By no means has commercial cannabis licensing in Los Angeles has been a smooth ride. Los Angeles decided to issue commercial cannabis licenses in three phases, each phase accepting licenses for a different segment of the cannabis industry. However, Phases 1 and 2 were both significantly delayed for various reasons, some citing the lack of…
By Ryan Masters On Friday July 19, Mondelez Canada Inc., the company that makes Sour Patch Kids, sued the makers of “Stoney Patch” cannabis-infused gummies, in California federal court. Mondelez is claiming the makers of Stoney Patch are commiting trademark infringement, trademark dilution, trade dress infringement, unfair competition, and breaking several similar California State laws.…
The rules regarding mailing CBD and hemp-based products have changed. Last week, the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) released new mailing standards for “products derived from cannabis and industrial hemp” in light of Congressional and Departmental clarification that interstate commerce of hemp is expressly permitted. The USPS apparently intended to grant broader permissions with respect…
The United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) released a document titled “Executive Summary of New Hemp Authorities” yesterday, May 28, 2019, which, among other things, affirmed our analysis that states (and tribes) cannot block the transportation or shipment of hemp throughout the US — directly contradicting not only it’s own previous statements, but also those…
By: Fabiola Jimenez, Strategic Legal Counsel at Cultiva Law The 420 Bills, introduced in Congress by two Senators from Oregon, seeks to overcome one of the greatest uphill battles faced by the cannabis community: the stigma that sometimes attaches to the plant. Despite the fact that the legal marijuana industry has engendered billions of dollars…
By: Sam Mendez, Strategic Legal Counsel at Cultiva Law Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced his Marijuana Justice Initiative last Friday at the Cannabis Alliance‘s annual Cannabis Summit. The Initiative will provide for an expedited clemency process for people with a marijuana misdemeanor conviction and no other convictions, which the Governor said should affect approximately 3,500 individuals. The…
Photo credit: Matthew T. Nichols for the Department of Justice By: Sam Mendez, Strategic Legal Counsel at Cultiva Law Attorney General Jeff Sessions was forced to resign today, capping the already big news from yesterday’s midterm elections in which Michigan voted to legalize cannabis for recreational use and Utah and Missouri legalized medical marijuana. President Trump quickly appointed Jeff…
By: Sam Mendez, Strategic Legal Counsel at Cultiva Law Canada’s legalized marijuana stores opened today for the first time. Canada is now the first and only nation in the developed world to legalize cannabis, joining only Uruguay which legalized in 2013. The Canadian Senate voted to legalize marijuana back in June. Canadians above the legal age of…
By: Sam Mendez, Strategic Legal Counsel at Cultiva Law On Tuesday, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) held its regularly-scheduled board meeting where they dropped a bombshell: a large quantity of marijuana infused edibles that have already been approved for production and sale in Washington will no longer be approved. When this new policy is implemented––it…
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced last Friday that certain Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs that contain cannabidiol (CBD) are properly rescheduled as Schedule V drugs under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). While this move is far from categorically rescheduling CBD – as only specific drugs will be placed on Schedule V rather than…