The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”) legalized hemp by removing hemp and its derivatives from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). The 2018 Farm Bill also provided a detailed framework for the production of hemp and directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) to promulgate regulations and permitted
Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote about the uptick in cannabis business suing one another for trademark infringement (as opposed to non-cannabis companies suing cannabis companies, which happens a lot and which you can read about here, here, and here). The example at hand was the litigation between Harvest Dispensaries Cultivation & Production Facilities,
If you aren’t familiar with the TCPA, you should familiarize yourself with this important statute that is currently sparking a ton of litigation in the cannabis industry. The TCPA stands for the Telephone Consumer Protection Act – a statute that was passed in 1991 to fight the incessant “robocalls” that were plaguing consumers at the
Earlier this month the Canadian Federal Court handed retail toy store Toys “R” Us a victory in its trademark lawsuit alleging “depreciation of goodwill,” among other causes of action including trademark infringement and “passing off,” against B.C., Canada-based dispensary, Herbs “R” Us. For reference, the two logos can be seen above. Toys “R” Us was
Recientemente mencioné que, salvo en el caso Champ contra el Comisionado, ninguna empresa del sector del cannabis ha ganado jamás un caso relacionado con el artículo 280E del Código de Rentas Internas. Uno de los reveses más sonados fue un caso de 2018 conocido como Harborside contra el Comisionado, en el que se declaró expresamente que el artículo 280E del Código de Rentas Internas era constitucional. Esa sentencia comenzaba con la memorable frase: «[Harborside] es propietaria de lo que...»
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (“OLCC”) is tasked with regulating medical and recreational cannabis in Oregon and this includes commencing administrative enforcement proceedings against licensees found in violation of one or more rules. The OLCC may seek sanctions against licensees ranging from a monetary penalty and/or a period of suspension to license cancellation. We sat
Several months I wrote an article about CBD and false advertising under the Lanham Act and noted an important case on the docket of the U.S. Supreme Court concerning damages in trademark cases, Romag Fasteners, Inc. v. Fossil, Inc. (Supreme Court Docket No. 18-1233). As you may recall, the Lanham Act, also known as the
In this post, I want to explore something very significant that a lot of people gloss over when reviewing contracts: non-compete clauses. Non-compete clauses are exactly what they sound like: they prohibit one party from competing with another. A common example of a non-compete is in an executive employment agreement, where an executive of a
We regularly write about arbitration as an alternative to litigation on this blog and on our sister blog, the China Law Blog. Topics have included the pros and cons of arbitration in the cannabis industry, international arbitration issues, and U.S. Supreme Court cases: Cannabis Litigation 101: Arbitration Cannabis Arbitration: The Good, The Bad, and The
Las ventas en línea de cannabidiol («CBD»), incluidos los productos de CBD derivados del cáñamo, se han disparado como consecuencia de la pandemia del coronavirus («COVID-19»). Lamentablemente, en estos tiempos de incertidumbre, algunas empresas del sector del CBD se han aprovechado del miedo y la ansiedad de la gente ante la propagación del virus, afirmando que el CBD puede tratar e incluso curar
