California’s cannabis black market has eclipsed its legal one
Although marijuana has been legal in California for nearly two years, black market weed is still a booming business in the state. Illegal sellers outnumber legal and regulated businesses almost 3-to-1, according to a startling analysis of California cannabis sellers released this month. Some critics blame the website Weedmaps... Read more
Major Changes to California Hemp Cultivation Laws are on the Horizon

On September 11, 2019, the California Assembly approved SB-153, a bill aimed at making significant changes to California’s hemp cultivation law. As of September 13, 2019, the bill moved to “enrolled” status, meaning that it’s cleared both houses of the California legislature and will move to the Governor’s office for his signature. It is widely…

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California will spend $20 million on a public awareness campaign about the dangers of vaping nicotine and cannabis products and step up efforts to halt the sale of illicit products amid a rise in vaping-related illnesses. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the actions Monday as... Read more
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A short walk from police headquarters in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, a cluster of bustling shops are openly selling packaging and hardware that can be used to produce counterfeit marijuana vapes that have infected California’s cannabis market. Bootleggers eager to profit off unsuspecting... Read more
California’s Right to Farm Laws, Pesticide Drift, Wine and Weed

California, like other states, has a Right to Farm Act that is intended to protect agricultural activity, and many counties have their own local right to farm ordinances as well. California’s Right to Farm Act provides: “No agricultural activity, operation, or facility, or appurtenances thereof, conducted or maintained for commercial purposes, and in a manner consistent…

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WATCH: California Gov. Newsom announces crackdown on vaping and cannabis oils
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California will spend $20 million on a public awareness campaign about the dangers of vaping nicotine and cannabis products and step up efforts to halt the sale of illicit products amid a rise in vaping-related illnesses. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the actions Monday as... Read more
It has been nearly three years since California voters overwhelmingly approved a measure legalizing recreational marijuana use, opening the door for boutique pot shops and cannabis bakeries. But a report this week found that the state’s illicit market is still plenty active in its own right. In fact, according... Read more
Nearly 3,000 Illegal Marijuana Businesses Found in California Audit, Dwarfing Legal Trade
The audit, conducted by the United Cannabis Business Assn., found approximately 2,835 unlicensed dispensaries and delivery services operating in California. By comparison, only 873 cannabis sellers in the state are licensed, according to the Bureau of Cannabis Control. The figures are the latest sign of California’s rocky rollout of... Read more
Will California Get a Hemp Social Equity Program?

As states across the country develop regulated cannabis programs, more and more are incorporating social equity programs. Illinois’ new adult-use cannabis law, for example, made waves for its broad social equity program. Here in California, cannabis social equity is not a central part of the state-level regulations, but many of the larger cities throughout the state…

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The Regulatory Twilight Zone: California Cannabis Transactions

For years now, I’ve seen and analyzed many different cannabis business relationships across the industry spectrum. Specifically, many proposed and draft agreements have come across my desk detailing the contractual relationships between a variety of parties in the cannabis industry for various purposes–from investors, ancillary services providers, and licensees to intellectual property holding companies, equipment…

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