Illustration of a person smiling, wearing sunglasses with the American flag pattern, in front of a background with white stars and cannabis leaves. The letter "B" in a red circle is on the right. This vibrant scene subtly nods to Kamala Harris's progressive stance.

Grading the Presidential Candidates on Marijuana: Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris is a heavy favorite for Democratic Presidential nominee, now that Joe Biden has dropped out of the race and endorsed her. This means we should re-open our short series on the 2024 Presidential candidates and marijuana. I thought we were done with this stuff. We can trot out some deep cuts with Kamala

entity type

What Entity Type is Best for a Cannabis Startup?

At our firm, we’ve helped numerous cannabis startups navigate the complexities of choosing the right business entity. Because every startup is unique and has different goals and needs, a one-size-fits-all approach just won’t work. Below, I’ll explore some of the key considerations we focus on when finding the optimal entity type and structure for a

marijuana rescheduling

Heads Up! DEA Wants to Hear from You on Marijuana Rescheduling by July 22

In case you haven’t heard, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) wants to hear from you on marijuana rescheduling. Specifically, DEA invites your comments on its notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to move both marijuana and marijuana extract from schedule I to schedule III of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The comment submission deadline is

corporate transparency act

What Does the Corporate Transparency Act Mean (CTA) for the Cannabis Industry?

On January 1, 2024, the federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) took effect. The CTA requires a host of both domestic and foreign entities to disclose their beneficial ownership to the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Compliance with the CTA is required for all businesses, including those in the cannabis industry. In this post, I’ll overview

A person holding a cannabis leaf against a sunset in a field, as if nature's quiet arbitration were settling the day's disputes with serenity.

Lighting Up the Legal Scene: How Cannabis Arbitration Can Ease the Burden on California Courts

When California opened up for recreational cannabis licensing in 2018, cannabis businesses began sprouting up like wildflowers. This growth has been exciting but due to market volatility and the decline in the state’s cannabis market, legal disputes are also on the rise. California courts are now jam-packed with cannabis-related disputes to the consternation of many

cannabis law misinformation

Cannabis Law is Chaotic: Avoiding Misinformation Online

The internet is a badlands of misinformation on cannabis law and policy. Less than stellar takes may be amplified on news sites, giving them a veneer of authority. Social media platforms, from X to LinkedIn (where all the pros are said to be) don’t have nonsense filters. This dynamic is not new! However, things reached

4th of July

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July from all of us here at the Canna Law Blog! We hope you have a fun, safe and not-too-hot holiday celebrating with family and friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with our regular programming.

california

Can the California Cannabis Industry be Saved? An Update

On Wednesday, June 26, Hirsh Jain of Ananda Strategy and I did an hourlong presentation where we examined a laundry list of problems facing the California cannabis industry. We had a lot of questions about whether a replay would be available and are happy to report that you can watch it here. During the webinar, Hirsh

california state fair

Breaking New Ground: Cannabis at the 2024 California State Fair

Move aside deep-fried Oreos—this year’s California State Fair is making history with the introduction of cannabis! For the first time in its 170-year history, California is inviting fair-goers to purchase and enjoy cannabis products directly on site. The decision celebrates the state’s vibrant agricultural and cannabis heritage, and showcases winners of the 2024 California State

gun rights

Cannabis Law and Gun Rights: News from SCOTUS

Last week, the US Supreme Court decided its most recent Second Amendment case, United States v. Rahimi. Earlier this month, SCOTUS decided Garland v. Cargill, which could also spell changes for the cannabis industry later down the road. I wrote about the Rahimi case in earlier posts, as the outcome of the case could have affected