Attendees to Include Former NFL Player Eugene Monroe and Florida for Care Deputy Executive Director Eric Stevens

CHICAGO and DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Jan. 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Green Thumb Industries Inc. (GTI) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), a national cannabis consumer packaged goods company and owner-operator of the high growth national cannabis retail chain RISE™, will welcome the community to an open house at RISE Deerfield Beach on January 29 to tour the store, meet the RISE™ team and find out more about Florida’s medical marijuana program. This will be before cannabis products are stocked at the dispensary to allow the entire community, not just patient cardholders, to explore the site. RISE Deerfield Beach will be GTI’s 15^th store in the nation and its first in the state of Florida. The open house will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m.

“At GTI, our mission is to offer safe and effective products to help improve wellness and quality of life,” said GTI Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler. “Our RISE™ stores provide exceptional customer care and we’re honored to begin serving the people of Deerfield Beach and look forward to being active members of the community.”

RISE Deerfield Beach will be the first of up to 30 RISE™ retail stores that GTI plans to open in Florida. The company also owns and operates a cannabis wholesale cultivation facility in Homestead which produces and distributes GTI’s branded cannabis products.

GTI partner, cannabis advocate and former NFL player Eugene Monroe and Florida for Care Deputy Executive Director Eric Stevens, who helped launch Florida’s Medical Marijuana Yes on 2 campaign, will be featured speakers at the event.

“Medical cannabis has personally transformed my life and helps to alleviate the chronic pain I experience from my time playing professional football,” said Monroe, who was an offensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2009 to 2013. “I’m thrilled that GTI is expanding to Florida to bring additional relief to patients and that we continue to educate the public about the benefits of cannabis and its role in curbing our country’s opioid epidemic.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost 218,000 people died in the United States between 1990 and 2017 from overdoses related to prescription opioids. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids nationwide were five times higher in 2017 than in 1999.  In 2016, there were 2,798 opioid-related overdose deaths­­­ in Florida—a rate of 14.4 deaths per 100,000 persons — which is above the national rate according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. The Centers for Disease Control also found that the rate of fatalities from all drug overdoses in the state increased nearly 6 percent from 2016 to 2017.

Research shows that when marijuana is available legally, the rate of opioid use and associated fatalities decrease, leading advocates to encourage marijuana policy reforms as part of an overall comprehensive plan to battle the opioid crisis.

RISE Deerfield Beach is located at 2305 West Hillsboro in Deerfield Beach and will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

About Green Thumb Industries:

Green Thumb Industries (GTI), a national cannabis cultivator, processor and dispensary operator, is dedicated to providing dignified access to safe and effective cannabis nationwide while giving back to the communities in which it serves. As a vertically integrated company, GTI manufactures and sells a well-rounded suite of branded cannabis products including flower, concentrates, edibles, and topicals. The company also owns and operates a rapidly growing national chain of retail cannabis stores called RISE™. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, GTI has 10 manufacturing facilities and licenses for 70 retail locations across nine highly regulated U.S. markets. Established in 2014, GTI employs about 500 people and serves thousands of patients and customers each year. GTI was named a Best Workplace 2018 by Crain’s Chicago Business. More information is available at GTIgrows.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains statements which constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of GTI with respect to future business activities.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect GTI management’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning the business of GTI future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although GTI believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company. In connection with the forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release, GTI has made certain assumptions, including assumptions related to: the ability to build out the location and the ability to obtain local zoning variances and approvals. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; and compliance with extensive government regulation; together with the risk factors outlined by the company in its annual information form dated July 10, 2018 along with the risk factors outlined in the most recently filed MD&A of the company filed on SEDAR from time to time.

This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of GTI and market conditions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although GTI has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. GTI does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Source: Green Thumb Industries