−Removed: our mobile marketing business, see risk factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014
−Removed: filed on April 15, 2015.
Factors Associated with COVID-19
29 unchanged sentences
Since federal law
−Removed: criminalizing the use of marijuana is not pre-empted by state laws that legalize its use, strict enforcement of federal
−Removed: law regarding marijuana would likely result in the Company’s clients’
−Removed: inability to proceed with their operations,
−Removed: which would adversely affect demands for the Company’s products.
−Removed: legislative development beneficial to the operations of the Company is not guaranteed
−Removed: success of the Company’s business depends on the continued development of the cannabis industry and the activity of commercial
−Removed: business and government regulatory agencies within the industry.
−Removed: The continued development of the cannabis industry is dependent
−Removed: upon continued legislative and regulatory authorization of cannabis at the state level and a continued laissez-faire approach
−Removed: by federal enforcement agencies.
−Removed: Any number of factors could slow or halt progress in this area.
−Removed: Further regulatory progress beneficial
−Removed: to the industry cannot be assured.
−Removed: While there may be ample public support for legislative action, numerous factors impact the
−Removed: legislative and regulatory process, including election results, scientific findings or general public events.
−Removed: Any one of these
−Removed: factors could slow or halt progressive legislation relating to cannabis and the current tolerance for the use of cannabis by consumers,
−Removed: which could adversely affect demand for the Company’s product and its operations.
−Removed: cannabis industry could face strong opposition from other industries
−Removed: Company believes that established businesses in other industries may have a strong economic interest in opposing the development
−Removed: of the cannabis industry.
−Removed: Cannabis may be seen by companies in other industries as an attractive alternative to their products,
−Removed: including recreational marijuana as an alternative to alcohol, and medical marijuana as an alternative to various commercial pharmaceuticals.
−Removed: Many industries that could view the emerging cannabis industry as an economic threat are well established, with vast economic
−Removed: and federal and state lobbying resources.
−Removed: It is possible that companies within these industries could use their resources to attempt
−Removed: to slow or reverse legislation legalizing cannabis.
−Removed: Any inroads these companies make in halting or impeding legislative initiatives
−Removed: that would be beneficial to the cannabis industry could have a detrimental impact on the Company’s clients and, in turn
−Removed: on the Company’s operations.
−Removed: legislation and evolving interpretations of law
−Removed: and regulations affecting the medical and adult-use marijuana industry are constantly changing, which could detrimentally affect
−Removed: the Company’s clients and, in turn, the Company’s operations.
−Removed: Local, state and federal marijuana laws and regulations
−Removed: are broad in scope and subject to evolving interpretations, which could require the Company’s clients and thus the Company
−Removed: itself to incur substantial costs associated with modification of operations to ensure such clients’
−Removed: violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt the Company’s clients’
−Removed: business and result
−Removed: in a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations.
−Removed: In addition, it is possible that regulations may be enacted in
−Removed: the future that will limit the amount of cannabis growth or related products that the Company’s commercial clients are authorized
−Removed: The Company cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, nor can it
−Removed: determine what effect additional governmental regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated,
−Removed: could have on its operations.
−Removed: regulations could limit access to banking services
−Removed: the use of marijuana is illegal under federal law, there is a compelling argument that banks cannot lawfully except for deposit
−Removed: funds from businesses involved with marijuana.
−Removed: Consequently, businesses involved in the cannabis industry often have trouble finding
−Removed: a bank willing to accept their business.
−Removed: The inability to open bank accounts may make it difficult for the Company’s clients
−Removed: to operate and their reliance on cash can result in a heightened risk of theft, which could harm their businesses and, in turn,
−Removed: harm the Company’s business.
−Removed: Additionally, some courts have denied marijuana-related businesses bankruptcy protection, thus,
−Removed: making it very difficult for lenders to recoup their investments, which may limit the willingness of banks to lend to the Company’s
−Removed: clients and to the Company itself.
−Removed: the United States, many marijuana-related businesses are subject to a lack of adequate insurance coverage.
−Removed: In addition, many insurance
−Removed: companies may deny claims for any loss relating to marijuana or marijuana-related operations based on their illegality under federal
−Removed: law, noting that a contract for an illegal transaction is unenforceable.
−Removed: regulation of marijuana and the possible registration of facilities where medical marijuana is grown could negatively affect the
−Removed: cannabis industry which would directly affect our financial condition.
−Removed: the federal government legalize marijuana for medical use, it is possible that the U.S.
−Removed: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would
−Removed: seek to regulate it under the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act of 1938.
−Removed: Additionally, the FDA may issue rules and regulations including
−Removed: cGMPs (certified good manufacturing practices) related to the growth, cultivation, harvesting and processing of medical marijuana.
−Removed: Clinical trials may be needed to verify efficacy and safety.
−Removed: It is also possible that the FDA would require that facilities where
−Removed: medical marijuana is grown be registered with the FDA and complies with certain federally prescribed regulations.
−Removed: event that some or all of these regulations are imposed, we do not know what the impact would be on the medical marijuana industry,
−Removed: what costs, requirements and possible prohibitions may be enforced.
