Los Angeles marijuana business attorney

July 14, 2019

Will Regulators Bust Marijuana Business Monopolies Before They Bud?

The threat of marijuana monopolies seem like a tangible possibility in many markets across California, where costly regulation, a still-thriving black market and retail “slotting” practices that charge up to $50,000 a month for prime shelf space. Small cannabis companies are being squeezed for every penny, a growing number broke and out of the game. marijuana monopoly

Monopolies run contrary to basic free-market capitalism, and both federal and state laws exist to break them up.

In the California cannabis industry, the fear is that monopolies or near-monopolies will lead to reduced product quality, fewer mom-and-pop small businesses and more revenue funneled to large outside entities.

In some regions, just getting in the game in the first place without money or clout proves an efficient enough barrier. This is suspected by some in the city of Oceanside, an hour south of Los Angeles. Continue reading

March 9, 2019

Pot Quiz: California College Add Cannabis to the Curriculum

By Cannabis Law Group

For a long time, marijuana’s illegal status under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act has barred study of the plant for most scholars. And while that law (still) has not changed, The Cannabis Law Firm in Los Angeles is aware of an increasing number of colleges adding so-called “marijuana majors” to the roster of available higher education options. marijuana lawyer

According to VOANews.com, a number of colleges have launched four-year degrees in in marijuana-related studies, such as medical plant chemistry, marijuana policy and law. Courses focus on the technical, horticultural, legal, social and political impacts of the plant in all areas of society.

As a law firm that has been focused on representing California marijuana businesses for nearly the last two decades, it’s been encouraging to see these areas of study morph from something of a joke to a field of studies that even Ivy League schools are taking very seriously, fully intent on preparing students for a blossoming career field. Continue reading

March 4, 2019

Law Firm Sues U.S. Customs & Border Protection Over Canadian Workers Banned for Cannabis

By Cannabis Law Group

Since cannabis was legalized in cannabis last year, there has been swelling concern that Canadians could be banned from entering the U.S. just for being honest about whether they worked in Canada’s legal marijuana industry. Our California cannabis lawyers understand that fear has now come to fruition, and a law firm in Washington State is suing the federal government demanding to know the authority on which the government is basing its actions, which include lifetime bans on U.S. entry to Canadian cannabis workers. marijuana attorney

The concern is that such action is poised to have a chilling effect not only on U.S.-Canadian relations, but also on the Canadian cannabis industry. Los Angeles marijuana business attorneys know that the CBP officers are empowered with very broad discretion not only to question those who wish to travel into the U.S. on a wide range of subjects. What’s less clear is what authority these officers or the agency in general has to issue lifetime bans into the country, particularly from our northern neighbors.

The Toronto Star reports the legal team behind the suit includes a former U.S. attorney now in private practice. The lawyer’s team alleges the U.S government has unlawfully withheld documents requested by his firm in accordance with the Freedom of Information ACT (FOIA) specifically pertaining to the practice of Canadian cannabis worker border bans.

January 30, 2019

California Marijuana Pulling Major Investors; Cannabis Lawyer Can Advise Investors on Liability

By Cannabis Law Group

California’s marijuana industry is seeing some major money, with investors pouring millions of dollars into new bud ventures. Recently, Esquire reported San Francisco 49ers football legend and four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana was part of a $75 million investment made on a California marijuana company. Our Los Angeles marijuana investment attorneys know this was actually the second time Montana had gone in on such a venture, the first time pouring funds into a Canadian marijuana media company called Herb, which as of mid-2017 had raised $4.1 million to expand its venture to the U.S. Los Angeles marijuana lawyer

Montana explained his reasons as somewhat philanthropic, saying he supports the industry as a whole because he believes in the power of the plant to offer pain relief with the potential to blunt the raging opioid crisis. (A number of retired football players have said they prefer pot for pain management.) And yet, he himself won’t cop to being a cannabis user, something that still apparently speaks to the stigma that followed the drug for so long. There is also a possibility that he, like many marijuana investors, is reticent to speak too much no the topic given the fact the drug is still illegal at the federal level.

Los Angeles marijuana investment attorneys know that first of all, the profile of cannabis company investors differs from that of the norm. Part of this is because many of the cannabis start-ups are simply too small to go for the big fish. What they can do is seek buy-in from single, high net-worth individuals. Another reason these arrangements are atypical is because investors need to know there are some elements that are a bit in the legal gray zone. Huge firms aren’t likely to buy-in for such a risk with relatively low returns (compared to their average). Most of this stems from the fact cannabis remains categorized as a Schedule I narcotic. Continue reading