Category: Legal

In more ways than geography, Canada is “higher” than the United States. Since the 2015 election of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, investors globally have had an eye on Canada. In April, the Liberal government introduced a measure to legalize cannabis; investor confidence is soaring; Canadian cannabis stocks continue to trade…

Recent legislative changes and proposals are likely to generate a bit of a seller’s market for licensed cannabis businesses in Washington. The state Legislature recently increased the number of marijuana retail licenses an individual can own from three to five, and the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board is working…

Trying to understand tax laws related to the cannabis industry can make one dazed and confused. It is critical to consider the right ways to structure the ownership of these businesses and know the tax rules in order to reduce the taxation impact for investors. Here are a seven tips…

 With the legalization of marijuana in California, trademark protection issues will erupt like never before. Roughly 30 states have now legalized medical or recreational marijuana. Moreover, the election of President Donald Trump and the confirmation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions portend a possible change in federal enforcement efforts regarding the…

Everybody wants to know: Will California’s regulatory structure be in place by Jan. 1, 2018, the deadline for the state to begin issuing marijuana business licenses? “Yes, we’ll make our timelines,” says Lori Ajax, head of the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation. “We have every intention of making the timeline.”…

The cannabis industry faces a diversity conundrum. What stands to be a $50 billion industry by 2025 is, nonetheless, still overshadowed by disturbing racial disparities. This problem is driving industry regulators and business participants, with increasing intensity and frequency, to encourage diversity throughout the cannabis space. The racial disparities in…

In many states, the legalization of cannabis for recreational use has created important challenges for employers and employees alike. One challenge often arises when an employer becomes aware of medical marijuana use by an employee, forcing the employer to address its obligations under disability discrimination laws, among others. Some states,…

One of the oldest and most popular ways to smoke cannabis is to combine it with tobacco. Mixing the two plants into a single cigarette is commonly known as a “spliff.” Filling a cigar wrap or hollowed-out cigarillo with cannabis makes a “blunt.” Given the popularity of Blunts and spliffs, one might expect…

Now that California has legalized recreational cannabis, intellectual property attorneys are being flooded with client requests to file federal and state trademark applications to protect the brand names of cannabis businesses and products. While the law does not expressly permit the sale of cannabis until Jan. 1, 2018, cannabis businesses…

Nestled between the Coastal Range mountains and the Mad and Eel rivers, about 150 miles north of San Francisco, lies some of the finest cannabis-growing conditions in the world. Sheltered from the blustery Pacific winds but not its moist fogs and rich coastal plain and river terraces, Humboldt County is world-renowned…