Los Angeles Marijuana Dispensaries

May 11, 2017

San Diego Ordered to Return $100,000 to Medical Marijuana Business Owner

Marijuana Business Daily reports a superior court judge ruled San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumani and her office must pay $100,000 in restitution to the owner of a medical marijuana business and his family. This is in connection with money and assets taken during a police raid that occurred in January 2016.

LA Medical Marijuana Attorney This raid was conducted at a medical marijuana facility in San Diego. The facility was used to distribute CO2 extracted medical cannabis products. CO2 extraction involves the use of super critical carbon dioxide as a solvent to extract essential oils from plants. In the case of medical marijuana, the oils are extracted from mostly the trim of marijuana plants to make oils and tinctures that can be used for various medical applications. Continue reading

May 11, 2017

Maryland Moves Forward on Medical Marijuana Program Finally

By Cannabis Law Group

Medical marijuana was approved in Maryland more than five years ago. One might think that is enough time to get the program up and running, but that has not been the case. There are no open grow operations, and there are no dispensaries. However, according to a recent news article from The Baltimore Sun, that is all expected to change by early fall 2017. Despite this news, many prospective medical marijuana patients are of the, “I’ll believe it when I see it” state of mind until the dispensaries actually open.

marijuana lawyer The first problem that affects states all over the country is that federal law prohibits the transportation (trafficking) of medical marijuana across state lines. This means that any medical cannabis sold in the state must be grown and processed in the state as well. This means that there must be grow operations, and the state decided that that there should 15 of them. This is more than other states, but it still makes for a very competitive and potentially politically charged process. Continue reading

April 28, 2017

New Rules for California Medical Marijuana

By Cannabis Law Group

According to the San Francisco Gate, medical marijuana patients may soon have safer and cleaner medical cannabis. However, this cleaner and safer marijuana will come at an increased cost of around 10 percent, based upon a new regulations package from the state.

courthouse These new regulations are in the form of what are known as draft rules that have been promulgated by the three state agencies that have oversight over the medical marijuana business. This rules package will affect how medical marijuana is gown, processed and distributed throughout the entire state. Continue reading

April 23, 2017

A New Attempt to Move Marijuana to Schedule III

By Cannabis Law Group

While there have been drug laws on the books for many years, it was the inclusion of marijuana as a Schedule I drug on the U.S. Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (USCSA) that has been the biggest obstacle to the cannabis business being treated like the successful business that it is.

marijuana buds A Schedule I drug is considered very dangerous, has a high rate of addiction, and has no acceptable medicinal use. While this description is clearly ridiculous when talking about marijuana, this is where Congress has scheduled it and doesn’t seem willing to do anything about it, and there have been several attempts. Continue reading

March 12, 2017

Marijuana Pipe Maker Suing for Alleged Counterfeit Bongs

By Cannabis Law Group

Bong manufacturing has come a long way from the days of the homemade versions, usually involving a used, two-liter bottle. There were always companies that produced higher-end pipes and bongs, but it was always something of an underground scene and very much a niche market. bong

Today, people purchase certain pipes to impress. Although technically both marijuana and the tools used to smoke are outlawed by federal statute, there are still companies carving out a market for themselves. In fact, they can be much sought-after status symbols, with the higher-end models selling for anywhere from $1,000 all the way up to $4,000. Some are even diamond-studded, and certain brands pride themselves on being top-of-the-line.

Despite the illegality under federal law, one manufacturer is availing itself of the remedy of federal court, where it has filed a complaint to protect both its brand and its sales from alleged counterfeit bong makers. Continue reading

January 17, 2017

Marijuana Software Companies Seek to Cash In

By Cannabis Law Group

California was the first state in the U.S. to legalize marijuana as medicine, and currently has the largest legal market for marijuana in the nation. However, it does not yet have a system in place for the government to track the drug. This is standard protocol for other types of pharmaceuticals and other states with legal marijuana have adopted similar protocols. computer

For example, in Colorado, there is a system in place called the Radio-Frequency Identification, which uses microchips to follow plants from the time they are grown to the dispensary and sale. It is noted whether the plant is processed into an oil or edible or whether it is distributed as medicine. Having this type of a system ensures plants are legally grown and sold according to the law.

