Here in the western states, the conflict between strict federal marijuana laws and increasingly-permissive state marijuana laws has created much confusion. The public, government officials, and even police officers on the front lines of marijuana law enforcement seem unable to reach a consensus on what cases will be prosecuted and…
It’s a new trend, but one that perhaps should not be surprising to Californians. More and more couples are choosing to make marijuana part of their special day. From cannabis buds in fl oral arrangements to marijuana favors for guests, there are many ways to incorporate marijuana into the more…
Like business owners in any industry, cannabis entrepreneurs must prepare for the various taxes which will be levied by state and local governments. This can be an overwhelming task – especially in the current environment of unsettled regulations and uncertain administrative policies. However, strategic planning can devise tax strategies which…
Local and state government agencies across California have a significant amount of work to do before January 2, 2018. Proposition 64 – The Adult Use of Marijuana Act – provided that the state would issue business licenses for recreational marijuana sales no later than January 1, 2018. (Because January 1…
Recreational sales of marijuana in California will be legal by next year, yet most financial institutions refuse to allow marijuana companies to open up business accounts. Entrepreneurs remain uncertain of how to manage a legitimate business when they’ve got mountains of cash to manage. They are asking the state and/…
Marijuana has been legalized – slowly – in more than half the states in the U.S., either for medicinal or recreational purposes (26 in all). And yet, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (the non-profit that regulates athletes in some 1,300 programs and organizes athletic programs in many colleges and universities…
Proponents of the failed “War on Drugs” have long characterized marijuana as a “gateway” drug, meaning it opens the doors to use of heavier, more dangerous narcotics. But now, a new drug rehabilitation center in Los Angeles is touting cannabis as an “exit” drug – a way out of the…
Cannabis businesses have many legal issues with which to contend, from banking to bud-tending. Commercial leases for cannabis businesses raise special concerns for both landlords and tenants. Because of the federal civil asset forfeiture program, which allows the U.S. Justice Department to seize assets of any real property used to…
Federal banking regulations have made the operation of a cannabis business both a complicated and dangerous proposition. Because cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law, any transactions made at a cannabis business operating lawfully under state law are, nonetheless, considered illegal drug money under federal…
It is a logical contradiction, but one which can benefit cannabis entrepreneurs: despite being banned by federal law, marijuana and marijuana products can be protected by federal patents. Problems with theory and logic notwithstanding, cannabis business owners can protect and enhance their business interests with an understanding of the patent…