National Access Cannabis becomes Canada's largest private recreational cannabis retailer by store count, leading the country with 17 stores

NAC grows its retail location leadership position by opening eight additional NewLeaf stores in Alberta and one new META store in Manitoba this week

OTTAWA, Nov. 21, 2018 /CNW/ - National Access Cannabis Corp. ("NAC" or the "Company") (TSXV: META), a best-practices leader in delivering secure, safe, and responsible access to legal cannabis in Canada, today announced that another eight NewLeaf Cannabis™ ("NewLeaf") retail locations have received cannabis retail licenses and are expected to open this week in Alberta and one new Meta Cannabis Supply Co™ ("META") store has received a cannabis retail license and is expected to open this week in Manitoba. The addition of nine new stores more than doubles the national number of NAC-owned and licensed cannabis retail stores to 17 — the most of any cannabis retailer in the country, excluding the Government of New Brunswick.

NAC's Retail Plans for META and NewLeaf
NAC is looking to open a total of 50 locations between META and NewLeaf across Canada by the end of the year and plans to have a total of 150 retail locations operational during 2019, subject to regulatory approvals. With the aligned brand values of META and NewLeaf, NAC is well-positioned to support Canadian consumers and usher in a new era of responsible cannabis consumption.

"NAC, META and NewLeaf have quickly become established and effective leaders in Canada's cannabis retail market," said Mark Goliger, CEO of NAC. "We have a bold vision to lead recreational cannabis retail in this country and to date we have backed that up in a big way."

NAC's Alberta presence more than doubles with 13 NewLeaf retail stores
With this week's openings, NewLeaf grows in size by 160 per cent in Alberta. NewLeaf now has 13-of-65 Alberta licensed stores, the most in the province for any retailer.

Opening This Week – NewLeaf Alberta Operational Cannabis Retail Stores:
(Nov. 20) Westbrook Location – Calgary:  #110, 1935 - 37 Street SW
(Nov. 20) Gateway Village Location – St Albert: #207, 2 Herbert Road
(Nov. 21) 32nd Ave Location – Calgary: 32nd Ave: #9, 2015 - 32 Avenue NE
(Nov. 21) Castleridge Location – Calgary: #9, 12 Castleridge Drive NE
(Nov. 22) Kennedale – Edmonton: #30, 12981 – 50 Street
(Nov. 23) Westgate Location – Lethbridge: #20, 338 University Drive West
(Nov. 23) MacLeod Trail South Location – Calgary: #2, 7400 Macleod Trail SE
(Nov. 23) Ellerslie – Edmonton: 9522 Ellerslie Road

Existing NewLeaf Alberta Operational Cannabis Retail Stores:
Southland Location – Calgary: #111, 13 Southland Crescent SW
Midnapore Location – Calgary: #29, 240 Midpark Way SE
Deer Valley Location – Calgary: #18, 13750 Bow Bottom Trail SE
Mayor Magrath Location – Lethbridge: 1328 Mayor Magrath
Mission Location – Calgary: B-21 2500 4 Street SW

META Manitoba Operational Cannabis Retail Stores:
Opening this Week (Nov. 22) – Winnipeg Location, 1881 Grant Avenue
Winnipeg Location, 23-584 Pembina Hwy
Long Plain First Nation / Portage la Prairie Location - 79 Keeshkeemaquah Dr.
Opaskwayak Cree Nation Location, Otineka Mall, Hwy 10 N 

Customized training program the key to NewLeaf success
In early September, NewLeaf launched a customized, in-house employee training program in fully built stores. This best-practice program has since been implemented for more than 275 NewLeaf and META employees in Alberta and Manitoba as part of their retail training and education.

"Cannabis is coming out of a long period of prohibition, which has led to many misconceptions, and a lot of misinformation," said Sarah Bezanson, Director of Training for NewLeaf Cannabis. "We wanted a program that would address that frankly and provide a scientific grounding in cannabis for our staff, equipping them to share that knowledge with our community."

About National Access Cannabis Corp.
NAC is a best practices leader in delivering secure, safe, and responsible access to legal cannabis in Canada. Through its Canada-wide network of medical cannabis clinics, partner pharmacies, NAC Bio's clinical research division, NewLeaf Cannabis™ and Meta Cannabis Supply Co.™ recreational cannabis retail stores, NAC enables patients and the public to gain knowledge and access to Canada's network of authorized Licensed Producers of cannabis. NAC is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol (TSXV: META).

For more information, visit:

www.newleafcannabis.ca
www.metacannabis.com
www.nacmedical.com
www.nationalaccesscannabis.com
www.nacbio.com 

Cautionary Statements
This news release contains forward looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the opening dates for NAC cannabis retail locations and the number of NAC cannabis retail locations expected to open and/or become licensed in the future, NAC's plans to obtain additional cannabis retail licenses from the applicable Provincial Governments. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those that are currently contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, risks relating to the ability to obtain or maintain licenses to retail cannabis products; future legislative and regulatory developments involving cannabis; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the labour market generally and the ability to access, hire and retain employees; and the medical and potential cannabis industry in Canada generally. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is not exhaustive.

The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE National Access Cannabis Corp.

NAC Media Inquiries: Jessica Patriquin, MAVERICK PR, 416.640.5525 x 230, M 416.995.8496, E [email protected]; NewLeaf Cannabis Media Inquiries: Chad Hason, NewLeaf Cannabis, 403-464-4541, [email protected], www.newleafcannabis.ca; NewLeaf Cannabis Media Kit: www.newleafcannabis.ca/media/; For more information: National Access Cannabis: Mark Goliger, Chief Executive Officer, National Access Cannabis, 1-800-411-1126, [email protected]; Investor Relations: Emily Gibbs, LodeRock Advisors Inc., 416-546-8775, [email protected]