CHICAGO and LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Samuel Dorf, Esq., Chief Growth Officer of Verano Holdings , (Verano™), a national, vertically integrated private operator of licensed cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and retail facilities, will be inducted into the High Times 100 on March 27 at the High Times 100 Awards Gala in Los Angeles. The award, now in its second year, was created by High Times, a venerable cannabis publication now in its 40th year, to celebrate the remarkable strides and efforts of the men and women currently influencing and actively shaping the business, technology, science, health, and innovation in cannabis today.



“It is awesome to wake up every day and know that we are forging a brighter way for creating new medicines, improving health and wellness and creating jobs at all skill levels through cannabis -- ultimately changing lives for potentially millions of people,” stated Sam Dorf. “I’m honored to be chosen by the High Times 100 and see this as an opportunity to reduce the stigma of cannabis and raise awareness about how cannabis prohibition continues to disproportionately negatively impact minorities. We’ve made huge strides, yet now we must set an example and be accountable for responsible cannabis use so we can fully realize the promise of cannabis. I’m excited to join with so many others to lead in overcoming the remaining challenges.”

Sam Dorf, a criminal defense attorney turned cannabis entrepreneur in 2013, has architected some of the most impactful deals in the cannabis space. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Dorf is widely recognized as one of industry’s most successful merit-based cannabis license application strategists, adept at building and coordinating local teams, lining up funding and real estate assets, and working with local municipalities to create the strongest applicant teams. Over the past five years, Dorf has propelled Verano Holdings’ exponential growth with wins in Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey and other states.

Dorf has proven masterful in coordinating strategic mergers and acquisitions, increasing Verano Holdings’ market penetration in states where it currently operates, as well as new markets that bolster the Company’s national smart-growth expansion strategy. In this pursuit, Sam has successfully raised over $140M and obtained 19 licenses spanning eight states. Most recently, Verano announced a Letter of Intent to be acquired by Harvest Health and Recreation for $850 million – the largest U.S. cannabis deal to date, creating what will be one of the largest multi-state operators in the U.S.

After serving as defense attorney for many individuals facing cannabis charges, Dorf is actively involved in identifying or creating programs where Verano can positively impact each community and those negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition, such as opioid abuse education, support for women’s shelters and domestic violence prevention, and creating jobs and support for Veterans. Since the beginning, Sam has been committed to hiring and training local residents, particularly Veterans, to manage and run each facility to strengthen the local economy, as well as overseeing patient advocacy and education.

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Verano Holdings

Verano™ is a national, vertically integrated operator of licensed cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and retail facilities dedicated to improving lives by providing safe access to effective pesticide-free cannabis products that profoundly impact the communities it serves. Verano develops and produces a well-rounded suite of limited edition, fashion-forward cannabis products, which offer superior medicinal therapies and inspirational product options. It designs, builds and operates unique Zen Leaf™ branded dispensary environments that ensure an exceptional shopping experience with unparalleled customer service and satisfaction in both medical and adult-use markets. Verano Holdings distributes cannabis concentrates, edibles, extracts, flower and topicals, many in precision-dosed THC and CBD formulations, under its trusted premium brands: GoldLeaf™, Menta™, Sweet Sins™, Encore Company™, Avexia™ and verano™.

For more information, visit http://verano.holdings/ and follow us on social media:

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CONTACTS

For Verano Holdings

Corporate Office

312-265-0730

Media Relations

julie@verano.holdings

847-275-3643

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