California cannabis businesses

September 20, 2022

California Cannabis Businesses Should Prepare for DCC Inspections

California cannabis businesses should steel themselves for the reality of an unannounced inspection by state Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) compliance officers – some of whom have been showing up armed at inspection sites. California cannabis company inspections

As our Los Angeles marijuana business lawyers can explain, it’s not the first time pot shops have been subject to inspections. It’s just that officials handling it in the past typically gave companies a heads-up – often several days of notice – before showing up. But according to recent reports, there has been a surge of drop-in, no-notice inspections. The 24-to-48-hour heads-up is no longer something your company can count on.

Given that even minor transgressions or oversights might compromise your ability to keep your doors open, it’s imperative that licensed California cannabis businesses be ready for a DCC inspection out of the clear blue sky.

Prime Targets of California DCC Inspections

If a company isn’t following state marijuana law and guidelines to the letter, DCC can issue citations, fines, and even license revocation. As this new aggressive inspection campaign is under way, it’s unclear how nit-picky inspectors are going to be, but we do know the agency has expressly stated there are a few major compliance rules on which they’ll be devoting a heavy focus. Those include: Continue reading

January 12, 2018

Colorado Authorities Shut Down 26 Cannabis Businesses

By Cannabis Law Group

Marijuana has become legal in many states across the country, for both medical and recreational use. California is the latest states to pave the way for recreational cannabis businesses through the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2018.

But just because a state has legalized cannabis does not mean there is a marijuana free-for-all with no rules or consequences.

For example, Colorado voters passed Amendment 64 in 2012, allowing for personal recreational use of marijuana for adults over 21. Sales began in the state in 2014. But recently 26 legal cannabis businesses were shut down by authorities in Denver.

All of the operations were either store fronts or growing facilities operating under the Sweet Leaf name. While the operations were licensed and legal, they had been under investigation for the past year on suspicion the businesses were exceeding individual sales limits set by the state. Colorado regulations restrict possession to one ounce or less of marijuana per adult. Continue reading

September 13, 2017

Marijuana Industry Revives a Solar Ghost Town

By Cannabis Law Group

Like any law, Proposition 64 (California’s Adult Use of Marijuana Act) brought mixed public opinions from both advocates and opponents of marijuana use. Of the many benefits touted by advocates, there is perhaps one surprising example that has been quietly overlooked. The marijuana industry is poised to revive the tiny community of Nipton, California. cannabis business lawyers

Nipton is a small historic mining camp located in the remote Mojave Desert. After the camp was abandoned it was left as a ghost town. The Los Angeles Times reports that it cycled through eight private owners before being sold to American Green for five million dollars. American Green, a cannabis company, plans to turn the town into both a retreat for cannabis enthusiasts and a distribution center for larger manufacturing operations. Continue reading