canna law blog

Dirty Dancing: Flips and Tricks of Cannabis Social Equity in L.A.

Phase II cannabis licensing in the City of Los Angeles (for only non-retail activity) kicked off on August 1 at 12 p.m. (and it will conclude on September 13th). To qualify for a City of Los Angeles cannabis license during this timeframe, an applicant must, among other things, be eligible for the City’s cannabis social equity program. This

canna law blog

Start Your Engines for California Cannabis Recalls

Now that the MAUCRSA transition period is over and full cannabis testing is in the works, we can fully expect California marijuana companies to start engaging in recalls of certain products for a variety of reasons. In fact, a voluntary recall has already been initiated by The Bloom Brand where an impermissible pesticide (Myclobutanil) was

canna law blog

Testing the Limits of Federalism: Federal Appeals Court Says Using Medical Marijuana on Supervised Release is a Bridge Too Far

Cannabis has remained federally illegal at the same time states continue to legalize cannabis in one form or another. As a result of legalization, private parties enter and perform contracts, loan and borrow money, and convey leasehold property rights in ways that involve cannabis. These contracts affect and depend upon millions of dollars in assets,

canna law blog

Phase II Licensing and Social Equity in the City of Los Angeles

Cannabis licensing in the City of Los Angeles has been a slow go. Though the City’s Department of Cannabis Regulation (“DCR”) has licensed 155 Existing Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (“EMMDs”) there is still an entire line of existing cultivators and manufacturers, social equity applicants, and general public applicants waiting their turn for cannabis entitlements. The City announced

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

International Cannabis Spotlight: The Netherlands

Everyone knows the Netherlands (especially the City of Amsterdam) as a pot capital of the world. Ironically, cannabis sales in the Netherlands are illegal. The country has decriminalized its use and possession to a certain extent, but law enforcement may impose a fine or misdemeanor upon a person in possession of marijuana-based drugs. However, the government

canna law blog

On-Site Cannabis Consumption in California: Progress Report

As more cities begin to allow for and regulate commercial cannabis businesses, the State of California is seeing an influx of cannabis tourism. We’ve written before about the touchy relationships governments have with the idea of “cannabis lounges” (see here and here) and often questioned who will lead us in regards to cannabis tourism (our bets

canna law blog

Oregon’s New 2018 Cannabis Laws

The Oregon legislature concluded its 2018 session last weekend. As we wrote last month, because 2018 is an even-numbered year, this was a short session lasting just 35 days. We predicted that not all four proposed cannabis bills would pass and that is exactly what happened: the proposed legislation on “special events” for marijuana licensees

canna law blog

The Dos and Don’ts of Marijuana Joint Ventures

It seems like most days I receive a call or an email from a client or potential client that wants to examine a marijuana joint venture (JV). Whether it’s a business arrangement between companies that already has been negotiated, or stage one of the deal process, marijuana JVs are all the rage, even though many

canna law blog

Oregon Cannabis Laws: The 2018 Draft Bills Are Here

The Oregon legislative session began on Monday. Because 2018 is an even-numbered calendar year, this session is a short session, lasting just 35 days. That fact hasn’t stopped Oregon democrats from targeting ambitious policy objectives like cap-and-trade, along with a host of other items that will likely not get done. As to cannabis, there won’t