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California Hemp

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Cannabis

California Hemp Legal Services

In the ever-changing California hemp industry, businesses need a skilled and experienced attorney to navigate complex regulations and seize opportunities. Harris Sliwoski is a leading full-service law firm in the United States, offering expert legal counsel to clients in the hemp industry.

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Difference Between Hemp and Cannabis

California hemp laws differ from cannabis regulations. Hemp is a type of cannabis plant that contains less than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), while cannabis typically contains more than 0.3% THC.

The state uses the federal definitions of THC as cannabis and other cannabinoids as hemp. The 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to grow hemp in the U.S., and California also enacted this law. Cultivators, distributors, retailers and other organizations require licensing and must follow state guidelines to operate.

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California Hemp Regulations

As of 2024, California adopted new regulations set by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that regulate the sale of hemp foods, beverages, dietary supplements and food additives. Businesses must abide by the following to avoid penalties and fines:

  • No detectable THC per serving
  • Products can only be sold to adults over 21
  • Each package has a limit of five servings

Beyond these requirements, hemp consumables are also governed by the Sherman Food, Drug and Cosmetic laws. Hemp manufacturing and distribution businesses must register with the CDPH’s Food and Drug Branch to obtain an Industrial Hemp Enrollment and Oversight (IHEO) authorization.

Do You Need a Hemp Growing License in California?

Businesses that sell or cultivate hemp in California need a license to do so. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) details the requirements that hemp businesses must meet to operate legally.

Applicants must demonstrate the means and knowledge required to operate a hemp business. If you intend to cultivate hemp, you need to have a space large enough to grow and process hemp on a commercial scale. You can obtain a California hemp license through your local county’s office.

Why Businesses Need a Hemp Lawyer in California

At Harris Sliwoski, we have a deep understanding of California’s hemp regulations and can guide you through legal processes to ensure compliance. Our lawyers can help you with:

  • Industry knowledge. Our experienced lawyers have in-depth knowledge of the hemp industry. We have a wealth of experience working with a range of businesses from cultivators to retailers. This helps us address unique challenges that hemp businesses face.
  • Current regulatory advice. We stay up to date on changing hemp laws to ensure our clients are always compliant. Through our expert regulatory advice, your organization remains in good standing with state and local regulatory agencies.
  • Litigation expertise. A successful hemp business requires strong legal support to achieve favorable outcomes. From contract negotiation to intellectual property disputes, we provide tailored legal solutions.
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Contact Our Hemp Lawyers in California

We bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to hemp cultivators, processors, distributors, retailers and ancillary businesses. Our lawyers have a proven track record of successfully assisting clients with licensing, zoning, business formation, litigation and compliance issues.

Set your business up for success by scheduling a consultation today for tailored legal counsel.

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AWARD-WINNING
CANNA LAW BLOG

An intelligent, timely resource for the cannabis industry

Beyond advising individual businesses, our cannabis attorneys are committed to fortifying, defending, and building credibility for the industry as a whole. Harris Sliwoski’s cannabis business lawyers are more than legal strategists—they are thought leaders: forward-thinking bloggers, educators, writers, and speakers.

They regularly write articles for legal journals and frequently post to our acclaimed and widely followed Canna Law Blog. We speak to business and trade groups, academic institutions, and government bodies on a variety of cannabis legal issues, and our cannabis lawyers are frequently quoted by global, national, and local media outlets. We also have compiled (and are forever adding to) a Cannabis Glossary to help with industry terminology. 

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Get in Touch with Our California Cannabis Law Team

Get started by filling out the form, or call 1-888-330-0010 to schedule an initial consultation.

