California Marijuana Dispensaries

January 4, 2017

Marijuana Industry Poised to Generate Many New Jobs

With marijuana now legal in some capacity in more than half of all states, the industry is poised to see a job boom over the next few years. business

Even prior to the election, industry analysis conducted by ArcView group and GreenWave Advisors tallied that the industry was worth somewhere between $4.8 billion and $5.4 billion in 2015, with projections that it would hit $6.5 billion to $6.7 billion this year. Both groups say the industry will surpass $20 billion nationally by 2020, while others, such as Marijuana Business Daily, is opining growth could be up to $40 billion over the next five years. Those estimates are only going up since the results of the November election, when eight states – including California – voting to legalize the drug in some capacity. Here, recreational use and possession is now permitted, and regulations are being worked out to determine the guidelines for production and sales.

Already, some individuals who got in early enough – when the field was still quite new and very risky – have struck a veritable gold mine. One entrepreneur in Denver opened a dispensary there in 2009 called Medicine Man. Now, several of his family members are on board, running nine businesses that employ over 100 workers in total. Employees at his country make anywhere from a starting salary of $13-an-hour, all the way up to six-figure positions for working in critical management roles. Continue reading

January 2, 2017

Marijuana is Legal in California, But Employers Can Still Use it Against You

By Cannabis Law Group

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. buds

Although recreational use of the drug is now legal, the new law specifically holds that companies have the right to keep a drug- and alcohol-free workplace. They reserve the right to hang onto policies that disallow the use of marijuana by workers or prospective workers. Many employers in contact with cannabis advocacy group California NORML say they intend to keep their current drug screening policies, many of which do not allow the use of marijuana.

Companies say it’s not just that they are trying to be a stick in the mud. Those in human resources explain there are some legal concerns, first as far as federal law goes. Although California law now allows recreational and medicinal use, the federal government does not. The second concern stems from liability. A worker who is required to operate heavy machinery or be on high alert cannot be under the influence of any substance, including marijuana. Continue reading

December 25, 2016

South California Town Seeks to be Cannabis Cultivation Mecca

By Cannabis Law Group

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. marijuana

In Desert Hot Springs, property developers are planning cannabis cultivation and distribution businesses that will serve as a prime location for the budding recreational marijuana industry. Leaders see the sites open for business by 2018. For example, one property developer is planning to be Southern California’s first stand-alone cannabis extraction facility in an old welding shop that used to be a barn. Other property owners are planning greenhouses that will span tens of thousands of square feet and destinations for locals and tourists alike.

With the passage of Proposition 64, California voters opened the door to what will soon be the single largest legal marijuana market in the country. Desert Hot Springs is one of those that is preparing to capitalize on that prospect. Characterized as a “bedroom community,” Desert Hot Springs is located in Coachella Valley and has a population of 26,000. It was the first community in Southern California to green light large-scale growth of marijuana. Currently, there are two dozen new marijuana businesses, and the hope is many more will be added over the next two years. Continue reading

December 8, 2016

First Marijuana Debit Payment App Allows Ease of Legal Transactions

By Cannabis Law Group

One of the greatest difficulties for the marijuana industry – since its beginning – was a lack of access to banking. Federal statutes defining marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic have meant that banks agreeing to handle a marijuana company’s finances would risk criminal charges for money laundering. debit card

As it still stands, Visa and Mastercard have made it explicitly clear they will not work with marijuana retail companies until the federal government changes the law and legalizes the drug. But that could mean opportunity for some other financial firms willing to take the risk.

Now, an app called CanPay has announced the creation of the very first debit payment solution available to buyers of cannabis in Colorado, Washington and Oregon. Continue reading

December 4, 2016

More States Approve Medical Marijuana, DEA Still Refuses to Acknowledge Benefits

By Cannabis Law Group

As it stands now following the most recent election, more than half the states in the U.S. – 28 – now have legalized marijuana use for those with certain medical conditions.

Still, this has yet to change the hard line stance of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), where officials insist the classification of marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic is not going to budge. As a Schedule I drug, as defined in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, that means marijuana has not only a high risk of abuse, but also no accepted medical use. Other drugs in that same category include LSD, heroin and ecstasy. Consider that methamphetamine, which is known to be highly addictive and rapidly destructive to the lives of individuals and communities, is a classified as a lesser Schedule II narcotic, meaning there is a high risk of abuse that could lead to dependence, though there may be some accepted medical uses, though they are still tightly restricted.

