Business Basics | MJ Shareholders

Oregon Cannabis: Five Common Early Stage Mistakes

Oregon Recreational Marijuana Uncategorized December 13, 2018

Running a cannabis business is difficult and many people fail. There are a myriad of reasons why these ventures bottom out, although owners tend to blame federal law issues first of all. It’s true that federal law creates a tough environment for cannabis businesses (banking issues, tax issues, branding issues, etc.), but federal prohibition also…

Starting a Cannabis Business: What Contracts Do You Really Need?

Recreational Marijuana Uncategorized November 18, 2018

You can spend a lot of money on lawyers, accountants and consultants when starting a cannabis business. There is so much ground to cover from concept to execution– especially in a complex and highly regulated industry. Related to this issue, we have written on this blog about finding a team, and we have talked about…

Don’t Be a Marijuana Mooch!

Medical Marijuana Recreational Marijuana Uncategorized November 14, 2018

This morning when I went to the gym before work, I put on an NPR podcast that delved into the story of the FTC’s bust of David Diamond. Diamond is an infamous Angeleno who defrauded hundreds of people via telemarketing scams. In the podcast, the interviewee does a great job of explaining the common scammer…

Watching Your Backside in California Cannabis: Indemnification Issues

California Medical Marijuana Recreational Marijuana Uncategorized October 19, 2018

Don’t skim over that indemnification clause! Coming from Seattle to Los Angeles, I’ve already seen one state flip from being a “gray medical cannabis state” to a fully regulated licensing system and I understand how painful a process this can be. So much of what I saw in Washington... Read more

California Cannabis: Does Your Business Have a Website? If So, You Probably Need a Privacy Policy.

California Uncategorized October 13, 2018

No longer optional for your canna business website. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you’ve probably read about the host of sweeping new laws in California, like its new Internet of Things law, cannabis privacy law, or net neutrality law, to name just... Read more

Cannabis Cybersecurity: Information Security Standards in Oregon

Medical Marijuana Oregon Recreational Marijuana Uncategorized September 29, 2018

Last week we discussed the data breach notification laws with which cannabis companies doing business in Oregon must comply following a cyber intrusion. Today, we discuss the safeguards these companies must adopt to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of customers and employee (collectively, “Consumer”)’s personal information, who reside... Read more

Cannabis Non-Compete Agreement? Send it Up in Smoke.

Oregon Uncategorized September 26, 2018

Noncompetes aren’t always enforceable. Marijuana has been legal in Oregon for about three years now. Employees with specialized skills are starting to jump ship and head to competitors. What do you do, as an employer, if a candidate for employment shows you a non-competition agreement they signed with their... Read more

BREAKING NEWS: California Cannabis Businesses Face New Data Privacy Requirements

California Uncategorized September 21, 2018

California is taking steps to safeguard canna consumers. Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a new piece of privacy legislation—AB-2402—which places restrictions on how licensed cannabis companies in California share information about their customers. AB-2402 is significant in that it prevents licensed cannabis businesses from sharing expansive categories of... Read more

Buyer Beware: Buying and Selling Los Angeles Marijuana Dispensaries Under Proposition M

California Medical Marijuana Recreational Marijuana Uncategorized September 11, 2018

Be careful! It’s easy to slip up under Proposition M. I’ve written in the past about the precarious business of buying and selling existing dispensaries in Los Angeles, but that was under the now repealed Proposition D. In March of 2017, Angelenos voted in favor of Proposition M, which... Read more

California Cannabis Wake Up Call: Labeling and Proposition 65

California Medical Marijuana Recreational Marijuana Uncategorized August 24, 2018

Don’t sleep on Prop 65! Almost on a weekly basis, clients ask our California cannabis attorneys to review and provide advice and guidance on their packaging and labeling for their cannabis and cannabis products pursuant to California’s Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA). This means that... Read more