TORONTO, Sept. 20, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aleafia Health Inc. (TSXV: ALEF; OTCQX: ALEAF, FRA: ARAH) (“Aleafia“) and Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) (“Cronos Group”) are pleased to announce the commencement of a joint medical cannabis study to improve the management and treatment of insomnia and daytime sleepiness.



The study is funded in part by Peace Naturals Project Inc., a licensed producer of medical cannabis that is wholly owned by Cronos Group. The study will be led by physicians practicing within the Canabo Medical Clinic network, which is wholly owned by Aleafia.

According to a July 2017 report from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, entitled Drug Summary: Prescription Sedatives, 11.4 per cent of adults aged 25 and older had used a prescription sedative in the past year. The study will aim to assist in the treatment of insomnia and the development of non-addictive, natural sleep aids.

“Aleafia is excited to participate in a study with Cronos Group, a company with a firm commitment to patient health. For far too long, the answer to a patient’s sleeping disorder or chronic pain has been a prescription and a bottle of pills,” said Aleafia Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Verbora. “There is mounting evidence of the risks of prescription sleeping aids including worsening mental health and increased risk of dementia. This study may in part point to medical cannabis as an alternative to harmful prescription drugs.”

“The negative health impacts of sleep disorders and their proper treatment must be more widely acknowledged and understood,” said Mike Gorenstein, CEO of Cronos Group. “Cronos Group is pleased to find a partner in Aleafia that shares our commitment to addressing this overlooked public health issue.”

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.

About Cronos Group:

Cronos Group is a globally diversified and vertically integrated cannabis company with a presence across five continents. Cronos Group operates two wholly-owned Canadian licensed producers regulated under Health Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations: Peace Naturals Project Inc., which was the first non-incumbent medical cannabis license granted by Health Canada, and Original BC Ltd., which is based in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. Cronos Group has multiple international production and distribution platforms across five continents. Cronos Group intends to continue to rapidly expand its global footprint as it focuses on building an international iconic brand portfolio and developing disruptive intellectual property. Cronos Group is committed to building industry leading companies that transform the perception of cannabis and responsibly elevate the consumer experience.

Forward-looking statements

This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “believe” or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Some of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release include the efficacy of the sleep study, the potential therapeutic effects of cannabis in sleeping disorders, the potential global sleep disorder and sleep aid market size, the long-term health impacts of sleeping disorders, as well as the Cronos Group’s intention to continue to rapidly expand its global footprint, build an international iconic brand portfolio and develop disruptive intellectual property. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual financial results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. A discussion of some of the material risks applicable to Cronos Group can be found in its current MD&A and Annual Information Form, both of which have been filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information included in this news release is made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by law, Cronos Group disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

For further information, please contact:

Aleafia:

Nicholas Bergamini

Investor Relations

IR@AleafiaInc.com

Cronos Group: