At some point in the last few years, people seemed to realize that getting a cannabis (marijuana) license is not cheap or easy, and that it’s a whole lot easier to sell intoxicating cannabinoid products. You’ve probably read some of our posts on like THCA or delta-8 products, for example. Another extremely popular alternative has been hemp THC beverages. But that may be starting to change, at least in California. When we talk about hemp THC beverages, we mean beverages containing hemp-derived delta-9 THC. But wait, you may be asking, “doesn’t federal law only allow for up to 0.3 ..read more

Register Here California’s cannabis market is broken. Taxes are too high, local control has proved disastrous, the illegal market is growing and regulations are too burdensome. There are not enough retain licenses and too many cultivation licensees. Over the past few years, the situation has become so dire that many licensees have exited the industry, including some of the largest and most well-capitalized players in the state. In this webinar, Griffen Thorne (Partner, Los Angeles) and Hirsh Jain of Ananda Strategy will discuss whether the California market is too far gone ..read more

For years, people have tried to decipher the incredibly poorly worded (I can’t stress this enough) language in the 2018 Farm Bill and what it means for intoxicating hemp products like THCA products or delta-8. In the last week or so, there’s been a lot of bad news for the intoxicating hemp products industry. Let’s take a look. So long for THCA products (again) Last June, I published a post entitled “So Long for THCA Products” where I analyzed the murky legality of THCA products. I, as well as another colleague here at the firm, tend to think on balance that these products are not permitte ..read more

California‘s cannabis industry suffers from a seemingly unending list of problems: high taxes, prohibitionist cities, a related lack of retail licenses and oversupply of non-retail licenses, a monster illegal market with no end in sight, burdensome and often senseless regulations, and so on. Unfortunately, rescheduling won’t solve most of these problems–at least not directly. Today I want to look at what rescheduling could mean for California’s cannabis industry. If you’re not already up to speed on rescheduling, check out my colleague Vince Sliwoski’s explainer of the DEA’s notice of proposed ..read more

Please join us in taking the day off to honor all who have served, so we can do things like have a Canna Law Blog and say whatever we want. We will be back tomorrow with our regular programs. The post Memorial Day — Honoring Those Who Served appeared first on Harris Sliwoski LLP ..read more

Marijuana-specific controls in schedule III? The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NOPR”) last week to much fanfare. The NOPR would reschedule marijuana, “marijuana extract” and “naturally derived delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinols” from schedule I to schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). But that’s not all. In my very quick analysis after the rule dropped, I flagged DEA’s statement that it may develop “marijuana-specific controls” in conjunction with rescheduling. I’m surprised this DEA statement hasn’t spurred much discussion, despi ..read more

As the 2024 elections draw near, the economic impact of cannabis legalization will likely become a prominent topic in political discourse. With billions in total sales, and millions in tax revenue, the economic benefits of legal cannabis are clear. Beyond the monetary gains, there is a crucial aspect of the cannabis industry that should not be overlooked: job creation. The 2024 Cannabis Jobs Report by Vangst reveals that over 440,000 jobs have been generated in states with legal cannabis, marking a 5.4% increase in the past year alone. This growth not only signifies economic stability, but it ..read more

Today is another historic day in the history of cannabis control and regulation. In a much anticipated announcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to reschedule marijuana, from Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule I to schedule III (the “Proposed Rule”). We have covered the implications of a schedule III placement in various posts on this blog, beginning with the Health and Human Services (HHS) recommendation that DEA undertake this rescheduling last August. See: Yesterday’s Marijuana Rescheduling News, Explained Three Myths and Three Fac ..read more

Germany has legalized recreational cannabis Germany’s new laws legalize possession by adults of up to 25 grams (around 1 ounce) of cannabis for recreational use. It also allows for adults to grow up to three plants. Use is prohibited within 100 meters of the entrance to a playground or school. This part of the legislation is already in force in Germany and come July 1, German adult residents can join nonprofit “cannabis clubs” with a maximum 500 members. Individuals 21 and older will be allowed to buy up to 25 grams per day, with a maximum of 50 grams per month; whereas those between the ages ..read more

Minnesota cannabis producers have raised concerns over the availability of products when the legal market finally opens. In response, the Minnesota legislature has acted quickly to allow an avenue for early cultivation providing key guidance for the forthcoming Minnesota legal cannabis market. Noting these concerns, industry participants have asked the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and their local legislators to consider opening cultivation and production of cannabis products early, in order to supply retailers with legal products to sell once licenses are awarded and retailers ..read more