−Removed: If we are unable to comply with the regulations and or registration
−Removed: as prescribed by the FDA, we may be unable to continue to operate their and our business in its current form or at all.
+Added: criminalizing the use of marijuana is not pre-empted by state laws that legalize its use, strict enforcement of federal law regarding
+Added: marijuana would likely result in the Company’s clients’
+Added: inability to proceed with their operations, which would adversely
+Added: affect demands for the Company’s products.
+Added: Company’s operations are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines relating to the manufacture, management, transportation,
+Added: storage and disposal of cannabis but also including laws and regulations relating to health and safety, the conduct of operations
+Added: and the protection of the environment.
+Added: Company both directly and indirectly engages in the medical and adult-use cannabis industry in the United States where local state
+Added: law permits such activities.
+Added: Investors are cautioned that in the United States, cannabis is largely regulated at the state level.
+Added: To the Company’s knowledge, there are to date a total of 33 states, and the District of Columbia, that have now legalized
+Added: cannabis in some form, including California, Nevada, New York, Florida, Illinois and Arizona.
+Added: Notwithstanding the permissive regulatory
+Added: environment of cannabis at the state level, cannabis continues to be categorized as a controlled substance under the CSA and as
+Added: such, cultivation, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis violates federal law in the United States.
+Added: The inconsistency
+Added: between federal and state laws and regulations is a major risk factor and there can be no assurance that the federal government
+Added: will not seek to prosecute cases involving cannabis businesses that are otherwise compliant with state law.
+Added: Violations of any
+Added: federal laws and regulations could result in significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, convictions or settlements
+Added: arising from civil proceedings conducted by either the federal government or private citizens, or criminal charges, including,
+Added: but not limited to, disgorgement of profits, cessation of business activities or divestiture.
+Added: This could have a material adverse
+Added: effect on the Company, including its reputation and ability to conduct business, its holding (directly or indirectly) of medical
+Added: and adult-use cannabis licenses in the United States, the listing of its securities on applicable exchanges, its financial position,
+Added: operating results, profitability or liquidity or the market price of our Common Stock.
+Added: Company believes the cannabis industry is highly dependent upon consumer perception regarding the safety, efficacy and quality
+Added: of the cannabis produced.
+Added: Consumer perception of the Company’s products can be significantly influenced by scientific research
+Added: or findings, regulatory investigations, litigation, media attention and other publicity regarding the consumption of cannabis
+Added: There can be no assurance that future scientific research, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention
+Added: or other research findings or publicity will be favorable to the medical cannabis market or any product, or consistent with earlier
+Added: publicity The Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims, regulatory
+Added: action and litigation if its products are alleged to have caused significant loss or injury.
+Added: Greater access to medical cannabis,
+Added: through home and designated growing and illegal dispensaries, may decrease the number of patients registering with the Company
+Added: and may cause registered patients to leave the Company and grow for themselves.
+Added: Any significant interruption or negative change
+Added: in the availability or economics of the supply chain for key inputs could materially impact the business, financial condition
+Added: and operating results of the Company and if the Company is unable to continually innovate and increase efficiencies, its ability
+Added: to attract new customers may be adversely affected.
+Added: The Company may become party to litigation, mediation and/or arbitration from
+Added: time to time in the ordinary course of business which could adversely affect its business
+Added: Company expects to derive a substantial portion of its revenues from the cannabis industry in certain states of the United States,
+Added: which industry is illegal under United States federal law.
+Added: Company is directly involved (through its subsidiaries) in the cannabis industry in the United States where local state laws permit
+Added: such activities.
+Added: The United States federal government regulates drugs through the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C.
+Added: 811), which places controlled substances, including cannabis, in a schedule.
+Added: Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug.
+Added: United States federal law, a Schedule I drug or substance has a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the United
+Added: States, and a lack of accepted safety for the use of the drug under medical supervision.
+Added: The United States Food and Drug Administration
+Added: has not approved marijuana as a safe and effective drug for any indication.
+Added: the United States marijuana is largely regulated at the state level.
+Added: State laws regulating cannabis are in direct conflict with
+Added: the federal Controlled Substances Act, which makes cannabis use and possession federally illegal.
+Added: Although certain states authorize
+Added: medical or recreational cannabis production and distribution by licensed or registered entities, under U.S.
+Added: federal law, the possession,
+Added: use, cultivation, and transfer of cannabis and any related drug paraphernalia is illegal and any such acts are criminal acts under
+Added: The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution establishes that the United States Constitution and federal
+Added: laws made pursuant to it are paramount and in case of conflict between federal and state law, the federal law shall apply.
+Added: January 4, 2018, U.S.
+Added: Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memorandum to U.S.
+Added: district attorneys which rescinded previous guidance
+Added: from the U.S.
+Added: Department of Justice specific to cannabis enforcement in the United States.
+Added: federal prosecutors have been
+Added: given discretion in determining whether to prosecute cannabis related violations of U.S.
