Last month we weighed in on Thailand becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to decriminalize cannabis. We’ve seen some bad reporting on this since then, along the lines of “weed is legal in Thailand!” The new Thai regime is not that progressive, but we still feel that Thailand has taken a step in the
In May 2021, we wrote about the injustice of the Mississippi Court of Appeals affirming a life sentence without eligibility for probation or parole in the case of Allen Russell. Mr. Russell was found in possession of 43 grams (1.5 ounces) of marijuana. A legal basis for Mr. Russell’s brutal sentence was the fact that
The Florida primary election is approaching, meaning it’s time for voters to learn about candidates. Here is what some of those vying for statewide office have to say about cannabis. Governor The two leading Democratic candidates in the Florida gubernatorial primary support cannabis reform. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried self-describes as “Florida’s leading statewide advocate on
In the 21st century of cannabis, cannabis businesses of all sizes still ignore some contract basics. Whether it’s a cannabis distribution agreement, a cannabis intellectual property licensing agreement, or some form of cannabis M&A, the contract basics listed below need attention. Date the agreement This seems obvious and trivial, but a lot of companies skip
Marijuana is illegal in most countries in the world, is federally illegal in the United States, and is highly regulated even in the U.S. states that allow it. Hemp laws are all over the place in the U.S. and are often just as bad as marijuana laws internationally. It goes without saying that it’s a
Inflation has been dominating the headlines lately. Prices for gasoline, food (e.g., beef, bacon, eggs), used cars and many other items have spiked over the past year. It seems like there is always breaking news of the latest shortages – baby formula, tampons, eggs, semiconductors, sriracha, lumber, bicycles, etc. Cannabis, however, has seemingly been immune
For years, California has been a very bad state for the hemp industry. That started to change last year with the passage of AB-45, a bill intended to regulate CBD manufacturing and sales. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued proposed AB-45 regulations just a few months ago. And now it looks like California
When it comes to cannabis ballot measures, a common promise is made to voters that the increased tax revenue from cannabis sales will go back into the community. Cannabis taxes are therefore unavoidable. So is the debate over how high those taxes should be. In turn, all states have their fair share of cannabis tax
Cannabis businesses need money – and lots of it – to operate. Being mostly startups, operational profits are not enough to sustain their business. So cannabis businesses take on outside capital generally in one of two ways: taking on debt from cannabis lenders or bringing in equity investors. Due to industry volatility and a crash
In this post, we will answer the cannabis patent questions that were submitted to us. Please visit our Cannabis Intellectual Property page for more information about protecting your brand. What do you think about using the Plant Variety Protection Act to protect strains? The Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) can provide protection for both asexually
