 2x. Marc Lustig, CEO of CannaRoyalty said, “Many beverage companies see the opportunity of cannabis, which could compete with or replace the alcohol business.”
A company well positioned for the legalization of CBD is American Premium Water Corporation, (HIPH) whose stock rose over 600% after the company announced that it had launched its CBD beverage, LALPINA Hydro CBD. The California-based company is the first to market a hydro-nano CBD infused beverage on the market, which is a more effective delivery mechanism for administering CBD into the blood stream than traditional beverages or oils, with up to a 90% higher absorption rate.
Studies have shown that CBD beverages can help those who deal with chronic ailments, such as inflammation, pain, and anxiety. CBD also provides huge potential benefits for athletes to not only hydrate with a beverage like LALPINA Hydro CBD, but also to provide workout recovery health benefits, thanks to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.
HIPH is positioning itself for a strong fourth quarter, with the Company announcing there are imminent acquisitions, with four targets identified, three of which are within the CBD/THC sector. The Company announced earlier this week that it had completed its first distribution deal with SinglePoint, Inc where the Company will sell products on SING’s CBD/Cannabis e-commerce channels. SeeThruEquity, a leading independent small cap equity research firm, released a report earlier this year seeing the growth potential of HIPH, giving the company a price target of $0.15. SeeThru’s target is based on the imminent legalization of cannabis and CBD which will see a rise of consumer interest in legal CBD products coupled with the large and expanding market for functional water.
As legal marijuana becomes more widespread, more beverage companies will develop cannabis-infused beverages, extending their brands into the cannabis space to boost sales and ride the ‘wave’. There has been a lot of recent news involving beverage heavyweights entering the cannabis space:
· Coca-Cola has been eyeing cannabis-infused drinks. The company said that it's "closely watching" the use of CBD in "functional wellness" beverages.
· Brewing giant Molson Coors is planning to launch a line of marijuana-infused teas, seltzers and other drinks.
· Heineken-owed Lagunitas recently released an IPA-inspired beer that is made out of hops and cannabis, called Hi-Fi Hops.