+Added: If the Department of Justice
+Added: policy was to aggressively pursue financiers or equity owners of cannabis-related business, and United States Attorneys followed
+Added: such Department of Justice policies through pursuing prosecutions, then the Company could face (i) seizure of its cash and other
+Added: assets used to support or derived from its cannabis subsidiaries, (ii) the arrest of its employees, directors, officers, managers
+Added: and investors, and charges of ancillary criminal violations of the CSA for aiding and abetting and conspiring to violate the CSA
+Added: by virtue of providing financial support to cannabis companies that service or provide goods to state-licensed or permitted cultivators,
+Added: processors, distributors, and/or retailers of cannabis, and/or (iii) barring employees, directors, officers, managers and investors
+Added: who are not U.S.
+Added: citizens from entry into the United States for life.
+Added: There is no guarantee that state laws legalizing and regulating
+Added: the sale and use of cannabis will not be repealed or overturned, or that local governmental authorities will not limit the applicability
+Added: of state laws within their respective jurisdictions.
+Added: Unless and until the United States Congress amends the Controlled Substances
+Added: Act with respect to medical and/or adult-use cannabis (and as to the timing or scope of any such potential amendments there can
+Added: be no assurance), there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce current federal law.
+Added: If the federal government begins to
+Added: enforce federal laws relating to cannabis in states where the sale and use of cannabis is currently legal, or if existing applicable
+Added: state laws are repealed or curtailed, the Company’s business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects would
+Added: be materially adversely affected.
+Added: yet unanticipated changes in federal and state law could cause any products that we intend to launch, containing hemp-derived
+Added: CBD oil to be illegal, or could otherwise prohibit, limit or restrict any of our products containing CBD.
+Added: 2014, when 7 U.S.
+Added: Code §5940 became federal law as part of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the “2014 Farm Act”),
+Added: products containing oils derived from hemp, notwithstanding a minimal or non-existing THC content, were classified as Schedule
+Added: I illegal drugs.
+Added: The 2014 Farm Act expired on September 30, 2018, and was thereafter replaced by the Agricultural Improvement
+Added: Act of 2018 on December 20, 2018 (the “2018 Farm Act “), which amended various sections of the U.S.
+Added: Code, thereby
+Added: removing hemp, defined as cannabis with less than 0.3% of THC, from Schedule 1 status under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”),
+Added: and legalizing the cultivation and sale of hemp at the federal level, subject to compliance with certain federal requirements
+Added: and state law, amongst other things.
+Added: THC is the psychoactive component of plants in the cannabis family generally identified as
+Added: marihuana or marijuana.
+Added: 2018 Farm Bill also shifted regulatory authority from the Drug Enforcement Administration to the Department of Agriculture.
+Added: 2018 Farm Bill did not change the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA”) oversight authority over
+Added: CBD products.
+Added: The 2018 Farm Act delegated the authority to the states to regulate and limit the production of hemp and hemp derived
+Added: products within their territories.
+Added: Although many states have adopted laws and regulations that allow for the production and sale
+Added: of hemp and hemp derived products under certain circumstances, no assurance can be given that such state laws may not be repealed
+Added: or amended such that our intended products containing hemp-derived CBD would once again be deemed illegal under the laws of one
+Added: or more states now permitting such products, which in turn would render such intended products illegal in those states under federal
+Added: law even if the federal law is unchanged.
+Added: In the event of either repeal of federal or of state laws and regulations, or of amendments
+Added: thereto that are adverse to our intended medical CBD products, we may be restricted or limited with respect to those products
+Added: that we may sell or distribute, which could adversely impact our intended business plan with respect to such intended products.
+Added: Additionally,
+Added: the FDA has indicated its view that certain types of products containing CBD may not be permissible under the United States Federal
+Added: Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”).
+Added: The FDA’s position is related to its approval of Epidiolex, a marijuana-derived
+Added: prescription medicine to be available in the United States.
+Added: The active ingredient in Epidiolex is CBD.
+Added: On December 20, 2018, after
+Added: the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued a statement in which he reiterated the FDA’s position
+Added: that, among other things, the FDA requires a cannabis product (hemp-derived or otherwise) that is marketed with a claim of therapeutic
+Added: benefit, or with any other disease claim, to be approved by the FDA for its intended use before it may be introduced into interstate
+Added: commerce and that the FDCA prohibits introducing into interstate commerce food products containing added CBD, and marketing products
+Added: containing CBD as a dietary supplement, regardless of whether the substances are hemp-derived.
+Added: Although we believe our existing
+Added: and planned CBD product offerings comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations, legal proceedings alleging violations
+Added: of such laws could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
+Added: regulation could negatively affect the hemp industry, which would directly affect our financial condition.
+Added: FDA may seek expanded regulation of hemp under the FDCA.
+Added: Additionally, the FDA may issue rules and regulations, including certified
+Added: good manufacturing practices, or cGMPs, related to the growth, cultivation, harvesting and processing of hemp.
+Added: Clinical trials
+Added: may be needed to verify efficacy and safety.
+Added: It is also possible that the FDA would require that facilities where hemp is grown
+Added: register with the FDA and comply with certain federally prescribed regulations.
+Added: In the event that some or all of these regulations
+Added: are imposed, we do not know what the impact would be on the hemp industry, including what costs, requirements and possible prohibitions
+Added: may be enforced.
+Added: If we or our partners are unable to comply with the regulations or registration as prescribed by the FDA, we
+Added: and or our partners (including C2M) may be unable to continue to operate their and our business in its current or planned form
+Added: of hemp-derived CBD depend upon legality of cultivation, processing, marketing and sales of products derived from those plants
+Added: under state law of the United States.
