By Dr. John Oram Op-Ed More than a year after California became the sixth state to legalize adult-use marijuana, the legal cannabis industry has yet to live up to the high expectations envisioned by supporters of Proposition 64. The number of retail licenses issued is thousands less than state officials originally estimated and state revenue […]
California
The California Bureau of Cannabis Control’s Final Regulations Immigration Impact on Foreign “Owners”
By Griffen Thorne & Akshat Divatia, Attorneys at Harris Bricken On January 16, 2019, each of the three California cannabis agencies dropped a final set of regulations. In many senses, the Bureau of Cannabis Control’s (“BCC”) regulations were the most comprehensive and expansive (we summarized some of the highlights here, and summarized the highlights of […]
California’s retail marijuana industry is struggling. Will tax breaks and banks help?
Unfriendly banks, high taxes and black-market competitors are some of the obstacles that licensed cannabis companies say hold them back as they try to cultivate a new industry in California. Some California lawmakers want to give them a hand, and they’re considering a set of bills that would in ways great and small fine tune […]
Now you can get cannabis delivered to you anywhere in California, even in cities that ban pot
Until now, companies trying to deliver weed to doorsteps around the state – the companies trying to follow the letter of the law, anyway – have faced a daunting patchwork of local regulations. Buying cannabis is legal in California, but cities and counties can still choose to regulate or ban the trade as they please. […]
New Cannabis Regulations Approved by the Office of Administrative Law
PRESS RELEASE Approved Regulations Take Effect Immediately SACRAMENTO, January 16, 2019 — California’s three state cannabis licensing authorities today announced that the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) has officially approved state regulations for cannabis businesses across the supply chain from cultivation to retail. These new regulations take effect immediately. The previous emergency regulations, adopted by the […]
California collecting far less than expected in marijuana taxes
Deep in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new budget is a figure that says a lot about California’s shaky legal marijuana market: The state is expecting a lot less cash from cannabis taxes. The Democrat’s proposed spending plan, released Thursday, projects the state will bank $355 million in marijuana excise taxes by the end of June. That’s […]
Now for the Hard Part: Getting Californians to Buy Legal Weed
A billion dollars of tax revenue, the taming of the black market, the convenience of retail cannabis stores throughout the state — these were some of the promises made by proponents of marijuana legalization in California. One year after the start of recreational sales, they are still just promises. California’s experiment in legalization is mired […]
Why 2018 was a Tough Year for the California Cannabis Industry
2018 has been a roller coaster for California cannabis businesses. The cannabis laws and regulations in California have made life difficult, to say the least, for anyone wishing to obtain licensure. This isn’t necessarily the fault of any single legislature, municipality, or agency, but instead was the result of a perfect storm of legal and […]
Will California’s Section 5032 Disrupt the Cannabis Market?
By Ian Stewart On December 7, 2018, California’s three cannabis licensing authorities submitted final versions of the state cannabis regulations scheduled to be approved by January 16, 2019. California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control (Bureau) submitted a final version of Section 5032 of the regulations that substantially limits commercial cannabis activity between licensed and unlicensed entities. […]
Will Hemp-Derived CBD Be Fully Legal with Passage of the 2018 Farm Bill? Not Quite…
By Ian Stewart, Wilson Elser Public interest in the potential health benefits of CBD (cannabidiol) is responsible for a whole new market segment of health and wellness foods and supplements that features CBD as an ingredient. CBD is one of more than 100 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, but unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD is not […]
Marijuana delivery draws gig workers with steady pay, more zen customers
Jennifer Rodriguez works two jobs to afford living in the Bay Area. After dropping off her three children at school, she spends most mornings shuttling Uber passengers. Then the Hayward mother starts a shift delivering marijuana. Unlike her Uber work, where she’s considered an independent contractor and has to pay all of her own costs, […]
The Bureau of Cannabis Control (Bureau), LAPD and the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Division of Investigation-Cannabis Enforcement Unit Shut Down Un-Licensed Dispensary
PRESS RELEASE SACRAMENTO – The Bureau of Cannabis Control (Bureau) and the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Division of Investigation-Cannabis Enforcement Unit (DOI-CEU), in coordination with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), today announced enforcement action on an unlicensed cannabis retailer operating within the city of Los Angeles. On Thursday, October 25, 2018, DOI-CEU served a search warrant […]
Marijuana is emerging among California’s vineyards, offering promise and concern
It is the fall harvest here in this fertile stretch of oaks and hills that produces some of the country’s best wine. This season, though, workers also are plucking the sticky, fragrant flowers of a new crop. Marijuana is emerging among the vineyards, not as a rival to the valley’s grapes but as a high-value […]
Foreign Investment In California’s Marijuana Market: What You Need To Know Now
By HILARY BRICKEN It appears the federal government is taking a wait-and-see approach to foreign ownership of state cannabis businesses Our California cannabis business have been getting tons of interest and questions lately about foreign investment into California’s booming cannabis industry. As would be expected, much of this interest in foreign direct investment is coming from […]
You Can Bring Your Marijuana to the LA Airport Now
It looks like travelers in Los Angeles won’t have to cram their weed inside balled-up socks or stash it in their ibuprofen bottles next time they fly—because LAX is totally chill about bringing pot into the airport now, ABC 13 reports. This week, Los Angeles International Airport posted a new marijuana policy on its website, announcing that LAX […]
Calif. Gov. Vetoes Tax Deduction For Pot Biz Expenses
California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed on Wednesday a bill that would have provided deductions for business expenses for a cannabis trade or business through the state’s personal income tax law, decoupling the state tax code from the federal law barring tax breaks for trafficking in controlled substances. In the veto message issued for Assembly Bill […]
California Cannabis: So Close on Provisional Licensing
Provisional licensing would benefit state AND industry. The California legislature is currently finalizing a bill (SB-1459) which would establish a provisional licensing regime for California cannabis businesses. The bill moved into “enrolled” status late last week, which means that SB-1459 has been approved by both houses of the state legislature and is being proofread to ensure […]
Unique Program to Track and Trace Dollars in CA Could Pave the Way for a Banking Solution in the US
State and local governments vary greatly in their ability to attract and compensate regulatory personnel that bring institutional knowledge and experience to regulate the nascent Cannabis Industry in their respective spheres of influence. Think about it, the challenge for any state or local government is to find and afford people with the experience and the […]
