I have spent a lot of time engaging with clients who are dealing with cannabis investors on the front and back end of investments. I work with companies and investors-- from idea inception to litigation. The suite of investors runs the gamut from friends and family, to key employees, executives, and board members with equity
It’s common for companies in all industries to use social media “influencers” to promote their goods and services online. Influencer advertising in the cannabis industry is a particularly risky idea, because paid advertisers need to comply with all cannabis marketing and advertising rules. These rules are beasts of the applicable state regulations on cannabis products
In June 2023, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed SB 23-271 (codified in C.R.S. 25-5-427 and regulated by 6 CCR 1010-24), a landmark bill regulating intoxicating hemp products in the state. This legislation followed recommendations from the Intoxicating Hemp Task Force, which was established a year earlier under SB 22-205. At a time when many states
DEA Registrants could be the real winner if cannabis is rescheduled
Cannabis concentrates have become a cornerstone of modern cannabis consumption, offering a potent, clean, and diverse way to experience cannabinoids and terpenes. These products, ranging from shatter to wax and live resin, are derived through sophisticated extraction methods that deliver enhanced flavors and intensities for consumers. For both seasoned cannabis users and industry professionals, understanding
California's path to cannabis social equity: from arrests to advocacy Data from the California Department of Justice reveals that nearly half a million individuals were arrested on cannabis charges in the state between 2006 and 2015. Even after Governor Schwarzenegger authorized a statewide decriminalization program in 2010, thousands continued to face serious misdemeanor charges related
Despite continuously surpassing every other state with recreational cannabis in terms of total retail sales, California's cannabis industry has faced continuous and far-reaching issues on multiple levels that have only spread even further. From declining sales that result in hundreds of millions less in total retail sales to a massive illicit market that the state
With every election season that comes, it’s become almost inevitable that at least one or two more of the states will legalize cannabis for either fully recreational usage or at least medical reasons. Even if it was but a midterm election, the 2022 election season still resulted in two more states legalizing cannabis for recreational
At the beginning of the summer, I wrote a post entitled "California Gives Up on the Illegal Cannabis Market" in which I went into detail about the state's failure to meaningfully address the festering illegal market. More recently, I wrote about "Another California Cannabis Enforcement Program That Won’t Work." As the name suggests, this post was
Oregon's governor recently vetoed an effort to create a state bank for marijuana businesses, in another blow to the struggling industry. The lack of consistent, equitable access to banking has been recurring issue for Oregon marijuana businesses and those in other states. Federal reform through the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act (SAFE Act) has