+Added: CBD can only be legally produced in states that have laws and regulations that allow for such production and that comply with
+Added: the 2018 Farm Act, apart from state laws legalizing and regulating medical and recreational cannabis or marijuana, which remains
+Added: illegal under federal law and regulations.
+Added: In addition, as described in the preceding risk factor, in the event of repeal or amendment
+Added: of laws and regulations which are now favorable to the cannabis/hemp industry in such states, we would be required to locate new
+Added: suppliers in states with laws and regulations that qualify under the 2018 Farm Act.
+Added: If we were to be unsuccessful in arranging
+Added: new sources of supply of our raw ingredients, or if our raw ingredients were to become legally unavailable, our intended business
+Added: plan with respect to such products could be adversely impacted.
+Added: our distributors may only sell and ship our products containing hemp-derived CBD in states that have adopted laws and regulations
+Added: qualifying under the 2018 Farm Act, a reduction in the number of states having such qualifying laws and regulations could limit,
+Added: restrict or otherwise preclude the sale of intended products containing hemp-derived CBD.
+Added: interstate shipment of hemp-derived CBD from one state to another is legal only where both states have laws and regulations that
+Added: allow for the production and sale of such products and that qualify under the 2018 Farm Act.
+Added: Therefore, the marketing and sale
+Added: of our intended products containing hemp-derived CBD is limited by such factors and is restricted to such states.
+Added: believe we may lawfully sell any of our finished products, including those containing CBD, in a majority of states, a repeal or
+Added: adverse amendment of laws and regulations that are now favorable to the distribution, marketing and sale of finished products
+Added: we intend to sell could significantly limit, restrict or prevent us from generating revenue related to our products that contain
+Added: hemp-derived CBD.
+Added: Any such repeal or adverse amendment of now favorable laws and regulations could have an adverse impact on our
+Added: business plan with respect to such products.
+Added: to recent expansion into the Cannabis industry, we may have a difficult time obtaining the various insurances that are desired
+Added: to operate our business, which may expose us to additional risk and financial liability .
+Added: that is otherwise readily available, such as general liability, and directors and officer’s insurance, may become more difficult
+Added: for us to find, and more expensive, due to our intended launch of certain products containing Cannabis.
+Added: There are no guarantees
+Added: that we will be able to find such insurances in the future, or that the cost will be affordable to us.
+Added: If we are forced to go
+Added: without such insurances, it may prevent us from entering into certain business sectors, may inhibit our growth, and may expose
+Added: us to additional risk and financial liabilities.
+Added: products may not meet health and safety standards or could become contaminated.
+Added: have adopted various quality, environmental, health and safety standards.
+Added: We do not have control over all of the third parties
+Added: involved in the manufacturing of our products and their compliance with government health and safety standards.
+Added: Even if our products
+Added: meet these standards, they could otherwise become contaminated.
+Added: A failure to meet these standards or contamination could occur
+Added: in our operations or those of our manufacturers, distributors or suppliers.
+Added: This could result in expensive production interruptions,
+Added: recalls and liability claims.
+Added: Moreover, negative publicity could be generated from false, unfounded or nominal liability claims
+Added: or limited recalls.
+Added: Any of these failures or occurrences could negatively affect our business and financial performance.
+Added: sale of our products involves product liability and related risks that could expose us to significant insurance and loss expenses.
+Added: face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims if the use of our products results in, or is believed to have resulted
+Added: in, illness or injury.
+Added: Our products contain combinations of ingredients, and there is little long-term experience with the effect
+Added: of these combinations.
+Added: In addition, interactions of these products with other products, prescription medicines and over-the-counter
+Added: drugs have not been fully explored or understood and may have unintended consequences.
+Added: While our third-party manufacturers perform
+Added: tests in connection with the formulations of our products, these tests are not designed to evaluate the inherent safety of our
+Added: product liability claim may increase our costs and adversely affect our revenue and operating income.
+Added: Moreover, liability claims
+Added: arising from a serious adverse event may increase our costs through higher insurance premiums and deductibles and may make it
+Added: more difficult to secure adequate insurance coverage in the future.
+Added: In addition, our product liability insurance may fail to cover
+Added: future product liability claims, which, if adversely determined, could subject us to substantial monetary damages.
+Added: between legal Cannabis and illegal Cannabis.
+Added: is risk that confusion or uncertainty surrounding our products with regulated cannabis could occur on the state or federal level
+Added: and impact us.
+Added: We may have difficulty with establishing banking relationships, working with investment banks and brokers who would
+Added: be willing to offer and sell our securities or accept deposits from shareholders, and auditors willing to certify our financial
+Added: statements if we are confused with businesses that are in the cannabis business.
+Added: Any of these additional factors, should they
+Added: occur, could also affect our business, prospects, assets or results of operation could have a material adverse effect on the business,
+Added: prospects, results of operations or financial condition of the Company.
+Added: state regulatory uncertainty.
+Added: rulemaking process for cannabis operators at the state level in any state will be ongoing and result in frequent changes.
+Added: result, a compliance program is essential to manage regulatory risk.
