California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to bring all of the state’s cannabis licensing programs under one roof, aiming to better coordinate a complicated mix of regulators. In his 2020-21 budget plan, Newsom is proposing to create a Department of Cannabis Control. It would assume licensing authority from the three existing agencies, the Bureau of Cannabis […]
California
On the Horizon: California “Owner” and “Financial Interest Holder” Violations
By Hilary Bricken, Co-Founder Harris Bricken California cannabis regulators are slowly getting into enforcement mode under the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation Act (“MAUCRSA”). Ostensibly, enforcement to date has been around illegal sales and/or around the manufacturing of illegal products (like vape cartridges). It’s only a matter of time though before enforcement becomes more sophisticated […]
Marijuana: 6 things to watch for in California in 2020
From key court cases to clearing criminal records, it’ll be another big year for cannabis policy. As California enters its third year of legal recreational cannabis sales, many expect upcoming new laws, high-profile court cases and major criminal justice reforms to shake up the industry. Marijuana advocates are wary after a challenging second year, but […]
Two years in, California’s legal marijuana industry is stuck. Should voters step in?
Two years after California began licensing pot shops, the industry remains so outmatched by the black market that a state panel recently joined some legalization supporters in calling for significant changes — perhaps turning again to voters to address the problems. In its annual draft report, the Cannabis Advisory Committee warned Gov. Gavin Newsom and […]
Californians can now check legal marijuana dealers using QR codes
SACRAMENTO — California marijuana users can now turn to their smartphones to find out if a dispensary is legit. The Bureau of Cannabis Control on Thursday announced a program encouraging licensed cannabis retailers to post QR codes in their store windows. The checkerboard codes can be scanned by a cellphone camera linking the reader to […]
The stronger the joint, the higher the tax? Report weighs California marijuana tax change
Should that marijuana joint cost more because it is higher in THC content? That’s the argument put forth in a new report by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office. Currently, the state taxes cannabis at two points in the production cycle; cannabis is taxed by weight after it is harvested, and then taxed again as an […]
California Analysts Urge Marijuana Tax Based on Potency
LOS ANGELES — California analysts Tuesday recommended scrapping the state’s often-criticized system for taxing legal marijuana and replacing it with one hitched to the potency of products. In other words, the stronger the smoke, the more you pay. The proposal comes as legal businesses have been pleading with the Legislature for a tax cut, blaming […]
The 10 Top-Selling Marijuana States in 2019
Even though it hasn’t exactly been the best year for marijuana stocks, cannabis is still projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries over the next decade. Worldwide weed sales have more than tripled, from $3.4 billion to $10.9 billion between 2014 and 2018, and Wall Street has forecast that sales will grow to between $50 […]
Top 6 Growing Pains in California’s Cannabis Marketplace
By Hilary Bricken, Co-Founder, Harris Bricken Every state that’s legalized cannabis for adults 21-and-up has faced that moment or even series of moments that threatened to really derail or seriously stymie market development. California is at that crossroads and has been almost from the outset of the first issuances of cannabis licenses back in January […]
‘Epidemic’ of layoffs in California marijuana industry — CEO faults state for inaction
Flow Kana isn’t the only cannabis company forced to make cuts. In recent weeks, companies like Eaze and Weedmaps have also laid off part of their workforce. “It almost feels like an epidemic of companies of similar size going through similar processes,” Steinmetz said. The layoffs reflect challenges in California’s fledgling recreational cannabis industry. Voters legalized recreational marijuana in […]
California Suspends Hundreds of Marijuana Supply Businesses
California has suspended 394 marijuana business permits in a move that critics say will temporarily reduce the number of legal cannabis shops in the state. The suspension affecting about 5% of California’s legal cannabis supply chain comes after the businesses failed to complete mandatory training and credentialing, Marijuana Business Daily in Colorado reported Wednesday. The […]
Risks of Disclosing Personal Information to California Cannabis Licensing Authorities
When registering with California licensing authorities and applying for cannabis licenses, certain information must be disclosed. Depending on the type of license applied for, some of that information, such as the cannabis license type, legal business name of the license holder, license holder contact information, premises location, and other information, may be obtained publically with […]
L.A. should suspend vetting applications for pot shops amid concerns, Wesson urges
Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson has called on the city to suspend the approval process for new shops selling cannabis products, arguing that the latest round of the licensing process was “compromised” by some people gaining early access to the application system. In a letter to the Department of Cannabis Regulation, Wesson urged […]
California Industrial Hemp Measure Becomes Law
Senator Scott Wilk, representing the 21st Senate District, announces Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 153 (SB 153) into law. SB 153 ensures California law is in full compliance with changes to federal law regarding the cultivation of industrial hemp. SB 153 requires the Secretary of the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA), in consultation […]
The push to unionize cannabis workers in California
Weed workers across the country are unionizing, and California just made it easier for them. On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a requirement that all cannabis stores enter into so-called “labor peace agreements” as soon as they have 20 or more employees. California is now one of two states — New York is the other […]
Most Californians want marijuana stores in their communities, new poll shows
Three years after California voters legalized the sale of recreational marijuana, 68% say it has been a “good thing” and, although the vast majority of cities have outlawed pot shops, most voters want their municipalities to permit the stores, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll conducted for the Los Angeles Times. […]
These California politicians once helped regulate legal marijuana. Now they’re working for the industry
As California’s attorney general from 1999 to 2007, Bill Lockyer was on the inside as the state wrestled with a developing marijuana industry. But these days he’s watching the transformation from the outside, as co-founder of a licensed pot distributor in Lynwood. Lockyer, whose four-decade public career included a stint as the powerful leader of […]
Terrible, No Good California Cannabis Distribution Contracts
By Hilary Bricken, Founder at Harris Bricken Since January 2018, distributors have played an interesting role in California cannabis. From a regulation perspective, dealing with a distributor is not optional. However, from the business decision vantage point, they’re not all that necessary. Still, some manufacturing and cultivation licensees opt to utilize distributors for sales and […]
