President Obama has an interesting perspective on the cannabis issue. He’s right, legalization isn’t a panacea — few things are. However, legalization would improve an array of things, as our marijuana laws are all over the map in the United States. Some states have extreme consequences for very small amounts of marijuana (such as prison
And we could certainly use a big dose of healing right now. We wrote two weeks ago on how our country is divided in the aftermath of the presidential election, but also that 8 of 9 states voted to legalize marijuana in some capacity, making cannabis the true winner of the election. We also wrote how future Attorney General
Importing cannabis into the United States is illegal since cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance. But it’s not necessarily illegal to import smoking accessories into the United States, such as (pipes, grinders, rolling papers, etc.) so long as you’re not violating federal paraphernalia laws. Even though marijuana legalization is sweeping the U.S. and people are
Author and activist Norman Mailer makes an excellent and timely point here. Using cannabis can often put you into an existential condition. It can slow down time, allow you to consider each moment singularly, and put you into a heightened (or at least altered) state of mind that can allow you to think critically and creatively about
Residency requirements are used to award rights or privileges to residents of a state in favor of non-residents. Though they’ve long been used by colleges to provide discounted tuition to in-state residents, they’re appearing more recently as a tool states use in the cannabis industry to benefit their own residents. For businesses looking to expand
Comedian Joe Rogan makes a really important point here–just because a substance (or food, or activity) can be abused by some people does not mean we need to rid all free-thinking adults from having access to it. Most good things in life can be abused or overused, but outlawing them completely is not the answer.
Last week, I spoke on an Oregon Business Magazine panel regarding the state of the Oregon cannabis industry. The event drew a diverse group of industry entrepreneurs, investors, consultants and observers, despite its 7:30 a.m. start. The panel also covered an array of topics, from state and federal regulation, to product branding and marketing, to
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry is correct–if you want to consume medical marijuana, you should be able to do so. The word “somewhere” gives a nod to the somewhat common notion that marijuana decisions should be made on the state level. We don’t disagree, and in fact wrote previously on how cannabis in the United
Asset forfeiture is a serious concern for cannabis businesses across the United States. The government has the authority to seize assets involved in the manufacture, importation, sale, or distribution of a controlled substance, such as marijuana, and in the past decades it has not shied away from using this power. What’s more, property seized by
Given the onslaught of media pieces lately on celebrity cannabis brands, this would be a good time to enumerate branding issues faced by cannabis business owners, and to discuss how celebrity branding is different. There are three main ways a brand owner can establish trademark rights: By using the mark in connection with their goods or
