Category: Legal

* The following article originally appeared in the September issue of Marijuana Venture, available online. The cannabis industry consumes enormous amounts of energy to power lighting, climate control, drying and curing operations. Industry-wide, annual energy costs reach into the billions of dollars. This much is clear, energy costs have a…

The following story was originally published in the October 2017 issue of Marijuana Venture, on sale now at Barnes & Nobles, Hudson News, Chapters, Indigo and many other fine retailers near you.  In 2014, Cristina Barbuto told her new employer that she would flunk its mandatory pre-employment drug test, because she…

The July 2017 Alaska Marijuana Control Board meeting held in Fairbanks was an extended three-day long meeting. Industry participants came from across the state to attend. Unfortunately, the state provided a small conference room for the meeting, which could comfortably seat about 40 people, which was far less room than…

Business people rightly view California with great ambition, whether they’re considering its booming GDP (sixth-largest in the world), its huge consumer market or as fertile ground for entrepreneurship. But what makes California uniquely lucrative for businesses also makes it uniquely discomforting for their lawyers: every success story here has some…

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…