In This Article:
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / February 27, 2025 / Xebra Brands Ltd. ("Xebra" or the "Company"), (CSE:XBRA)(OTCQB:XBRAF)(FSE:9YC0) a trailblazer in the Mexican cannabis industry, welcomes the latest public announcement from the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS), which explicitly condemns the illegal marketing of unregulated CBD and cannabis-derived products in Mexico.
This unprecedented move marks a major turning point for the cannabis sector in Mexico, as COFEPRIS has made it clear that unauthorized brands will no longer be tolerated. The size and magnitude of this public announcement demonstrate a significant shift toward strict enforcement of cannabis regulations, reinforcing Xebra's status as the only company with fully authorized federal permits for legal cannabis commercialization in the country.
https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/978590/Aviso_de_Riesgo_cannabis_06022025.pdf
The COFEPRIS statement names several brands engaged in the unauthorized sale of CBD and hemp-based products, warning consumers of potential health risks and clarifying that these products lack any federal authorization. This crackdown is expected to continue, and Xebra anticipates further regulatory actions as COFEPRIS intensifies efforts to eliminate the gray market.
"This announcement is a game-changer for the cannabis industry in Mexico," said Rodrigo Gallardo, CEO of Xebra Brands. "It confirms that the path to a fully regulated market is here, and Xebra remains the only company to have successfully obtained legal federal authorizations. We expect COFEPRIS to continue strengthening enforcement, ensuring that only compliant companies operate in this space."
Recognizing the impact of this regulatory shift, Xebra has begun discussions with some of the affected brands to explore potential pathways for legal operation under Xebra's federal authorizations. By offering a compliant framework, Xebra aims to help legitimate businesses transition into Mexico's formal cannabis sector while ensuring consumer safety and regulatory integrity.
As the industry moves into this new era of enforcement and compliance, Xebra remains committed to leading the charge in building a fully legal, transparent, and sustainable cannabis market in Mexico.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD:
Rodrigo Gallardo
Interim CEO
For more information contact:
1(888) XEBRA 88
ir@xebrabrands.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements", as such terms are defined under applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans", "expects" ,"is expected", "budget", "scheduled," "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited to, statements with respect Strategy 2025 and the Company's growth strategy into the CBD market, the roadmap to accelerate growth in the North American CBD market, the Company's expected growth pillars of Cultivation, Manufacturing and Retail and the planned business activities under each such pillar, that the Company is actively seeking to amend current provisions under the Company's Mexican cultivation licences that limit cultivation scale, the aim to collaborate with major agricultural institutions in Mexico for large-scale, low-cost outdoor cannabis cultivation, expectations with respect to the Company's legal proceedings in Mexico, including the results and timing thereof, the expectation that Chapingo University will initiate pilot projects once confined site approval is granted, the anticipation for the importation process the two CBD products, which were manufactured in partnership with Restorative Botanicals, to be completed by April 2025 and the expectation for launch shortly thereafter, the Company's plans for e-commerce partnerships with Amazon Mexico and Mercado Libre is Mexico and the intention to leveraging expertise from a major U.S. e-commerce partner for market expansion and that the Company is seeking partnerships with CBD brands and that such partnerships may expedite the Company's path to self-sustainability.