+Added: All operating policies and procedures implemented in the
+Added: operation will be compliance-based and derived from the state regulatory structure governing ancillary cannabis businesses and
+Added: their relationships to state-licensed or permitted cannabis operators, if any.
+Added: Notwithstanding the Company’s efforts, regulatory
+Added: compliance and the process of obtaining regulatory approvals can be costly and time-consuming.
+Added: No assurance can be given that
+Added: the Company will receive the requisite licenses, permits or cards to operate its businesses.
+Added: addition, local laws and ordinances could restrict the Company’s business activity.
+Added: Although legal under the laws of the
+Added: states in which the Company’s business will operate, local governments have the ability to limit, restrict, and ban cannabis
+Added: businesses from operating within their jurisdiction.
+Added: Land use, zoning, local ordinances, and similar laws could be adopted or
+Added: changed, and have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business.
+Added: Company is aware that multiple states are considering special taxes or fees on businesses in the marijuana industry.
+Added: It is a potential
+Added: yet unknown risk at this time that other states are in the process of reviewing such additional fees and taxation.
+Added: have a material adverse effect upon the Company’s business, results of operations, financial condition or prospects.
+Added: is no assurance that the Company will obtain and retain any relevant licenses.
+Added: licenses in the U.S.
+Added: are subject to ongoing compliance and reporting requirements.
+Added: Failure by the Company to comply with the requirements
+Added: of licenses or any failure to maintain licenses would have a material adverse impact on the business, financial condition and
+Added: operating results of the Company.
+Added: Should any state in which the Company considers a license important not grant, extend or renew
+Added: such license or should it renew such license on different terms, or should it decide to grant more than the anticipated number
+Added: of licenses, the business, financial condition and results of the operation of the Company could be materially adversely affected.
+Added: Company is subject to restricted access to banking.
+Added: the manufacture, distribution, and dispensation of cannabis remains illegal under the CSA, banks and other financial institutions
+Added: providing services to cannabis-related businesses risk violation of federal anti-money laundering statutes (18 U.S.C.
+Added: 1956 and 1957), the unlicensed money-remitter statute (18 U.S.C.
+Added: 1960) and the U.S.
+Added: Bank Secrecy Act.
+Added: These statutes can
+Added: impose criminal liability for engaging in certain financial and monetary transactions with the proceeds of a “specified
+Added: unlawful activity”
+Added: such as distributing controlled substances which are illegal under federal law, including cannabis, and
+Added: for failing to identify or report financial transactions that involve the proceeds of cannabis-related violations of the CSA.
+Added: February 2014, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) bureau of the U.S.
+Added: Treasury Department issued guidance
+Added: (which is not law) with respect to financial institutions providing banking services to cannabis business, including burdensome
+Added: due diligence expectations and reporting requirements.
+Added: This guidance does not provide any safe harbors or legal defenses from
+Added: examination or regulatory or criminal enforcement actions by the Department of Justice, FinCEN or other federal regulators.
+Added: most banks and other financial institutions in the United States do not appear to be comfortable providing banking services to
+Added: cannabis-related businesses, or relying on this guidance, which can be amended or revoked at any time by the Trump Administration.
+Added: In addition to the foregoing, banks may refuse to process debit card payments and credit card companies generally refuse to process
+Added: credit card payments for cannabis-related businesses.
+Added: As a result, the Company may have limited or no access to banking or other
+Added: financial services in the United States.
+Added: In addition, federal money laundering statutes and Bank Secrecy Act regulations discourage
+Added: financial institutions from working with any organization that sells a controlled substance, regardless of whether the state it
+Added: resides in permits cannabis sales.
+Added: The inability or limitation in the Company’s ability to open or maintain bank accounts,
+Added: obtain other banking services and/or accept credit card and debit card payments may make it difficult for the Company to operate
+Added: and conduct its business as planned or to operate efficiently.
+Added: Company is subject to constraints on marketing products.
+Added: development of the Company’s business and operating results may be hindered by applicable restrictions on sales and marketing
+Added: activities imposed by government regulatory bodies.
+Added: The regulatory environment in the United States limits the Company’s
+Added: ability to compete for market share in a manner similar to other industries.
+Added: If the Company is unable to effectively market its
+Added: products and compete for market share, or if the costs of compliance with government legislation and regulation cannot be absorbed
+Added: through increased selling prices for its products, the Company’s sales and operating results could be adversely affected.
+Added: Company is subject to unfavorable tax treatment of cannabis businesses.
+Added: Section 280E (“Section 280E”) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “U.S.
+Added: Code”), “no deduction or credit shall be allowed for any amount paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying
+Added: on any trade or business if such trade or business (or the activities which comprise such trade or business) consists of trafficking
+Added: in controlled substances (within the meaning of schedule I and II of the Controlled Substances Act) which is prohibited by Federal
+Added: law or the law of any State in which such trade or business is conducted.”
+Added: This provision has been applied by the U.S.
+Added: Revenue Service to cannabis operations, prohibiting them from deducting expenses directly associated with the sale of cannabis.
+Added: Section 280E therefore has a significant impact on the retail side of cannabis, but a lesser impact on cultivation and manufacturing
+Added: A result of Section 280E is that an otherwise profitable business may, in fact, operate at a loss, after taking into
+Added: account its U.S.
