CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RISE Dispensaries, a rapidly growing cannabis retail chain owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc. (“Green Thumb” or “the Company”) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), today announced that RISE Bristol, the Company’s fifth location in Virginia and 80th nationwide, will open on Wednesday, May 24^th. Profits from the first day of sales will be donated to Virginia NORML.

“We are thrilled to open RISE Bristol in Virginia, further expanding Green Thumb's commitment to providing access to premium cannabis brands,” said Green Thumb Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ben Kovler. “RISE Bristol will serve as a place of well-being, compassion and support for medical cannabis patients in Virginia. By opening our doors and donating our first day's profits to Virginia NORML, we stand united in advocating for the rights of patients and the continued advancement of access to cannabis."

Virginia NORML is a nonprofit organization and state affiliate of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Virginia NORML provides a voice in the public policy debate for the overwhelming majority of Virginians who oppose the failed policy of cannabis prohibition in favor of legalizing and regulating responsible adult-use. The organization led the legislative efforts to legalize medical cannabis and is a champion for adult-use in the Commonwealth.

“We are honored to join RISE Bristol on their opening day and thankful for their support of our continued advocacy on behalf of Virginia’s medical cannabis patients,” added JM Pedini, Executive Director of Virginia NORML. “Without consumers, there is no industry. This partnership demonstrates not only Green Thumb’s support for Virginia NORML's work, but their commitment to prioritizing patients and protecting the rights of responsible consumers."

The new RISE Bristol dispensary is located at 780 Gate City Highway, conveniently located off I-81 for locals and visitors alike, and adjacent to the future Hard Rock Casino. To celebrate, RISE Dispensary Bristol will host a Grand Opening event on Saturday, June 10^th, featuring special discounts, music and treats. RISE Bristol’s regular hours are Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Green Thumb entered the Virginia market in 2021 and currently operates a production facility in Abingdon where the Company produces its branded products, including incredibles gummies, Dogwalkers pre-rolls, Good Green flower, Doctor Solomon’s tinctures, and &Shine vapes and flower. RISE Bristol joins the Company’s existing dispensaries in Abingdon, Christiansburg, Lynchburg, and Salem.

For information on how to become a medical cannabis patient, email RISEmed@gtigrows.com. All RISE dispensaries in Virginia have licensed pharmacists in store to help medical patients with product selection; walk-in consultation requests are welcome.

About RISE Dispensaries
RISE Dispensaries, a fast-growing national cannabis retailer founded under Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries, promotes social conscience, community impact and well-being through the power of cannabis. Since opening its doors in 2015, RISE has grown its national footprint to 80 retail locations across 14 U.S. markets and serves millions of patients and customers each year. RISE Dispensaries lead innovative access to cannabis by offering home delivery, virtual pharmacist consultations, mobile pre-ordering and the first consumption lounge east of the Mississippi at RISE Mundelein, Illinois (services vary by market). RISE locations offer a wide variety of products and award-winning brands including &Shine, Beboe, Dogwalkers, Doctor Solomon’s, Good Green, incredibles and RYTHM, produced by owner Green Thumb Industries. RISE Rewards members enjoy insider perks, points and first access to products and merchandise. More information is available at risecannabis.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains statements which may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words “may,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” or similar expressions and include information regarding the filing of the Documents and the timing thereof. The forward-looking information in this news release is based upon the expectations of future events which management believes to be reasonable. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, Green Thumb does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this news release is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those express or implied. When considering these forward-looking statements, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in Green Thumb’s public filings with the applicable securities regulatory authorities, including with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on its website at www.sec.gov and with Canada’s System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com, as well as on Green Thumb’s website at https://investors.gtigrows.com, including in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Investor Contact:
Andy Grossman
EVP, Capital Markets & Investor Relations
InvestorRelations@gtigrows.com
310-622-8257

Media Contact:
MATTIO Communications
GTI@mattio.com