When voters approved Proposition 64 in November, the promise was that by Jan. 1, 2018, recreational cannabis users could walk into a licensed store to purchase their favorite strain of marijuana. Meanwhile, the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act, which involves a number of new regulations for medical cannabis sales,…
With the election over and recreational marijuana approved by California voters, people still have many questions about what this is going to mean in their day-to-day lives. One of the most common questions our marijuana lawyers receive: “Am I now exempted from an employer drug test?” Unfortunately, no. Although recreational…
As we head into 2017, there is a great deal of uncertainty about what a Trump administration will mean for those in the marijuana industry in California and beyond. Cannabis advocates and industry players are struggling with attempting to formulate a strategy when no one knows exactly what the President-elect…
A South California town is positioning itself to be a mecca of cannabis cultivation in the coming years. The vision is complete with “bud and breakfast” resorts and “soak and toke” mineral spas. In Desert Hot Springs, property developers are planning cannabis cultivation and distribution businesses that will serve as…
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, characterized as an “exit interview,” President Barack Obama shifted his position on marijuana once again. He stated flat-out that use of marijuana for recreational purposes should be treated the same way we treat alcohol or tobacco. He characterized marijuana as a public…
Over the last eight years, the federal government’s approach to marijuana prosecution and civil action evolved. Although it was never within President Obama’s power to legalize the drug nationally himself, he oversaw a Department of Justice that was initially dogged in its pursuit of marijuana entrepreneurs, and later much more…
While the marijuana laws in the U.S. are gradually becoming more relaxed, in the United Kingdom, the drug remains a Class B substance, which means simple possession can result in a five-year prison term. Those caught supplying the drug can face up to 14 years in prison. Yet there are…
No matter how many states legalize recreational marijuana, the corporate policies of private companies can play a big role in whether people will actually imbibe. A recent study by the American Public Health Association, presented in Denver, delved into the issue of what mattered most to those in five state…
Regardless of what the marijuana laws are in individual states, those who cultivate, process, store, package and distribute marijuana remain at risk for criminal penalties and civil forfeiture so long as federal statutes outlaw the drug. Case-in-point: In January, officials with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, alongside police officers from…
A Forbes finance and technology reporter recently explored the ways in which the legalization of marijuana across the country has created a scramble for those in the real estate industry. Snapping up commercial warehouses and other properties that will be desirable for marijuana cultivation, processing and distribution is a focus…