+Added: income tax expenses.
+Added: Company is subject to a risk of civil asset forfeiture.
+Added: the cannabis industry remains illegal under U.S.
+Added: federal law, any property owned by participants in the cannabis industry which
+Added: are either used in the course of conducting such business, or are the proceeds of such business, could be subject to seizure by
+Added: law enforcement and subsequent civil asset forfeiture.
+Added: Even if the owner of the property were never charged with a crime, the
+Added: property in question could still be seized and subject to an administrative proceeding by which, with minimal due process, it
+Added: could be subject to forfeiture.
+Added: Company is subject to proceeds of crime statutes.
+Added: Company will be subject to a variety of laws and regulations domestically and in the United States that involve money laundering,
+Added: financial recordkeeping and proceeds of crime, including the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (commonly
+Added: known as the Bank Secrecy Act), as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools
+Added: Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), as amended and the rules and regulations thereunder
+Added: and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by governmental authorities in the
+Added: United States
+Added: the event that any of the Company’s license agreements, or any proceeds thereof, in the United States were found to be in
+Added: violation of money laundering legislation or otherwise, such transactions may be viewed as proceeds of crime under one or more
+Added: of the statutes noted above or any other applicable legislation.
+Added: This could be materially adverse to the Company and, among other
+Added: things, could restrict or otherwise jeopardize the ability of the Company to declare or pay dividends.
+Added: Company is subject to product liability.
+Added: Company faces an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims, regulatory action and litigation if its products are alleged
+Added: to have caused significant loss or injury.
+Added: In addition, the sale of the Company’s products would involve the risk of injury
+Added: to consumers due to tampering by unauthorized third parties or product contamination.
+Added: Previously unknown adverse reactions resulting
+Added: from human consumption of the Company’s products alone or in combination with other medications or substances could occur.
+Added: The Company may be subject to various product liability claims, including, among others, that the Company’s products caused
+Added: injury or illness or death, include inadequate instructions for use or include inadequate warnings concerning possible side effects
+Added: or interactions with other substances.
+Added: A product liability claim or regulatory action against the Company could result in increased
+Added: costs, could adversely affect the Company’s reputation with its clients and consumers generally, and could have a material
+Added: adverse effect on the business, results of operations and financial condition of the Company.
+Added: There can be no assurances that
+Added: the Company will be able to obtain or maintain product liability insurance on acceptable terms or with adequate coverage against
+Added: potential liabilities.
+Added: Such insurance is expensive and may not be available in the future on acceptable terms, or at all.
+Added: inability to obtain sufficient insurance coverage on reasonable terms or to otherwise protect against potential product liability
+Added: claims could prevent or inhibit the commercialization of the Company’s potential products.
+Added: Company is subject to product recalls.
+Added: Manufacturers
+Added: and distributors of products are sometimes subject to the recall or return of their products for a variety of reasons, including
+Added: product defects, such as contamination, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety
+Added: and inadequate or inaccurate labeling disclosure.
+Added: If any of the Company’s products are recalled due to an alleged product
+Added: defect or for any other reason, the Company could be required to incur the unexpected expense of the recall and any legal proceedings
+Added: that might arise in connection with the recall.
+Added: The Company may lose a significant amount of sales and may not be able to replace
+Added: those sales at an acceptable margin or at all.
+Added: In addition, a product recall may require significant management attention.
+Added: the Company has detailed procedures in place for testing its products, there can be no assurance that any quality, potency or
+Added: contamination problems will be detected in time to avoid unforeseen product recalls, regulatory action or lawsuits.
+Added: Additionally,
+Added: if one of the Company’s significant brands were subject to recall, the image of that brand and the Company could be harmed.
+Added: A recall for any of the foregoing reasons could lead to decreased demand for the Company’s products and could have a material
+Added: adverse effect on the results of operations and financial condition of the Company.
+Added: Additionally, product recalls may lead to
+Added: increased scrutiny of the Company’s operations by the U.S.
+Added: Food and Drug Administration, or other regulatory agencies, requiring
+Added: further management attention and potential legal fees and other expenses.
+Added: substance legislation differs between countries and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit our ability to sell
+Added: hemp-based consumer products.
+Added: countries are parties to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, which governs international trade and domestic control
+Added: of narcotic substances, including cannabis extracts.
+Added: Countries may interpret and implement their treaty obligations in a way that
+Added: creates a legal obstacle to our obtaining regulatory approval for our hemp-based consumer products in those countries.
+Added: These countries
+Added: may not be willing or able to amend or otherwise modify their laws and regulations to permit our hemp-based consumer products
+Added: to be marketed or achieving such amendments to the laws and regulations may take a prolonged period of time.
+Added: In the case of countries
+Added: with similar obstacles, we would be unable to market our hemp-based consumer products in countries in the near future or perhaps
+Added: at all if the laws and regulations in those countries do not change.
+Added: of properties located in close proximity to our properties may assert claims against us regarding the use of the property as a
+Added: marijuana dispensary or marijuana cultivation and processing facility, which if successful, could materially and adversely affect
+Added: our business.
