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California Cannabis

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Cannabis

California Cannabis and Cannabidiol (CBD) Legal Services

The California cannabis and CBD industry is complex and rapidly changing. It can be challenging for business owners to stay on top of the requirements and overcome legal obstacles. Many organizations require industry-tailored legal solutions, and Harris Sliwoski can help.

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Difference Between Cannabis and CBD

Cannabis and CBD are two parts of the same plant. Cannabis includes tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), while CBD is a compound within the plant that does not include THC.

Medical cannabis use is legal in California through the Compassionate Use Act passed in 1996. It was later legalized for adult recreational use through Proposition 64 in 2016. In 2021, Assembly Bill 45 made it legal for businesses to manufacture and sell hemp-derived CBD products to adults over the age of 21.  Businesses can also sell products such as oils, vapes and edibles.

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What Are California’s CBD Laws?

There are several agencies that govern cannabis activities in California, including:

  • The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) sets standards for retail, distribution, events and testing labs.
  • The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regulates cannabis manufacturers and CBD manufactured from industrial hemp.
  • The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) regulates cannabis growing.

Businesses selling CBD products also need to comply with strict health and safety codes set by the governing bodies, such as:

  • Product safety. Products must be free from harmful substances. The regulations ban any detectable use of THC and other intoxicating cannabinoids.
  • Adequate labeling. The product label must clearly state the amount of CBD in the product and other disclaimers or warnings.
  • Correct packaging. The laws limit the serving size to five per package.

Do You Need a License to Sell CBD in California?

There is no specific CBD license in California. Instead, the state requires businesses to have a general retail license to sell CBD products. However, if you sell products with both THC and CBD, you will need a cannabis manufacturer license.

The DCC issues business licenses for specific types of commercial cannabis activity, including:

  • Growing.
  • Distributing.
  • Manufacturing.
  • Testing.
  • Event organizing.

How Can Harris Sliwoski Help?

As seasoned CBD lawyers in California, we provide custom legal solutions for hemp- and cannabis-derived CBD businesses. As the industry grows and changes, so do the regulations. We apply unique legal solutions to help you stay ahead in the fast-changing cannabis market. Our expert California lawyers can support your business in the following areas:

  • License and permit: We can help you obtain the necessary licenses and permits for your business activities.
  • Entity formation: We can advise you on the right entity choice for your cannabis business as it impacts taxation and management.
  • Business contracts: We help you establish successful business relationships with sound contracts that protect your business.
  • General regulatory compliance: Our lawyers are well-versed in labeling, packaging and safety standards.
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Get Comprehensive California CBD Legal Services

The cannabis and CBD industry is a maze of regulations and legal requirements. Businesses must comply or face the risk of legal action. Harris Sliwoski lawyers have the skills and knowledge that your business needs to navigate this complex industry.

Set your business up for success by contacting us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about our services.

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AWARD-WINNING
CANNA LAW BLOG

An intelligent, timely resource for the cannabis industry

Beyond advising individual businesses, our cannabis attorneys are committed to fortifying, defending, and building credibility for the industry as a whole. Harris Sliwoski’s cannabis business lawyers are more than legal strategists—they are thought leaders: forward-thinking bloggers, educators, writers, and speakers.

They regularly write articles for legal journals and frequently post to our acclaimed and widely followed Canna Law Blog. We speak to business and trade groups, academic institutions, and government bodies on a variety of cannabis legal issues, and our cannabis lawyers are frequently quoted by global, national, and local media outlets. We also have compiled (and are forever adding to) a Cannabis Glossary to help with industry terminology. 

