Lending to Cannabis Businesses

Many cannabis businesses are funded with debt. Sometimes, the debt is owed to one of the business’s owners, who pursued a debt structure for tax reasons. Other times, the debt is owed to a third party. That party could be a friend or family member, an investor keen on the industry, or even a professional hard money lender. Our marijuana business lawyers have papered a large number of loans in the industry, on behalf of both businesses and lenders. This blog post identifies some considerations for lenders making plays in the industry.

Do Your Diligence.

Before making a loan of any type to a cannabis business, do your diligence. Like so many things related to cannabis businesses, this exercise is different than with standard businesses. There are several reasons for this: 1) cannabis businesses often have short or non-existent operating histories; 2) by extension, cannabis businesses often have limited financial information at hand (tax returns, P&Ls, etc.); 3) the financial projections for cannabis businesses are more speculative than for other businesses, due to market dynamism; and 4) regarding operations, cannabis businesses may be “license pending” and thus offer little to vet.

Altogether, these factors make it supremely important to vet the actual owners of the business, as well as whatever you can get on the enterprise. This means having a look at personal financials and assets, credit reports, asking for personal references and calling around, etc. And when it comes to diligence on the business, make sure you do more than simply run a UCC search and review financials. Ask for company agreements. After all, a business may have an oppressive lease or licensing agreement which makes it less likely to succeed, or it may have similar documents with contingent or springing security interests that diminish your repayment prospects.

Prepare to Be Vetted.

The cannabis business will look into you, of course. But the real vetting is likely to happen by the licensing authority. In Washington, for example, the two groups that must report to the Liquor Control Board are “true parties of interest” and “financiers.” In California, it’s “owners and financial interest holders.” And in Oregon, it’s anyone with a “financial interest.” Each of these terms is defined in each state’s ever-evolving administrative rules, but it’s very likely that as a lender, you will need to be disclosed and vetted by the licensing authority. This may entail submission of information on your business, if you have one, and/or its owners and spouses. It also usually means fingerprints, background checks, and having your name on file as a part of the public record.

Demand Security.

Arms-length loans are almost never unsecured, so this one is a no-brainer, and if a marijuana business pushes back, it should be a dealbreaker. The best type of collateral is something tangible, like real property (land) that is unencumbered by senior interests, or where foreclosure by a senior noteholder would not wipe out all available equity. But there are other types of collateral, too, like personal property (including intellectual property); and there is always the option for a convertible note. Finally, lenders often get creative with deposit control agreements and other collection levers.

In the personal property category, the noteworthy asset when lending to plant-touching businesses is the cannabis itself. Most states have procedures for secured creditors to take control of a cannabis business under provisional licensing authority, for liquidation purposes. But, before you sign up for this, ask yourself: Could I really see myself chopping down cannabis plants one day? Or paying a receiver to do that? If not, and if the business has no other valuable assets, this loan may not be right for you.

Demand Personal Guarantees.

This ties into the diligence and security categories. A personal guaranty is just an extension on whatever security you can otherwise acquire as a part of the loan. Make sure these guarantees are uniformly integrated into the loan documents, and that each guaranty is more than a cursory sentence appended to a promissory note. The personal guaranty should cover various contingencies, e.g.: What happens if the guarantor dies? Are there any allowances for its termination, aside from repayment of the loan? Etc. Also, consider whether your borrower resides in a community property state like Washington or California, where the guaranty may not attach to marital property.

Do Market (and Legal!) Research.

Lenders to the cannabis industry are getting better rates than almost anyone else. They are taking on more risk, and feeding an insatiable capital market. We have seen loans with interest rates up to 50%(!) for relatively quick turns, but we have also seen loans that do not conform with licensing rules, or with state lending and usury laws. The exercise here is to ascertain market norms, look at your prospective borrower’s situation, and consider these factors in the greater context of lending statutes and marijuana licensing program rules. Finally, balance what you think you can get against the decreasing odds of collection that inevitably come with higher interest rates and compact repayment schedules.