+Added: of properties located in close proximity to our properties may assert claims against us regarding the use of our properties, including
+Added: assertions that the use of the property constitutes a nuisance that diminishes the market value of such owner’s nearby property.
+Added: Such property owners may also attempt to assert such a claim in federal court as a civil matter under the Racketeer Influenced
+Added: and Corrupt Organizations Act.
+Added: If a property owner were to assert such a claim against us, we may be required to devote significant
+Added: resources and costs to defending ourselves against such a claim, and if a property owner were to be successful on such a claim,
+Added: our tenants may be unable to continue to operate their business in its current form at the property, which could materially adversely
+Added: impact the tenant’s business and the value of our property, our business and financial results and the trading price of
+Added: our securities.
+Added: and regulations affecting the regulated cannabis and marijuana industry are constantly changing, which could materially adversely
+Added: affect our operations, and we cannot predict the impact that future regulations may have on us.
+Added: state and federal marijuana laws and regulations are broad in scope and subject to evolving interpretations, which could require
+Added: us to incur substantial costs associated with compliance or alter our business plan.
+Added: In addition, violations of these laws, or
+Added: allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on its operations.
+Added: it is possible that regulations may be enacted in the future that will be directly applicable to our proposed business.
+Added: predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, nor can we determine what effect additional
+Added: governmental regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated, could have on our business.
+Added: Relating to Our Securities
+Added: a market for our common stock does not develop, shareholders may be unable to sell their shares.
+Added: common stock is quoted under the symbol “KOAN”
+Added: on the OTCQB.
+Added: We do not currently have a consistent active trading
+Added: There can be no assurance that a consistent active and liquid trading market will develop or, if developed, that it will
+Added: be sustained.
+Added: securities are thinly traded.
+Added: Accordingly, it may be difficult to sell shares of our common stock without significantly depressing
+Added: the value of the stock.
+Added: Unless we are successful in developing continued investor interest in our stock, sales of our stock could
+Added: continue to result in major fluctuations in the price of the stock.
+Added: price of our common stock is volatile, which may cause investment losses for our stockholders.
+Added: market price of our common stock has been and is likely in the future to be volatile.
+Added: Our common stock price may fluctuate in
+Added: response to factors such as:
+Added: Announcements
+Added: by us regarding liquidity, significant acquisitions, equity investments and divestitures,
+Added: strategic relationships, addition or loss of significant customers and contracts, capital
+Added: expenditure commitments and litigation;
+Added: of convertible or equity securities and related warrants for general or merger and acquisition
+Added: or repayment of debt, accounts payable or convertible debt for general or merger and
+Added: acquisition purposes;
+Added: of a significant number of shares of our common stock by stockholders;
+Added: market and economic conditions;
+Added: variations in our operating results;
+Added: and public relation activities;
+Added: Announcements
+Added: of technological innovations;
+Added: product introductions by us or our competitors;
+Added: or departures of key personnel.
+Added: broad market and industry factors may have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock, regardless of our
+Added: actual operating performance.
+Added: These factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results
+Added: of operations.
+Added: of our securities may be restricted by virtue of state securities “blue sky”
+Added: laws, which prohibit trading absent compliance
+Added: with individual state laws.
+Added: These restrictions may make it difficult or impossible to sell shares in those states.
+Added: of our common stock may be restricted under the securities or securities regulations laws promulgated by various states and foreign
+Added: jurisdictions, commonly referred to as “blue sky”
+Added: Absent compliance with such individual state laws, our common
+Added: stock may not be traded in such jurisdictions.
+Added: Because the securities held by many of our stockholders have not been registered
+Added: for resale under the blue sky laws of any state, the holders of such shares and persons who desire to purchase them should be
+Added: aware that there may be significant state blue sky law restrictions upon the ability of investors to sell the securities and of
+Added: purchasers to purchase the securities.
+Added: These restrictions may prohibit the secondary trading of our common stock.
+Added: Investors should
+Added: consider the secondary market for our securities to be a limited one.
+Added: sale of a significant number of our shares of common stock could depress the price of our common stock.
+Added: or issuances of a large number of shares of common stock in the public market or the perception that sales may occur could cause
+Added: the market price of our common stock to decline.
+Added: Significant shares of common stock are held by our principal stockholders, other
+Added: company insiders and other large stockholders.
+Added: As “affiliates”
+Added: of Resonate, as defined under Securities and Exchange
+Added: Commission Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, our principal stockholders, other of our insiders and other large stockholders
+Added: may only sell their shares of common stock in the public market pursuant to an effective registration statement or in compliance
+Added: with Rule 144.
+Added: issuance of additional shares of common stock and/or preferred stock could dilute existing stockholders.
+Added: We have and may issue
+Added: preferred stock that could have rights that are preferential to the rights of common stock that could discourage potentially beneficially
+Added: transactions to our common stockholders.
+Added: to our Articles of Incorporation, we currently have authorized 200,000,000 shares of common stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred
+Added: To the extent that common shares are available for issuance, subject to compliance with applicable stock exchange listing
+Added: rules, our board of directors has the ability to issue additional shares of common stock in the future for such consideration
+Added: as the board of directors may consider sufficient.
