Alarmed that unlicensed cannabis sellers continue to dominate California’s pot market, state lawmakers are moving toward imposing steep new fines on businesses that provide building space, advertising platforms and other aid to illicit operations. Those who provide assistance to illegal pot sellers would face civil fines of up to $30,000 per day under legislation approved […]
California
Border Patrol Order Issues Highlight The Ongoing Struggles In California’s Legal Cannabis Market
At Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs, it’s our job to help our clients ensure that their product is in compliance with California State Law, BCC, CDFA, and CDPH regulations through our quality assurance and cannabis testing services. We send laboratory sample technicians out to licensed cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution sites often to collect cannabis samples […]
L.A. Cannabis: Is An Overhaul on the Horizon?
by Hilary Bricken, Co-founder, Harris Bricken The Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) in the City of Los Angeles is making a big push for a comprehensive overhaul of certain parts of the City’s cannabis licensing protocols and its Social Equity Program. Los Angeles has been through the ringer on cannabis legal reform from the inception […]
Marijuana Social Clubs: How Colorado is Setting the Pace
On January 1, 2020, Coloradoans could begin meeting up at marijuana social clubs because the Colorado State Licensing Authority began issuing marijuana hospitality establishment licenses, which allow licensees to permit the consumption of marijuana on their premises. However, hospitality licensees abruptly closed in mid-March because Coronavirus has kept Coloradoans from socializing with each other. After […]
The Journey Toward Cannabis Appellations & Why It’s So Important
First wine, now cannabis. As Richard Mendelson, author of “Appellation Napa Valley” has noted, appellations apply to many things, but wine has been a focus point as it has been long standing in both the old world (Europe) and new (United States) – with lessons that apply to cannabis. Still, appellations may be named based on regional identifiers […]
California Cannabis Breaches, Lawsuits and Shake-Ups, Oh My
By Hilary Bricken, Founder Harris Bricken Even though they’re currently deemed “essential“, California cannabis businesses were already struggling financially before the onset of COVID-19. Increasing competition from unregulated, un-taxed, illegal actors combined with high local and state taxes combined with costly and competitive local barriers to entry were all leading to delayed opening timelines, shorted […]
Distressed Asset Investors (Finally) Descend on California Cannabis
By Hilary Bricken, Co-founder, Harris Bricken In my ten years of advising and guiding cannabis companies from a corporate, transactional, and M&A perspective, and especially since 2012 (when Washington and Colorado legalized), every cannabis market in which I’ve worked has experienced a period of extensive business failures, consolidations, and market stress. And it’s that time […]
The Whole Gamet: The Beat Goes On
Way back in 1967, Sonny and Cher recorded their hit single, “The Beat Goes On.” Of course, this was a few years before I was born, so my information about this song comes strictly from my interest in ancient history. But as you may recall, the song heralded certain things in society that are changing, […]
Labor unions flex their muscle in fight with California cannabis industry
California’s largest marijuana association is in a bind after powerful labor unions accused the organization of distributing an anti-union document and asked Democratic politicians to “refrain from engaging with” the group in a display of organized labor’s immense political muscle at the state Capitol. The call to cut off the California Cannabis Industry Assn.’s access […]
The California Bureau of Cannabis Control Declares Vaping Crisis Emergency and Reguires All Licensed Retailers to Display Quick Response (QR) Code Certificate to Confirm Legal Licensure
Bureau of Cannabis Control Finding of Emergency and Notice of Proposed Emergency Regulations – Quick Response (QR) Code Certificate Requirements for Cannabis Licensees The Bureau of Cannabis Control (Bureau) finds that an emergency, as defined in Government Code section 11342.545 currently exists. As such, the Bureau finds that immediate action to amend the Bureau’s regulations […]
