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The federal rescheduling of marijuana has been a topic of conversation within the marijuana industry since President Biden’s statement requesting that the secretary of health and human services (HHS) and the attorney general (AG) “initiate the administrative process to review expeditiously how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.”[1] However, the Supreme Court’s recent decision overturning the Chevron doctrine adds an additional layer to an already complicated process. While the exact impact of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo[2] on the cannabis industry remains to be seen, this article explores the way in which it may impact the pending rescheduling.Continue Reading Navigating the New Legal Landscape: The Impact of Loper Bright on Federal Marijuana Rescheduling

Tennessee and Mississippi attorney generals (AG), joined by 13 other states, filed a multistate lawsuit in the Southern District of Mississippi. The lawsuit challenges the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) attempt to expand the breadth of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) antidiscrimination provision, known as Section 1557. This section prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. HHS’ new rule, which is scheduled to take effect on July 5, extends the definition of sex to encompass gender identity. The AGs argue that HHS’ expansion of the ACA provision will have undesirable effects on the medical industry. They claim that the promulgation of this new rule is also unconstitutional and interferes with states’ reserved powers.Continue Reading Tennessee and Mississippi AGs Sue the HHS Over New Antidiscrimination Rule

Only one day after reports surfaced that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will proceed with rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) reintroduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA or the Act), a nearly 300-page bill that would create a framework for the comprehensive regulation and taxation of cannabis in the United States. Then, on May 16th, the Department of Justice issued its notice of proposed rulemaking to reschedule cannabis to Schedule III. Administrative and legislative approaches to cannabis reform each have their own strengths and weakness that must be carefully considered. In addition, these competing approaches offer an opportunity to highlight the political differences between administrative and legislative policy reform at the federal level.Continue Reading The Enemy of the Good: Comparing Administrative v. Legislative Approaches to Cannabis Reform

On April 6, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights (HHS) called for public comment on an existing statutory provision that provides a safe harbor for entities that have voluntarily implemented “recognized security practices” as part of their compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The scope…