canna law blog

BREAKING NEWS: Anti-Marijuana Attorney General Jeff Sessions Resigns

Jeff Sessions, the drug warrior that may or may not have liked the KKK until he found out they smoked pot, is out as U.S. Attorney General. After two years of being relentlessly bullied by President Trump, Sessions has apparently had enough. The Sessions resignation is of special interest to the marijuana industry because of

canna law blog

Canada Cannabis Legalization Today: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Update

On the eve of the Canada’s cannabis legalization, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) held a teleconference to explain the agency’s enforcement policy and field questions from journalists. The on-the-record teleconference featured the head of the CBP’s Office of Field Operations, which has a staff of 28,000+ employees and an operating budget of $5.2

canna law blog

Bumps Ahead: The U.S. Border After Canada Cannabis Legalization

Canada’s cannabis legalization creates yet another wrinkle in the relations between the U.S. and its northern neighbor. U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey Sessions harbors a well known hatred towards anything cannabis and he clearly has no love for Canada’s Cannabis Act either. What will this mean though for Canadians who are 100% legally involved in Canada’s

canna law blog

The 2014 Farm Bill Expired: What Now for Industrial Hemp?

On September 30, the Agricultural Act of 2014, more commonly known as the “2014 Farm Bill” (the “Farm Bill” or the “Act”) expired before the enactment of its potential successor, the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 (the “2018 Farm Bill”)—it is also unlikely that the 2018 Farm Bill will be revisited before the November elections. The

canna law blog

International Cannabis: Selling Worldwide

Our firm’s main practice areas include cannabis, China, trade and immigration. As such, it may not surprise you to learn that we get a lot of questions about the developing international cannabis trade. This is in large part due to the fact that Canada is on the verge of legalizing marijuana nationwide. Importing or exporting

canna law blog

The Neighborhood “Gangbusters”: Avoiding RICO Cannabis Lawsuits

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is a federal Nixon-era law originally intended to combat drug cartels and organized crime. Among other features, it allows average citizens claiming a loss in property value to bring suit for triple damages plus attorney’s fees against any “person” or “enterprise” that has a part in any

canna law blog

The Law on CBD-Infused Alcoholic Beverages

This past year, the country has witnessed widespread interest in the use of cannabis in its nutraceutical (when added to food or drinks) form. Cannabidiol (“CBD”), the non-psychoactive chemical compound found in the cannabis plant, has gained great popularity among alcohol beverage companies. The growing popularity of CBD-infused products combined with their mainstream nature has

canna law blog

Can’t Trademark that Cannabis Logo? Try Copyright

Every business thrives on brand differentiation. One of the most effective ways to promote public identification and recognition is to enhance and protect your brand. Your brand is of course your name but it is also your logo. Beyond that, really, it’s everything about you. As far as “formal” branding elements, logos are right there

canna law blog

BREAKING NEWS: Epidiolex, First Non-Synthetic Cannabis Drug, Approved

In a previous post, we discussed GW Pharmaceuticals, the leading developer of cannabis-based pharmaceuticals. Today, the FDA announced the approval of GW Pharmaceutical’s drug Epidiolex (cannabidiol), an oral solution for treatment of seizures associated with two rare forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, in patients two years of age and older. This announcement is

canna law blog

The Anatomy of a Cannabis Trademark TTAB Decision

We’ve written extensively about the dos and don’ts of filing cannabis-related state and federal trademarks, and we all know by now that you cannot obtain a federal trademark registration for goods or services that are not lawful pursuant to federal law. But I’ve heard a lot of creative arguments in this space, and have had many