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Our Clients' Successes

“Harris Sliwoski expertly guided us through the formation of our company. They continue to assist with necessary registrations and compliance with numerous regulations. They were able to promptly answer all our many questions and provide understandable options, explanations and practical advice. We expect to continue to use Harris Sliwoski on a regular basis as our company expands. They were also able to introduce us other professional experts. We would not hesitate to recommend Harris Sliwoski to any companies in need of legal advice.”

user icon Three Continents Foods LLC

This law firm was a huge help as our company went through the process of commercial licensing in the California cannabis industry.  They have helped us with a variety of legal issues in a timely fashion, while clearly communicating with us throughout the process.  Everyone we’ve worked with at Harris Sliwoski is an expert in their field and we have always felt that we were in good hands through our legal representation.

user icon Wil Crummer, CEO PRO Farms

Legal stuff is always scary. And I’ve had to play offense a couple times, begrudgingly. To have Harris Sliwoski have my back? It made things a lot less prickly. They quickly walked me through my options, and were refreshingly consistent in their communications, timing and billing. I’ve been lucky to stay out of the legal side of things my whole career, thankfully. When things went a little wrong, Harris Sliwoski quickly made things right.

user icon Aaron Draplin, Founder Draplin Design Co.

I am impressed with this law firm. They answered all my questions regarding cannabis businesses and the California cannabis framework, and they have helped me with a variety of legal issues in a timely fashion, while always clearly communicating with us throughout the process. They also redirected me to other quality people for my business needs. Everyone I worked with at Harris Sliwoski is an expert in their field, and I was in good hands throughout my legal representation.

user icon Corey T., CEO Thinc Cubed, LLC

I have been working with the lawyers at Harris Sliwoski for more than 20 years both as a business owner and as an executive at a large east-coast health system and that is because they have always efficiently provided high level and clear international law advice. Most recently, Harris Sliwoski provided legal support on many matters related to procuring medical products worldwide. Their support was particularly helpful to during the onset of COVID, when there was a big need for securing PPE quickly, all while navigating complicated international and domestic legal requirements. Harris Sliwoski’s team of international lawyers helped by conducting rapid-fire due diligence on potential suppliers, navigating the legal logistics for getting product from overseas and through U.S. customs, and drafting contracts to protect against various sorts of horribles. They did this by essentially providing what amounted to 24/7 service. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

user icon Dan Pak Hospital Supply Chain Executive

Harris Sliwoski has represented our company in the legal cannabis industry for years. Harris Sliwoski has advised us in a wide variety of legal matters, and they are truly experts in their field. I would highly recommend Harris Sliwoski to anyone with questions about cannabis law, or any legal matters. They have been great for our Company, and will continue to guide us as our industry evolves

user icon Matt Hurt, COO Cannabis Nation

You won’t find a better partner than Harris Sliwoski when trying to navigate the complex world of healthcare regulations.  They not only give sound and reliable legal advice, but they are also very responsive and are able to guide you in a way that helps you reach your business objectives as well.

user icon Joseph Axelrod, General Counsel Irwin Naturals

When we started the process of building a ‘seed to sale’ cannabis company in Oregon, we saw the need for expert legal counsel.  The cannabis sector is fraught with potential peril at every turn, and we wanted the best legal advice we could find.  After talking to several firms and individuals, we feel extremely fortunate to have chosen Harris Sliwoski as our legal counsel.

user icon Tony Theiss, CEO and Co-Founder Redbarn Cannabis 

We use Harris Sliwoski on all our international legal matters, including on our international litigation matters. We have over the last few years been involved in a couple big international legal disputes and Harris Sliwoski’s international dispute resolution team provided us with expert legal assistance on both matters. They were always very careful to explain to us what they were doing and why and what their actions would likely cost us in legal fees. Most importantly, we did extremely well on both cases and I have no doubt Harris Sliwoski was a big factor in that.

user icon Kevin English, CEO We Are Camp

We have used Harris Sliwoski for legal help related to our international manufacturing. The lawyers with whom I worked had extensive familiarity with the international legal issues involved in our various projects and offered us key insights. I particularly appreciated how they always quickly and efficiently do what they say they will do and always within their cost estimates.

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