大麻品牌与中国：新兴知识产权挑战

大麻品牌与中国挑战

Cannabis brands account for a sizeable component of my law firm’s intellectual property work (and, indeed, our work generally). Historically, there has been little overlap between our cannabis and China practice areas, beyond our representing a number of cannabis ancillary product companies on their China manufacturing matters. This is starting to change, as we increasingly see bad-faith actors in China targeting cannabis brands’ trademarks. This intersection carries important implications that cannabis business owners need to understand.

本文重点阐述了中国市场给大麻品牌带来的新兴知识产权挑战，并为大麻品牌提供了主动反击的策略。

中国商标抢注

We can only speculate about what is driving this emerging phenomenon. Most likely, it is partly a new manifestation of an old China problem: trademark squatters. Trademark squatters in China now recognize that, much like other brands, cannabis brands also source various products from the country. Obviously we are not talking about cannabis or cannabis derivatives, but rather goods such as vapes, trimmers, merch, packaging, cosmetics, etc. Squatters generally register trademarks being used by brands like yours in the hope that eventually you will pay them to acquire control over “your” trademarks. And guess what, squatting often works, with payout of tens of thousands of dollars common, and larger payouts not unheard of.

对于从中国采购产品的大麻（及其他）品牌而言，商标恶意注册者可能构成重大威胁。中国商标恶意注册者常利用其商标权，促使中国执法部门扣押产品、叫停生产或阻断出口，其终极目的皆是迫使品牌方向其购买该品牌在中国注册的商标。

为避免此类问题，任何在中国市场有业务的大麻品牌都应密切监控商标申请动态，对可疑注册及时提出异议。更理想的做法是抢先于恶意注册者在中国注册品牌商标，确保在这场战略博弈中始终保持领先。若恶意注册者成功抢注品牌商标，企业可采取的补救措施将大幅受限——尤其在注册后三年内。但三年期满后，这些被抢注的商标极可能因长期闲置而面临撤销申请。

此外，还需考虑一个额外维度：这些恶意行为者的现实世界对应者。他们很可能是您曾合作过的制造商，或是曾与您共享过敏感信息的对象。威胁也可能来自制造商内部的失职员工，甚至关联制造商。在这些复杂且风险极高的情境中，最佳策略往往是主动出击。在商标申请阶段及早发现此类欺诈行为，品牌方可及时提出异议阻止注册。但如前所述，一旦商标完成注册，可采取的战略手段将大幅受限。

未在中国采购的品牌也并非完全安全。尽管来自中国商标恶意注册者的威胁有所减弱，但其他恶意行为者正伺机而动。在某些情况下，这些行为者可能怀着真实使用意图在中国注册您的品牌商标。即便您不在中国生产产品，当地仍可能存在具备生产能力的制造商。没有任何机制能阻止这些制造商与恶意注册您商标的实体合作。

为降低中国制造的假冒产品进入美国（或加拿大及其他市场）的风险，大麻品牌需在其主要销售市场注册商标。此外，还应采取额外措施，向美国海关与边境保护局（CBP）或相关国家海关部门备案商标信息，以协助阻止假冒产品入境。

Of course, the risks posed by someone who is actually using trademarks obtained in bad faith is far greater for cannabis brands that are getting products from China. In addition to shipping counterfeits, bad-faith trademark registrants often engage in the same kind of hijinks as squatters, such as petitioning China law enforcement to shut down your production. Also, keep in mind that the counterfeiter actor might be the manufacturer with whom you have been working, sharing confidential information, or a rogue employee of your manufacturer, or a manufacturer related to yours.

对于身处（或可能身处）如此高风险境地的大麻品牌而言，唯一明智的选择或许就是主动出击，向恶意行为者发起挑战。理想情况下，应在商标申请阶段就察觉到这些诡计，此时仍可对商标注册提出异议。如前所述，一旦商标注册完成，可选方案将大幅受限。