U.K. Member of Parliament Crispin Blunt To Inaugurate Psilocybin Cultivation Facility At Optimi Health Grand Opening

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- () (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) (“Optimi” or the “Company”), a homegrown, Canadian company producing natural, scalable, and accessible mushroom formulations for transformational human experiences, is pleased to announce that Crispin Blunt, Member for Reigate for the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom, will be appearing as a keynote speaker at the Grand Opening of the Company’s 20,000 square foot psilocybin cultivation facility in Princeton, British Columbia.

As Chair of the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group, Blunt has been a vocal advocate for the rescheduling of psilocybin under current United Kingdom drug laws, with particular emphasis on the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression and cluster headaches. 

Blunt’s efforts toward further psychedelic science included a in October of 2021, asking Prime Minister Boris Johnson if he were willing to “cut through the current barriers to research into psilocybin and similar compounds?”

“It is an honour for Optimi Health to welcome Crispin Blunt, MP, to our May 27 Grand Opening Ceremony,” said Bill Ciprick, CEO of Optimi Health. “Optimi’s founders, advisory board, and executive team are pleased to host such an internationally recognizable figure in the ongoing dialogue around therapeutic psilocybin. It is our hope that we are only at the beginning of a larger, global rescheduling of psychedelic substances for research and medicinal purposes, and that discussions such as those being had now continue in the halls and offices of government worldwide.” 

Blunt will join the Optimi event after attending the in Kingston, Ontario where he has been invited to speak on international drug policy reform and regulation. Blunt served as the Minister of State for Prisons, Probation, Rehabilitation and Sentencing from 2010-2012.

“I am thrilled to be associated with some of the great work currently being undertaken by our friends in Canada,” said Blunt. “The push to raise the profile of these much-needed psychedelic therapies in continuity with drug policy reform is paramount to bringing relief to the millions of people suffering from severe mental health conditions and addictions issues across the world. I am very much looking forward to seeing Optimi Health’s contribution to these efforts.”

Mr. Blunt’s official biography can be found .

GRAND OPENING

On May 27^th, the Company will be welcoming guests and dignitaries from the psychedelic business space, the medical and public health fields, local and national politics, and the Indigenous community for a grand opening event and facility tour to inaugurate its Princeton, BC facility. Those interested in attending in-person or via livestream should contact event organizer, Michael Kydd, at . 

ABOUT OPTIMI (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) 

Optimi Health is a homegrown, Canadian success story producing and supplying natural, EU-GMP grade psilocybin and functional mushrooms that focus on the health and wellness markets. Built with the purpose to produce scalable, natural mushroom formulations for transformational human experiences, the Company’s goal is to be the number one trusted, compassionate supplier of safe, natural GMP grade psilocybin across the world. With a vertically integrated approach, Optimi intends to cultivate, extract, process and distribute high quality functional and psychedelic mushroom products at its two facilities comprising a total of 20,000 square feet in Princeton, British Columbia. 

To fully investigate the science of mushrooms, the Company has received a research exemption under Health Canada Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) for the use of Psilocybin and Psilocin for scientific purposes via its wholly owned subsidiary Optimi Labs Inc. Optimi has also been granted a dealer’s license under Canada’s Narcotic Control Regulations governing possession, distribution, sale, laboratory analysis of and research and development of Psilocybin and Psilocin formulations. Optimi is committed to expert cultivation and quality production subject to and in accordance with the terms of all applicable laws and governing regulations to ensure safe, superior Canadian fungi production. 

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FORWARD‐LOOKING STATEMENTS 

This news release contains forward‐looking statements and forward‐looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, “forward‐looking statements”) that relate to Optimi’s current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “expects,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimated,” “intends,” “plans,” “forecast,” “projection,” “strategy,” “objective,” and “outlook”) are not historical facts and may be forward‐looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward‐looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward‐looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward‐looking statements pertaining to activities proposed to be conducted under the Company’s dealer’s license and associated business related to Psilocybin and Psilocin and Optimi’s plans, focus and objectives. 

Forward‐looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Optimi’s control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward‐looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID‐19 pandemic and other factors set forth under “Forward‐Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual information Form dated January 12, 2022, and other continuous disclosure filings available under Optimi’s profile at . Optimi undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward‐looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Optimi to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward‐looking statement. 

Any forward‐looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at

A video accompanying this announcement is available at