Vince Sliwoski

Vince is an award-winning business lawyer, problem solver and dealmaker. His clients run the gamut from individual investors and entrepreneurs to widely held domestic and international corporations. Based in Portland, Oregon, he is Managing Partner of Harris Sliwoski and Editor of the Canna Law Blog and the Psychedelics Law Blog.

minnesota lower potency hemp edible license

Minnesota Cannabis: Apply for Your Lower-Potency Hemp Edible License by October 31st

The lower-potency hemp edible licensing window is open, through October 31st Last month, I gave a big picture status update on cannabis licensing in Minnesota, highlighting the application window for lower-potency hemp edible (LPHE) licensing. LPHE products are a very hot market in Minnesota, and have been for a while. The LPHE application window opened

oregon dormant commerce clause marijuana

Oregon Federal Court Lawsuit Filed, Seeking Interstate Cannabis Sales

Yesterday late afternoon, Oregon cannabis wholesaler Jefferson Packing House (JPH) filed another dormant commerce clause (DCC) challenge to protectionist state cannabis laws. You can view the complaint here. I say “another” DCC challenge because JPH prosecuted DCC litigation in late 2022; and also because several DCC cannabis lawsuits have been filed in recent years, with

cannabis lawyer

I Bet Your Cannabis Lawyer is a Pretty Good Business Lawyer

Over the years, I’ve heard many variations on a certain comment I’d like to address. The comment is: “I thought of calling you for the project, but it wasn’t a cannabis matter.” It’s a real gut shot, hearing those innocent words. I fully understand why someone would think they need a non-cannabis attorney to handle

cannabis banking

Cannabis Banking: Thoughts on FinCEN’s Latest Report

FinCEN drops new marijuana-related business banking data The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is a bureau in the U.S. Department of Treasury. Last week, it published updated Marijuana Related Business (MRB) Metrics. The metrics are current through December 2024. The update was a little surprising, in the sense that FinCEN seemed to abandon its regular

Shelves in a store display various cannabis-infused beverages and products, each labeled with price tags indicating discounts.

Cannabis Licensing Moves Forward Across Minnesota

We have been on the Minnesota cannabis bandwagon for a while. Like a lot of programs, this one has been slow to roll out, and not without its share of hiccups. That said, it’s not New York, and I still firmly believe that Minnesota could be a great cannabis state. In this post, I’ll give

trump cannabis marijuana

Trump’s Cannabis Plays, Explained

Last week, President Trump told reporters that his administration was considering rescheduling marijuana, and would make a determination over “the next few weeks.” It was good to hear an update on the issue, because things had stalled out since Trump took office in January. The cannabis industry is accustomed to operating in limbo, of course;

cannabis business

Your Cannabis Business: Consistent Filings are Critical

I have helped people buy, sell and invest in hundreds of cannabis businesses. I’ve represented many hundreds more. One thing that makes my job harder, at times, is working with cannabis businesses that have misaligned public records and reporting. There are three pillars of public reporting, or disclosures, that a cannabis business should strive to

olcc marijuana rules litigation

OLCC Litigation Updates: Unionization, Tax Compliance Rules

As far as I know, the OLCC is a party to two, separate litigations surrounding its administrative rules. The first lawsuit relates to Ballot Measure 119, which is a unionization measure applicable to most classes of Oregon marijuana licensees. The second lawsuit concerns rules that require retail applicants to acquire a certificate of tax compliance

oregon cannabis laws 2026

Oregon’s New Cannabis Laws: 2025 Edition

The 2025 Oregon legislative session adjourned on June 27, 2025. Six bills passed with respect to cannabis. Of these, I covered SB 162 and SB 558 last month in Oregon Cannabis Roundup: June 2025, so please head over to that post if you’d like a full recap. Today I’ll give a skeletal summary of each

cannabis hyperemesis syndrome

The Very Large and Vexing Lawsuit Re: Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

You may have seen this article or some other article yesterday or today, covering the Ontario Supreme Court’s recent certification of a national class action lawsuit against Aurora Cannabis. The defendant entities are all part of the same conglomerate, with Aurora Cannabis Inc. being the parent. You can view their vast array of cannabis products