cannabis tax

Cannabis Taxation is Theft

Whether you’re the kind of person who wants to End the Fed, or the kind of person who wants to tax the rich like a Scandinavian nation, you’ll probably agree on one thing: cannabis taxation is a problem. And it’s not just a small one. It’s theft. If I (or basically anyone else) had to

delta 8

FDA and FTC Target Delta-8 Products

On July 5, 2023, the FDA and FTC jointly announced six cease and desist letters to alleged delta-8 product makers. You can access the letters here. Unlike prior rounds of warning letters, these letters have a new focus: harm to children. For nearly five years, the FDA and FTC have taken the position that CBD

germany

Germany’s Cannabis Act

Germany has taken an important step toward cannabis legalization, with the release by the Health Ministry of the draft Cannabis Act (Cannabisgesetz or CanG). According to the Ministry, the bill seeks “to legalize private cultivation by adults for personal consumption as well as communal, non-commercial cultivation of cannabis in cultivation associations.” For more information on

ddt contamination

Washington’s Cannabis DDE Contamination Issue Resolved, For Now

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) issued a bulletin Monday, July 7 stating that its enforcement efforts related to the April DDE contamination alert had been wrapped up. Earlier this year, in April, a slew of Okanogan county licensees’ cannabis products tested “hot” during the Washington Department of Agriculture’s (WSDA) random testing for

cannabis investment

Cannabis Investment and the NBA

In case you missed it, professional players on teams in the National Basketball Association are getting a free and clear opportunity to take advantage of the cannabis industry through cannabis investments. As a former D-1 college athlete, I’m glad to see the NBA not only remove cannabis from its list of banned substances but also

illegal cannabis market

California Gives Up on the Illegal Cannabis Market

California has the biggest legal cannabis market in the world – it’s a larger economy than some small nations. But while the Golden State’s regulated market is massive, it’s illegal market is far bigger. California has a big illegal cannabis market problem Back in 2019, I quoted reports that there were 3,000 illegal businesses in

distribution license

It’s Time to End California Distribution Licenses

California’s cannabis laws are a textbook example of what a state shouldn’t do. And one of the best examples of this is California’s distribution licenses. These licenses were unnecessary from the get go, and the recent developments have only made that reality more apparent. It’s time for the state to end distribution licensing and simplify

new york cannabis enforcement

New York Cannabis: Early Unforced Errors in Enforcement

A lot has been made recently on New York’s new legislation that empowers the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to take enforcement actions against illicit retail dispensaries (check out our posts here and here). This article (paywall) by the always excellent Brad Racino of NY Cannabis Insider provides a play-by-play of the OCM’s first ever

gun rights

Feds May Restrict Cannabis Users’ Gun Rights Even After Changes in Law

Federal law prohibits cannabis users from owning or possessing firearms. There are a host of federal court cases that may find these prohibitions an unconstitutional violation of cannabis users’ gun rights. But even if courts find these laws unconstitutional, many cannabis users could still face other federal government hurdles and restrictions. If you are not

cannabis litigation

Cannabis Litigation to Watch

As the cannabis economy tanks (with the exception of states that just came online for medical and/or adult-use), cannabis litigation is picking up. Most of this litigation revolves around partnership disputes, unpaid bills, breached contracts, and solvency. All cannabis entrepreneurs and businesses should be mindful of cannabis litigation trends, especially in these lean times. To