VIP Attendees to include Former NFL Player Eugene Monroe and Former NHL Player Riley Cote

Chicago and York, Pa., Oct. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Thumb Industries Inc. (GTI) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF) and KW Ventures Holdings LLC will welcome the community to an open house on October 2 at RISE York to tour the facility, meet the RISE team and learn more about Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program. This event will occur before medicine is stocked at the dispensary to allow the entire community, not just patient card holders, to explore the site. RISE York will be GTI’s fourth dispensary in Pennsylvania and its 14th dispensary in the nation. The open house will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m.

“We are thrilled to extend our retail footprint in Pennsylvania and to serve more patients in the state while offering additional choices for safe and effective medical marijuana,” says GTI Founder & Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler. “We believe access to medical marijuana is part of a comprehensive solution to curbing the opioid epidemic, a crisis which has affected the lives of so many in York. Unlike opioids, there is zero risk of overdose with marijuana.”

In York County alone, there were 162 drug deaths in 2017, the highest ever recorded and about 30 percent higher than the 123 deaths in 2016, according to the York County coroner's annual report. Research shows that when marijuana is available legally, the rate of prescriptions for opioids decreases. Studies also found that overdose fatalities decrease in regions where legal marijuana is available, leading advocates to encourage marijuana policy reforms as part of an overall plan to battle the opioid crisis.

“Medical marijuana has personally transformed my life and helps to alleviate the chronic pain I experience from my time playing professional football,” says GTI Partner, cannabis advocate and former Baltimore Ravens player Eugene Monroe, a featured speaker at the event. “I’m thrilled that GTI is expanding in Pennsylvania to bring additional relief to patients and that we continue to educate the public about the benefits of medical marijuana.”

Riley Cote, former Philadelphia Flyers player and founder of the Hemp Heals Foundation and Athletes for Care, will also be in attendance to address the community.

“I am excited to be a part of the RISE York dispensary opening,” says Cote. “The RISE dispensaries provide such a high level of compassion and understanding which makes the entire customer experience positive. It was easy for me to get behind the powerful combination of plant-based medicine and connecting to the community.”

RISE York is located at 4395 West Market Street in York and will begin serving patients on October 5. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 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™ dispensaries. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, GTI has eight manufacturing facilities and licenses for 59 retail locations across eight highly regulated U.S. markets. Established in 2014, GTI employs approximately 400 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.

Source: Green Thumb Industries

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• RISE York photo

Linda Marsicano
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