Cannabis Sticks to its Roots: Cannabis Companies Continue to Prioritize the Importance of “People”

POINT ROBERTS, Wash. and DELTA, British Columbia, April 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering hemp and cannabis stocks releases a snapshot looking at how, as the sector matures, companies are racing to snap up industry leaders to enhance their position in the marketplace. 

Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTCQB: CHMJF), an investment company dedicated to the US cannabis sector endeavoring to provide turn-key solutions for the regulated cannabis industry, recently announced the addition of Nicholas J. Zitelli, a.k.a. “Nico Escondido,” to its board of directors.

Mr. Zitelli is a well-known cannabis industry leader. He has led numerous initiatives and contributed to highly regarded companies in the industry. Some of his accomplishments include: leading the High Times Cannabis Cup as the Competition Director since 2010, leading the digital evolution of the Cannabis Cup; creating a scoring algorithm for cannabis products that included both qualitative and quantitative criteria, and overseeing the world’s largest known cannabis database containing over 30,000 cannabis products.  Mr. Zitelli also founded the Cannabis Genetics Institute (CGI) in Amsterdam, Holland where they focus on breeding customized medicinal strains of cannabis that are ailment-specific.

Chemistree’s President, Karl Kottmeier, stated, "As Chemistree continues its focus on building one of the world's leading cannabis companies, it is critical to have an experienced board to put us in the best possible position to achieve success.  These are exciting times for Chemistree and Nico represents another outstanding addition to our board of directors on our path of rapid growth.  The High Times Cannabis Cup is the most prestigious and extensive cannabis-related competition in the world and having his broad knowledge/specialized expertise, impressive network and reputation will be invaluable assets to the Company’s strategic direction.”

FSD Pharma Inc. (CSE: HUGE) (OTCQB: FSDDF) has also realized the importance of having industry pioneers on the board, having announced the appointment of Charles V. Pollack, Jr., M.A., M.D., FACEP, FAAEM, FAHA, FACC, FESC, FCPP, as Chairman of its Scientific Advisory Board. In this capacity, Dr. Pollack will serve as a strategic guide and resource to the Company as it develops disruptive, science-based, cannabinoid therapeutics.

Dr. Charles Pollack is an international leader in emergency medicine and founded The Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp at Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2016. The Center is the only comprehensive academic resource for education, research and practice around the use of medicinal cannabinoids to be housed in a US university. He is the only physician to have received the American College of Emergency Physicians' highest national awards in both teaching and research; he also received the national teaching award from the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors. He is the only US emergency physician to be elected a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology. He is also an Editorial Board member of the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

Industry awards like the High Times 100 have helped recognize these industry pioneers along with SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CSE: SLNG), a leading cannabis consumer packaged goods company, who recently announced that co-founders Peter Miller and Billy Levy have been honored as High Times 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis for 2019 for their leadership in the cannabis industry. The High Times 100 is recognized as the highest honor for a cannabis executive or entrepreneur.

Peter and Billy said, "On behalf of SLANG Worldwide's amazing teams and best-selling brands and fantastic partners, we are thrilled to be honored by High Times 100. The cannabis industry has been built by passionate mavericks from all walks of life and all over the world whose efforts and results are now becoming more accepted and welcomed, and we are proud to work alongside these people every day. We look forward to continuing to grow SLANG businesses in a responsible and inclusive way for our customers, communities, industry partners and investors."

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