The confirmation hearing for Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump’s nominee to serve as the U.S. Attorney General, begins this morning at 9:30 a.m. ET. You can view the live feed here. Sessions is opposed by civil rights groups and championed by law enforcement, which, together, signal poorly for marijuana. On the specific issue of federal
Asset forfeiture is a serious concern for cannabis businesses across the United States. The government has the authority to seize assets involved in the manufacture, importation, sale, or distribution of a controlled substance, such as marijuana, and in the past decades it has not shied away from using this power. What’s more, property seized by
Here, Libertarian Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson speaks to one aspect of marijuana legalization on which most of us can probably agree: the importance of personal freedom. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Just last week, we about a similar statement from Green Party candidate, Jill Stein. That two presidential candidates from such significantly different parties have both
Maybe you didn’t know it when you voted for or against I-502, but it was inevitable that its passage would cause Washington State to examine its unregulated and unaccountable medical marijuana program, especially in light of the 2013 Cole Memo. And you may have been surprised when the Evergreen State decided last year to throw all
Last week, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (“WSLCB”) very quietly adopted a proposed rule that will allow out of state individuals and entities to finance marijuana businesses within Washington State. Sort of. In Out-of-State Investment in Washington’s Marijuana Market, we wrote how many cannabis industry stakeholders wrongly believed the WSLCB had already adopted new out of state financing
Most cannabis businesses are small businesses. Many of them need money. Some of them have access to capital. And all of them are subject to fundraising laws. We build out canna (and non-canna) deals regularly in Oregon, Washington, California and elsewhere. Though some of our clients are publicly traded, the majority are closely held businesses
In a major turn of events today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it will finally drop its four-year long legal battle against Harborside Health Center (and its landlords) to seize the commercial properties in which Harborside operates in Oakland and San Jose, California. The DOJ’s opting to dismiss its own case before going to trial
Some of you may have noticed that on the day before 4/20 this year, Monsanto tweeted the following public service announcement: Tomorrow is 4/20. FYI: Monsanto has not & is not working on GMO marijuana. We address other Monsanto myths here: http://monsanto.info/23XSjum But what about in the future? Is Monsanto GMO marijuana a possibility? That’s
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) today issued a decision rejecting Nebraska and Oklahoma’s challenge to Colorado’s marijuana legalization. By a 6-2 vote, the Justices denied Nebraska and Oklahoma’s motion for leave to file a complaint, without providing an explanation. The Court’s two most conservative Justices, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito Jr., filed
This is the third installment in a four-part series on the new Oregon marijuana bills, all of which arrived in the recently concluded short session. If you would like to catch up, our summary of HB 4014 (abolishing residency requirements) is here, and our summary of SB 1511 (medical and recreational co-location) is here. This
