On November 18, a bipartisan group of attorneys general from Arizona, Connecticut, North Dakota, and Vermont (Attorneys General) jointly submitted a letter offering commentary on the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) to congressional leaders. In it, the Attorneys General stressed the importance of establishing a “cooperative federal-state partnership” that strikes the right balance to

There are many unique challenges to consider when it comes to opening or investing in a cannabis business. Residency requirements, or prohibitions on licensure of nonresidents, are one that may soon see their end. In other industries, requirements that business licenses be reserved for residents of a certain state are largely a thing of the

On October 13, the Supreme Court of Minnesota barred an employee from getting reimbursed for medical marijuana treatment for a work-related injury.[1] Although the employee was entitled to reimbursement from her employer under state law, the court found that the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) preempted state law. The decision highlights the latest episode of tension between marijuana’s federal listing as a Schedule I controlled substance — which includes drugs with “no currently accepted medical treatment use”[2] — and states that have authorized marijuana for medical treatment.
Continue Reading “Aid” or “Aiding and Abetting?” Medical Marijuana and Federal Preemption in Minnesota

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed California Assembly Bill 45 (AB 45) into law, which, among other things, allows hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) to be included in any food, beverages, and dietary supplements sold in California. This is not only a break from California’s prior position prohibiting CBD from being included in such products even as the

It is widely known that trafficking in controlled substances is a crime under federal law. Traffickers and would-be traffickers be warned, however, that if you do choose to make income from trafficking in Schedule I or II controlled substances (including cannabis, cocaine, or psychedelic mushrooms), that income is fully taxable by the U.S. government. And,

The House of Representatives has approved cannabis banking legislation for the fifth time. Will this be the year the Senate finally approves this legislation?

Overview. The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act is legislation that “would allow marijuana-related businesses in states with some form of legalized marijuana and strict regulatory structures to access the

Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, Cory Booker, and Ron Wyden recently unveiled the latest legislative attempt to make cannabis legal at the federal level. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) is not the first attempt of its kind — several iterations of the MORE Act and the SAFE Banking Act have been introduced multiple times.