Press Release

Aleafia steps-up battle against opioid crisis

TORONTO, April 4, 2018/CNW/ – Aleafia Health Inc. (TSX:V-ALEF) announced that it launched a new opiate replacement program across its 23 Aleafia/Canabo clinic network.

As the opioid health-crisis continues across North America, Aleafia believes that its new initiative puts it ahead of the curve in the battle against this life-destroying epidemic.

In light of new studies released by the American Medical Association that suggest cannabis may play a role in reducing some patients’ need for opioids, Aleafia’s opiate-replacement program is designed to:

  • Increase the pace of Aleafia’s previously announced 1,000-patient study on the use of medical cannabis to reduce opioid addiction,
  • Conduct extensive outreach to local and regional patients and physicians announcing Aleafia/Canabo program to substitute opioids with medical cannabis, and
  • Boost clinic education initiatives about the potential positive outcomes of replacing opioids with medical cannabis within Aleafia’s patient-focused, physician-led and research-based environment.  

“While the problem of chronic opiate use is now well-identified, more work is needed to find solutions,” said Aleafia director, Dr. Michael Verbora. “Initial data from our opiate research study shows promise that cannabinoids can replace some—or all—of a patient’s opiate prescription when being used for chronic, non-cancer pain. We are keen to continue helping the millions of Canadians on opiates to consider replacing with cannabinoid therapy.”

Aleafia believes that it is uniquely positioned to have a meaningful role in the battle against opioids, which killed an estimated 4,000 Canadians in 2017, and kills an estimated 90 Americans per day. With a 40,000-strong physician-referred patient-base, and up to 1,500 additional patients joining the clinic network each month, Aleafia has the capacity to conduct large-scale studies on opioid reduction, as well as be a force for good in the education of medical practitioners across the country.

“From the very beginning, our goal at Aleafia was to provide evidence-based support for patients and their caregivers by introducing an effective alternative to the dangerous opioid option,” added Aleafia’s Executive Chairman, the Honourable Julian Fantino. “Today, we are ably positioned to make a meaningful difference with a large team of cannabinoid medicine experts, an established, cross-country clinic infrastructure, a much-sought-after, lucrative observational database, and an ambitious plan to grow our knowledge into more targeted, effective strains of medical cannabis for our patients.”

 

For Investor Relations, please contact:

IR@AleafiaInc.com  

 

For Media Relations, please contact:

Nicholas Bergamini, VP Public Affairs

416-860-5665 ext. 224

Media@AleafiaInc.com

 

About Aleafia Health Inc.:

 

Aleafia is a leading, vertically integrated medical cannabis company with a unique focus on delivering quality patient care from “seed” to “sale.” Aleafia is uniquely positioned with a singular focus on the medical cannabis market. The company operates the largest brick and mortar medicinal cannabis clinic network in Canada under the Canabo Medical Clinic brand, which is staffed by licensed, practicing physicians. Aleafia has obtained over 50,000 unique patients and maintains the largest medical cannabis patient data set in Canada. Aleafia’s state of the art production facilities will allow for the production of high- quality strains at low cost. Aleafia’s production will focus on securing the highest- quality medicinal product for its growing patient base.

 

Neither Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

 

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

 

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company’s current expectations.  When used in this press release, the words “estimate”, “project”, “belief”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “predict”, “may” or “should” and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information.  The forward-looking statements and information in this press release includes information relating to the implementation of Aleafia Health’s business plan.  Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with the implementation of Aleafia Health’s business plan and matters relating thereto, risks associated with the cannabis industry, competition, regulatory change, the need for additional financing, reliance on key personnel, the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors, and the volatility of the Company’s common share price and volume.  Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change.  Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. 

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