Beginning in February, a number of software companies will begin submitting proposals to the state, vying to be chosen as the company tapped to track California marijuana. Continue reading

January 16, 2017

California Pot Dispensaries Seek Sleeker Look

By Cannabis Law Group

Part of legitimizing the marijuana industry in California involves making sure the storefront operations are inviting, secure and professional. That’s why, as The Los Angeles Times recently reported, an increasing number of marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles are modeling their operations after one of California’s most successful companies: Apple. customerservice

One example noted was in Santa Monica, where salespeople don bright red t-shirts and cheerfully greet patrons. The merchandise is lined up carefully on chic wooden tables adorned by iPads. The reporter couldn’t help but draw parallels to the successful technology firm. But the gadgets laid out for display weren’t iPods – they were vape pens, for consumption of marijuana and derivatives.

This is a stark departure from the days of burglar bars and bullet-proof glass. Some are calling it a “makeover,” but it’s part of a strategic plan by marijuana dispensaries in California to establish some legitimacy in the market. This mirrors the advancing power and presence of the industry on the national stage. Continue reading

December 31, 2016

Has Your Cannabis Dispensary Staff Received Adequate Training?

By Cannabis Law Group

Some locations call them, “budtenders.” Others refer to them as “patient liaisons” or “compassion care technicians” or “dispensary agents.” Although there is no single formal title or degree, these individuals are responsible for working behind the counters of California’s marijuana dispensaries. class

Our L.A. marijuana dispensary attorneys are often asked about the required training for those in these roles. Although there is no legal requirement or state-approved course that budtenders have to pass, it can be a smart move for a business to seek advanced education for their dispensary workers. A new study published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research revealed 55 percent of dispensary staff (medical and non-medical) had some type of formal training for their position. Twenty percent had some form of medical or scientific training. Meanwhile, approximately 94 percent reported they provide specific cannabis advice to patients. Many of these patients are seeking advice on specific strains that can help them with a variety of ailments, form post-traumatic stress disorder to chronic pain to seizures. It helps if the staff knows what they are selling, not just from a customer service standpoint but potentially from a liability standpoint.

California was the first state to allow medicinal marijuana and recently joined a growing number of states that now allow recreational marijuana (though detailed regulations are still being ironed out). On Jan. 1st, 2018, a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown will go into effect that has a number of requirements that could make training even more valuable. Among those requirements include tracing requirements, record-keeping, streamlined systems for transportation, quality assurance testing standards and robust labeling/ packaging/ product handling and security. Continue reading

December 30, 2016

“Where Can I Smoke Pot?” and Other Prop. 64 Questions

By Cannabis Law Group

California voters in November approved Prop. 64, which effectively legalized marijuana for recreational users and also issued some guidelines for how cultivation and sales should be regulated. But there are a lot of questions floating around in the interim. marijuana buds

Some of the questions being raised include:

Where can I buy recreational marijuana?
Where can I smoke it?
Are there going to be tougher penalties for driving while stoned, especially now that it’s become more common?
Can those serving jail or prison time for marijuana-related crimes seek commutation?

Marijuana businesses, cultivation farms, dispensaries, landlords, doctors and collectives would do well to consult with an experienced marijuana lawyer when formulating a business plan. Those who are facing criminal penalties should do the same, as well as those who are serving time and weighing the possibility of an appeal or request to have their sentences commuted. Continue reading

December 14, 2016

Anti-Marijuana Officials Appointed to Trump’s Cabinet

By Cannabis Law Group

President-Elect Donald J. Trump has now appointed two individuals to his cabinet who are decidedly against the legalization of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes.

First up is Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Trump’s pick for attorney general. Sessions has a strong record of opposing marijuana reform, saying just this past April during a legislative hearing that, “Good people don’t smoke marijuana.” He added that Washington needed “grown-ups in charge,” who would be willing to assert that marijuana is “not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized.”

Then, Trump appointed Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) to the post of Secretary of Health and Human Services. A consistently anti-marijuana politician, his position could afford him even greater control over whether the drug is available for medical purposes. Continue reading