+Added: The issuance of any additional securities could, among other things, result
+Added: in substantial dilution of the percentage ownership of our stockholders at the time of issuance, result in substantial dilution
+Added: of our earnings per share and adversely affect the prevailing market price for our common stock.
+Added: issuance of additional shares of preferred stock could result in a class of outstanding securities that would have preferences
+Added: with respect to voting rights and dividends and in liquidation over our common stock and could, upon conversion or otherwise,
+Added: have all of the rights of our common stock.
+Added: Our Board of Directors’
+Added: authority to issue preferred stock could discourage
+Added: potential takeover attempts or could delay or prevent a change in control through merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise
+Added: by making these attempts more difficult or costly to achieve.
+Added: The issuance of preferred stock could impair the voting, dividend
+Added: and liquidation rights of common stockholders without their approval.
+Added: capital raises may dilute our existing stockholders’
+Added: ownership and/or have other adverse effects on our operations.
+Added: we raise additional capital by issuing equity securities, our existing stockholders’
+Added: percentage ownership will be reduced,
+Added: and these stockholders may experience substantial dilution.
+Added: We may also issue equity securities that provide for rights, preferences
+Added: and privileges senior to those of our common stock.
+Added: If we raise additional funds by issuing debt securities, these debt securities
+Added: would have rights senior to those of our common stock and the terms of the debt securities issued could impose significant restrictions
+Added: on our operations, including liens on our assets.
+Added: If we raise additional funds through collaborations and licensing arrangements,
+Added: we may be required to relinquish some rights to our technologies or candidate products, or to grant licenses on terms that are
+Added: not favorable to us.
+Added: do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our capital stock in the foreseeable future.
+Added: have never declared or paid cash dividends on our capital stock.
+Added: We currently intend to retain all of our future earnings, if
+Added: any, to finance the growth and development of our business, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our capital
+Added: stock in the foreseeable future.
+Added: In addition, the terms of any future debt agreements may preclude us from paying dividends.
+Added: a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be your sole source of gain for the foreseeable future.
+Added: Anti-takeover
+Added: provisions may limit the ability of another party to acquire our company, which could cause our stock price to decline.
+Added: Articles of Incorporation, as amended, our bylaws and Nevada law contain provisions that could discourage, delay or prevent a
+Added: third party from acquiring our company, even if doing so may be beneficial to our stockholders.
+Added: In addition, these provisions
+Added: could limit the price investors would be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.
+Added: Articles of Incorporation allow for our board to create new series of preferred stock without further approval by our stockholders,
+Added: which could adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock;
+Added: our outstanding Preferred Stock contains provisions
+Added: that restrict our ability to take certain actions without the consent of a certain percentage of Preferred Stock then outstanding.
+Added: Board of Directors has the authority to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of preferred stock.
+Added: Directors also has the authority to issue preferred stock without further stockholder approval.
+Added: As a result, our Board of Directors
+Added: could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that would grant to holders the preferred right to our assets upon
+Added: liquidation, the right to receive dividend payments before dividends are distributed to the holders of common stock and the right
+Added: to the redemption of the shares, together with a premium, prior to the redemption of our common stock.
+Added: In addition, our Board
+Added: of Directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that has greater voting power than our common stock or
+Added: that is convertible into our common stock, which could decrease the relative voting power of our common stock or result in dilution
+Added: to our existing stockholders.
+Added: in the Nevada Revised Statutes and our Bylaws could make it very difficult for an investor to bring any legal actions against
+Added: our directors or officers for violations of their fiduciary duties or could require us to pay any amounts incurred by our directors
+Added: or officers in any such actions.
+Added: of our board of directors and our officers will have no liability for breaches of their fiduciary duty of care as a director or
+Added: officer, except in limited circumstances, pursuant to provisions in the Nevada Revised Statutes and our Bylaws as authorized by
+Added: the Nevada Revised Statutes.
+Added: Specifically, Section 78.138 of the Nevada Revised Statutes provides that a director or officer is
+Added: not individually liable to the company or its shareholders or creditors for any damages as a result of any act or failure to act
+Added: in his or her capacity as a director or officer unless it is proven that (1) the director’s or officer’s act or failure
+Added: to act constituted a breach of his or her fiduciary duties as a director or officer and (2) his or her breach of those duties
+Added: involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law.
+Added: This provision is intended to afford directors and officers
+Added: protection against and to limit their potential liability for monetary damages resulting from suits alleging a breach of the duty
+Added: of care by a director or officer.
+Added: Accordingly, you may be unable to prevail in a legal action against our directors or officers
+Added: even if they have breached their fiduciary duty of care.
+Added: In addition, our Bylaws allow us to indemnify our directors and officers
+Added: from and against any and all costs, charges and expenses resulting from their acting in such capacities with us.
+Added: This means that
+Added: if you were able to enforce an action against our directors or officers, in all likelihood, we would be required to pay any expenses
+Added: they incurred in defending the lawsuit and any judgment or settlement they otherwise would be required to pay.
+Added: Accordingly, our
+Added: indemnification obligations could divert needed financial resources and may adversely affect our business, financial condition,
+Added: results of operations and cash flows, and adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock.
+Added: Unresolved Staff comments
Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.