Is Hemp CBD Really Unlawful in California?
CaliforniaHempUncategorized November 30, 2019
Dozens of times per month, I am asked by clients and potential clients whether hemp-derived cannabidiol (“Hemp CBD”) products are legal in California. With almost any other product, I can give an easy “yes” or “no” answer. But with Hemp CBD, my answer usually takes five to ten minutes to explain and ultimately ends with…
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How Will the USDA Hemp Rules Affect California?
CaliforniaHempUncategorized November 15, 2019
In mid-October, California Governor Gavin Newsom approved a bill (SB-153) that dramatically changed California’s hemp cultivation laws. The bill was clearly intended to bring California closer into harmony with the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills, in anticipation for the state’s ultimate submission of a statewide hemp production plan to the U.S. Department of Food and…
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Top 6 Growing Pains in California’s Cannabis Marketplace
CaliforniaMedical MarijuanaRecreational MarijuanaUncategorized November 12, 2019
Every state that’s legalized cannabis for adults 21-and-up has faced that moment or even series of moments that threatened to really derail or seriously stymie market development. California is at that crossroads and has been almost from the outset of the first issuances of cannabis licenses back in January 2018. California will, of course, eventually…
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A New California Law Will Affect Marijuana and Hemp Businesses Across the Nation
CaliforniaUncategorized November 10, 2019
We’ve been writing a lot lately about recent major changes in federal hemp laws that will likely affect every hemp company in the United States (see here, here, and here). While we’re on the topic of dramatic legal changes, it’s probably a good idea to talk about a California privacy law that’s about to take…
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Cannabis Topicals and Cosmetics: Join Us November 20th in Marina Del Rey!
CaliforniaHempUncategorized November 8, 2019
On November 20th, our own Alison Malsbury will lead a presentation on CBD & Cosmetics at the 2019 Emerging Issues Conference in Marina del Rey, California. Her presentation will focus on the contentious landscape of hemp and CBD topical products, which she has most recently written about here and here. As CBD continues to impact markets…
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Getting a cannabis license in Los Angeles has been notoriously difficult—and may be about to get worse as news dropped last week that a Los Angeles City Council member is recommending that the most recent phase of licensing applications essentially be suspended. For some background on LA’s complicated licensing process, it has proceeded to date…
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California Cannabis: Department of Business Oversight Issues Somewhat Helpful Guidance to Financial Institutions
CaliforniaRecreational MarijuanaUncategorized October 30, 2019
Earlier this month, on October 3, the California Department of Business Oversight (the “DBO”) issued a Cannabis Banking Guidance memorandum to its state-chartered financial institutions (banks and credit unions) to help them make appropriate risk assessments in serving cannabis-related businesses and comply with federal guidelines. The memorandum is in the form of an extensive questionnaire. The…
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California Cannabis Bill Roundup for October 2019
CaliforniaMedical MarijuanaRecreational MarijuanaUncategorized October 29, 2019
Seems like not a month goes by in California where the Assembly isn’t trying to pass a slew of cannabis bills to help regulate the state’s industry under the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (“MAUCRSA”). And October was no different. As of October 13, 2019, California has some new cannabis laws on…
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California’s New Housing Laws and Cannabis in Residential Leasing
CaliforniaReal EstateUncategorized October 23, 2019
Recently, Governor Newsom signed 18 bills aimed to combat the housing crisis in California, including the Tenant Protection Act of 2019. The California Association of Realtors argues this new statewide rent control law will “impose onerous standards upon small property owners and, in turn, exacerbate the state’s housing crisis.” When I spoke at the California Association…
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Five Common Problems in California Cannabis M&A Transactions
CaliforniaUncategorized October 21, 2019
Now that we’re about two years into California cannabis licensing, our California cannabis attorneys are seeing a huge uptick in mergers and acquisitions in the cannabis space. It’s critical for potential M&A transactions to understand California cannabis laws and regulations and ensure that any M&A contracts are drafted with the regulations in mind. This is…
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