Pan African Ambassador for Food Security, Dr. Brylyne Chitsunge, Owner of Elpasso Farms Joins Cannabis Science Scientific Advisory Board
IRVINE, CA, June 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines, announces the appointment of the Pan African Ambassador for Food Security, Dr. Brylyne Chitsunge, to the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board. In addition to her role as Pan African Food Security Ambassador, Dr. Chitsunge is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Elpasso Farms, one of the most successful commercial farms in South Africa.
The Pan African Parliament is the legislative body of the African Union. General information on the Pan African Parliament and the African Union is available at https://au.int/en/organs/papand https://au.int/. Ambassador Chitsunge is one of South Africa’s most successful female farmers and an internationally acclaimed expert in agribusiness.
Alongside the iconic, late President Nelson Mandela, she is the only other African to have received the Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion, which is the second-highest accolade given by the Chapel of Four Chaplains in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in recognition of Ambassador Chitsunge’s service to all people regardless of race or faith.
“We are extremely pleased to have Ambassador Chitsunge join the Cannabis Science team,” stated Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, Cannabis Science’s President, CEO, and Co-founder. “In addition to her experience as a biochemical scientist, commercial farmer, and political powerhouse, Ambassador Chitsunge’s role as the Pan African Ambassador for Food Security gives her a platform to promote the importance of nutrition and food security throughout Africa. As a citizen of the 55-member states of the African Union, Ambassador Chitsunge is an ‘Ambassador’ for our Company and our partners as we develop initiatives in Africa to contribute to overall economic development, strengthen infrastructure, provide educational and skills-training opportunities, and create jobs.”
Ambassador Chitsunge hits the ground running for Cannabis Science. On short notice the Ambassador traveled to Boston to participate in the Cannabis Science session on phytomedicines at the 2018 Global Health Catalyst (GHC) Summit at Harvard Medical School. As one of the distinguished keynote speakers, AmbassadorChitsunge discussed opportunities to cultivate, extract, manufacture, package, and distribute cannabinoids in Sub-Saharan Africa along with the task of educating the rest of the continent through actions and success. The Ambassador’smain take away for the audience was the emphasis of the importance of micro-nutrition and food security within the overall approach to improve healthcare outcomes throughout all of Africa.
As a member of Cannabis Science’s Scientific Advisory Board, AmbassadorChitsunge will bring a wealth of experience, expertise, and relationships that will assist the Company with its strategy to grow its operations throughout Africa. Ambassador Chitsunge’s distinguished affiliations and activities include:
- Pan African Ambassador for Food Security
- President of the Water Forum;
- Representative of the Nigeria-South Africa Group on Agriculture;
- Member of the Clinton Global Initiative;
- Member of the African Heritage Society;
- Director of African Expansion on the Waterway and Environment Transformation (WET) African project;
- Partner in Commonwealth Smart Partnership; and
- Strategic advisor to decision-makers in several African governments.
PHASE I Underway: CBIS and Elpasso Farms’ Pan African Agriculture and Commerce University (PAACU) Economic Development Plan
As was announced during the recent GHC Summit at Harvard Medical School, Cannabis Science and Elpasso Farms have entered into an exclusive partnership to implement a phytomedicines initiative in South Africa. Specifically, Cannabis Science and Elpasso Farms will establish research, development, cultivation, testing, manufacturing, and production facilities on Elpasso’s site in South Africa. This collaboration also calls for the establishment of the Pan-African Agriculture and Commerce University (PAACU), in collaboration with Cannabis Science’s educational partner, American States University (ASU). PAACU will specialize in agriculture, medicine, law, and business programs, and will offer a variety of certificate courses and conduct formal research programs using a variety of cannabinoids from associated indigenous plants. PAACU will be responsible for seed incubation, growing, and cultivation of a variety indigenous plants including Cannabis and Hemp.
Similar to the other CBIS Economic Development projects, the Elpasso Economic Development project will utilize the University platform to provide PAACU scholarships for educating local and regional residents in several different industries applicable to their area with a heavy focus on agriculture and farming. PAACU topics will be focused on general good farming practices and specialized crops, including topics on the many applicable uses of cannabis and industrial hemp agriculture. Farm assessments, depending on the demographic regulatory environment and the application, will allow the group to use large land mass deals for scale and recoupment costs. The Elpasso PAACU economic stimulus will certainly target university scholarship education for locals, local area job creation, as well as a critical and palliative care drug development mix.
Phase I is underway and includesregulatory mapping and process implementation for the remainder of 2018. The 1,000– acre Elpasso project will implement an economic development plan that includes the Company and PAACU in vertically-integrated operations to provide jobs throughout the community in education, healthcare training, construction, and general services for the completion of PAACU and to begin the general planting process for a first harvest in the third or fourth quarter of this year.
Ambassador Chitsunge will serve as the Chancellor of the newly-formed PAACU, focused on:
- Implement agricultural and food security programs, with an emphasis on micro-nutrients, to improve the overall health of Africa’s population;
- Implement educational programs for micro-nutrient expansion;
- Implement educational programs for food security and safety;
- Implement educational programs for indigenous agriculture/farming;
- Implement tele-education, non-traditional hybrid, and traditional education programs to strengthen Africa’s healthcare infrastructure;
- Implement access to higher quality healthcare for all Africans;
- Implement education courses to specifically increase the number of skilled healthcare resources, including the number of nurses and physicians, working throughout Africa;
- Reduce healthcare disparities between developed and developing countries;
- Implement the use of phytomedicines that are developed and manufactured in Africa for patients throughout Africa;
- Implement financial endowment programs, grants, local, regional, and national scholarships; and
- Engage government, private sector, academia, civil society, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, international finance institutions, for community support programs.
About Cannabis Science, Inc.
Cannabis Science, Inc. takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, the characterization of medicines, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing words such as "anticipate," "seek," intend," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company is detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.