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Get in Touch with Our California Cannabis Law Team

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Our Clients' Successes

“Harris Sliwoski expertly guided us through the formation of our company. They continue to assist with necessary registrations and compliance with numerous regulations. They were able to promptly answer all our many questions and provide understandable options, explanations and practical advice. We expect to continue to use Harris Sliwoski on a regular basis as our company expands. They were also able to introduce us other professional experts. We would not hesitate to recommend Harris Sliwoski to any companies in need of legal advice.”

user icon Three Continents Foods LLC

This law firm was a huge help as our company went through the process of commercial licensing in the California cannabis industry.  They have helped us with a variety of legal issues in a timely fashion, while clearly communicating with us throughout the process.  Everyone we’ve worked with at Harris Sliwoski is an expert in their field and we have always felt that we were in good hands through our legal representation.

user icon Wil Crummer, CEO PRO Farms

Legal stuff is always scary. And I’ve had to play offense a couple times, begrudgingly. To have Harris Sliwoski have my back? It made things a lot less prickly. They quickly walked me through my options, and were refreshingly consistent in their communications, timing and billing. I’ve been lucky to stay out of the legal side of things my whole career, thankfully. When things went a little wrong, Harris Sliwoski quickly made things right.

user icon Aaron Draplin, Founder Draplin Design Co.

I am impressed with this law firm. They answered all my questions regarding cannabis businesses and the California cannabis framework, and they have helped me with a variety of legal issues in a timely fashion, while always clearly communicating with us throughout the process. They also redirected me to other quality people for my business needs. Everyone I worked with at Harris Sliwoski is an expert in their field, and I was in good hands throughout my legal representation.

user icon Corey T., CEO Thinc Cubed, LLC

I have been working with the lawyers at Harris Sliwoski for more than 20 years both as a business owner and as an executive at a large east-coast health system and that is because they have always efficiently provided high level and clear international law advice. Most recently, Harris Sliwoski provided legal support on many matters related to procuring medical products worldwide. Their support was particularly helpful to during the onset of COVID, when there was a big need for securing PPE quickly, all while navigating complicated international and domestic legal requirements. Harris Sliwoski’s team of international lawyers helped by conducting rapid-fire due diligence on potential suppliers, navigating the legal logistics for getting product from overseas and through U.S. customs, and drafting contracts to protect against various sorts of horribles. They did this by essentially providing what amounted to 24/7 service. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

user icon Dan Pak Hospital Supply Chain Executive

Harris Sliwoski has represented our company in the legal cannabis industry for years. Harris Sliwoski has advised us in a wide variety of legal matters, and they are truly experts in their field. I would highly recommend Harris Sliwoski to anyone with questions about cannabis law, or any legal matters. They have been great for our Company, and will continue to guide us as our industry evolves

user icon Matt Hurt, COO Cannabis Nation

You won’t find a better partner than Harris Sliwoski when trying to navigate the complex world of healthcare regulations.  They not only give sound and reliable legal advice, but they are also very responsive and are able to guide you in a way that helps you reach your business objectives as well.

user icon Joseph Axelrod, General Counsel Irwin Naturals

When we started the process of building a ‘seed to sale’ cannabis company in Oregon, we saw the need for expert legal counsel.  The cannabis sector is fraught with potential peril at every turn, and we wanted the best legal advice we could find.  After talking to several firms and individuals, we feel extremely fortunate to have chosen Harris Sliwoski as our legal counsel.

user icon Tony Theiss, CEO and Co-Founder Redbarn Cannabis 

We use Harris Sliwoski on all our international legal matters, including on our international litigation matters. We have over the last few years been involved in a couple big international legal disputes and Harris Sliwoski’s international dispute resolution team provided us with expert legal assistance on both matters. They were always very careful to explain to us what they were doing and why and what their actions would likely cost us in legal fees. Most importantly, we did extremely well on both cases and I have no doubt Harris Sliwoski was a big factor in that.

user icon Kevin English, CEO We Are Camp

We have used Harris Sliwoski for legal help related to our international manufacturing. The lawyers with whom I worked had extensive familiarity with the international legal issues involved in our various projects and offered us key insights. I particularly appreciated how they always quickly and efficiently do what they say they will do and always within their cost estimates.

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