Maybe you didn’t know it when you voted for or against I-502, but it was inevitable that its passage would cause Washington State to examine its unregulated and unaccountable medical marijuana program, especially in light of the 2013 Cole Memo. And you may have been surprised when the Evergreen State decided last year to throw all
We are fine with this attitude from scientists. In fact, this should be the attitude from scientists. Their job is to look at the science as objectively as possible. Conversely, it’s the job of our government to encourage scientific enquiry, not block it for fear of what its results might be. Do you agree?
Last month, I had the honor of speaking at the International Trademark Association’s Annual Meeting about the unique trademark issues faced by the cannabis industry. We’ve written extensively on the subject (see below for some of the highlights), but it’s about time for a basic refresher on trademark law and the trademark issues cannabis business
Business planning is both science and art, research and forecasting. In cannabis, the forecasting quotient is challenging compared to other industries. That is because federal prohibition has created a dance around conflicts in law that is equally awkward and intricate, alongside an ever-evolving panoply of state and local rules. Our cannabis corporate attorneys field questions regarding federal prohibition daily,
Sir Richard Branson makes a great point. What is truly criminal is imprisoning young and marginalized people for possessing something safe, non-violent and effective as medicine. We have written time and again about the utterly useless drug war, which has led to stigmatizing cannabis and which was based on prejudice right out of the gate. The time
In his defense, Dr. Frist made this statement in 2003, but there was already substantial evidence at that time that marijuana could be used medicinally for a variety of conditions. This type of thinking persists to this day, even though (as we previously wrote) the body of research affirming that marijuana is medicinally effective continues to
As Canada Prime Minister Trudeau points out, the prohibition of marijuana has not only prohibited its use, it has also prohibited research, regulation, and education. As we wrote a couple weekends ago, the decades of marijuana prohibition in the United States has hindered the progress of research and has withheld cannabis from people whose health could
Last week, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (“WSLCB”) very quietly adopted a proposed rule that will allow out of state individuals and entities to finance marijuana businesses within Washington State. Sort of. In Out-of-State Investment in Washington’s Marijuana Market, we wrote how many cannabis industry stakeholders wrongly believed the WSLCB had already adopted new out of state financing
Most cannabis businesses are small businesses. Many of them need money. Some of them have access to capital. And all of them are subject to fundraising laws. We build out canna (and non-canna) deals regularly in Oregon, Washington, California and elsewhere. Though some of our clients are publicly traded, the majority are closely held businesses
It is beyond unfortunate that the government-perpetrated War on Drugs has hindered the progress necessary for medical marijuana to be used by people that could truly benefit from it. Thus far, medical marijuana has been utilized by many to treat a vast array of health conditions such as cancer, seizure disorders, chronic pain, and digestive