The DEA has reasoned that only the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has the authority to make the determination of whether a drug has an accepted use as medicine. So far, that has not happened. That’s why even in states that allow medical marijuana, doctors don’t “write prescriptions” for marijuana. Technically, they can only recommend that it be filled at a local dispensary. Continue reading

November 18, 2016

Tainted Marijuana Health Alert Issued by Oregon Officials

By Cannabis Law Group

A series of cannabis-related health alerts was issued in Oregon recently, after health officials cited concerns over high levels of pesticide residue on some batches. marijuana

According to The Oregonian, the first alert in mid-October concerned two strains sold by a Portland-area dispensary called New Leave that had high levels of an insecticide called spinosad. The marijuana was sold to some 130 consumers over two days. The strains were dubbed, “Dr. Jack” and “Marion Berry.” The Oregon Health Authority reported the spinosad levels in the former batch were 42 parts per million while the latter had 22 parts per million. The maximum allowable by health regulations is 0.2 parts per million.

The second alert came earlier this month when it was determined that three strains of marijuana flowers sold from dispensaries in North Bend, Eugene and Salem also had unsafe levels of spinosad. One of those batches, “Dutch Treat,” sold in Eugene to about 30 people, had 0.9 parts per million of the chemical. Meanwhile, two other strains – Dryzle and Pleeze – were sold to approximately 340 people at two dispensaries between mid-to-late October. Those strains had high levels of a chemical called piperonyl butoxide, which in itself is not a pesticide, but is a powerful and potentially dangerous ingredient that is only allowed to have 2 parts per million. In the Pleeze and Dryzl strains, there were between 15.39 and 16.24 parts per million, based on independent lab tests. Continue reading

November 2, 2016

California Cannabis Could Be What Autos Are to Detroit

By Cannabis Law Group

A recent report by the University of the Pacific in Stockton revealed that California’s capital region of Stockton could be on the receiving end of some 20,000 jobs and $4.2 billion in business revenue if the state approves legalized marijuana for recreation. cash

The study comes several weeks before voters are slated to decide whether to legalize the drug. The research was commissioned by Truth Enterprises, a marijuana investment company – one of hundreds that are hoping voters turn out and vote “Yes” on this issue next week.

Daniel Conway, former chief of staff to the mayor in Sacramento as well as to former NBA star Kevin Johnson, is now the managing partner at TE. He says California (and Sacramento in particular) should be to marijuana what Detroit, MI is to automobiles or what Sonoma and Napa are to wine. However, should local leaders in that region chose to stifle the number and types of cannabis companies that are allowed to operate, researchers found that legalization at the state level would bring only about 1,600 jobs and revenue/ wages/ economic growth of about $322 million. Continue reading

October 18, 2016

Medical Marijuana for Pets

By Cannabis Law Group

While we normally think of medical marijuana for use on human patients, there is actually an increasing demand for medical cannabis products designed for use by pets according to a recent news article from the New York Times. A woman interviewed for the article discuss how medical marijuana has helped her cat and how she is part of a growing customer base.

cat-1404368-300x240 This woman owned a 12-year-old cat that was suffering from severe arthritis. As anyone who owns an aging pet can tell you, cats and dogs often suffer from arthritis just like humans do and it is hard to watch our beloved animals struggle to get around and go up and down steps. This cat would spend its time hiding in a closet on a thick layer of blankets provided by its owner as means of dealing with the painful joint condition. Continue reading

October 16, 2016

Closed California Prison to Become Marijuana Farm

By Cannabis Law Group

As discussed in a recent news article from The Fader, one medical marijuana producer is partnering with another large company to turn a closed California state penitentiary into a large medical marijuana farm. The company with which he has chosen to partner is a well known manufacturer of medical marijuana oils and extracts. Extracts are a growing sector of the business and they can be sold directly to patients or used by those who manufacture edible marijuana products.

handcuffs6 The prison that will house this new marijuana farm is the Clermont Custody Center located in Coalinga, California. It was purchased by this investor for just over $4 million and a restructuring of county debt in the amount of $3.3 million. Continue reading

October 14, 2016

California’s New Medical Marijuana Czar Takes Over

By Cannabis Law Group

As part of the the major medical marijuana laws that have recently gone into effect in California, the state is now stepping in to regulate and provide oversight into the growing medical marijuana industry. Since medical marijuana was first approved in 1996, many saw California as a second iteration of the Wild West in terms of medical marijuana legislation, or more appropriately in terms of regulations at a statewide level, a lack there of. For the most part, it was up to the individual cities, counties and municipalities to decide if dispensaries and grow operations would be allowed in their respective jurisdiction, and if so, how and where they could operate.

marijuana1 The new comprehensive state level reforms called for the creation of a new executive agency to regulate medical marijuana as well as a person to head that agency who has been called the medical marijuana czar similar to the way in which “czars” are appointed at the federal level to handle regulation and oversight of certain industries and initiatives. Somewhat ironically, the best known czar in the federal government was the drug czar who was responsible for leading the fight in the so-called War on Drugs. Continue reading