new york unlicensed cannabis dispensary

New York Proposes Tough Legislation for Unlicensed Cannabis Retailers

New York State budget talks are hung up on how to curb an onslaught of unlicensed cannabis retailers. It is self-evident that these illicit weed joints are hurting the ability for the cannabis industry to begin and grow. However, until there are more legal shops that compete with the illegal stores, it seems the State

cannabis taxes

Webinar Takeaways: IRS Cannabis Taxes and Enforcement

On April 13th, I moderated a webinar about cannabis taxes called “IRS Enforcement of Cannabis Operators is Here – What Do We Do Now?“. Cannabis taxes should scare anyone in the industry, but federal incomes taxes under I.R.C. 280E probably take the cake when it comes to general anxiety. Our webinar featured Ani Galyan and

Cannabis Litigation in a Down Market

REGISTER HERE  The West Coast cannabis industry is struggling. In this free webinar, cannabis business litigators Jihee Ahn (California; Oregon) and Jesse Mondry (Oregon) will discuss the state of the industry and how depressed market conditions are affecting those considering litigation or alternative dispute-resolution options. Tune in Tuesday, May 16th at 10am PT for a

cannabis scam

Cannabis Scams 3.0

In an era of Theranos, Fyre Fest, FTX and WeWork, cannabis scams, frauds, and scandals probably pale in comparison. However, cannabis scams (and their evolution) are still worth noting, spotting, and avoiding at all costs. I’ve written about cannabis scams in the past (see here), and it’s one of my favorite topics given the still-emerging

cannabis collections

Cannabis Collections Headaches and What to Do

On this hallowed 4/20, while consumers and businesses celebrate cannabis near and far (which is great!), it’s important to be mindful that the cannabis industry is getting financially pummeled nationwide. For the cannabis companies able to survive this rocky time, cannabis collections are becoming an increasing headache as other cannabis businesses fold and/or just ignore

unsubstantiated claims

CBD Companies Beware: FTC Threatens Civil Penalties for Unsubstantiated Claims

FTC Warning letters Marketing CBD products is a challenge. For years we’ve written about risks associated with making health-related claims in marketing. But there’s another avenue that the federal government doesn’t like: unsubstantiated claims. Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) decided to ratchet up enforcement and sent out warning letters to nearly 700 companies

new hampshire cannabis

New Hampshire Close to Legal Adult Use Cannabis

Approval of House Bill 639 New Hampshire is halfway to legal adult use cannabis, following the approval of House Bill 639 on April 6 by a wide margin of 272-109. While the Granite State decriminalized the possession of cannabis in 2017, it is still a fineable offense, and in any case only applies where the

oregon cannabis testing aspergillus

Oregon Cannabis Testing and Aspergillus: May You Live in Interesting Times

On February 16, I blogged on the new Oregon cannabis testing requirements that were scheduled to take effect (and did take effect) on March 1. I published that particular post for two reasons. First, I anticipated a bunch of failed tests. Second, I felt that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Liquor and Cannabis

germany cannabis legalization

Germany Unveils Sweeping Cannabis Legalization Plan

European Union member states tend to be very conservative when it comes to cannabis legalization. With a few exceptions, most member states prohibit cannabis altogether. Other countries decriminalize cannabis and a handful have adopted modest medical marijuana programs. Germany, the EU’s biggest economy and arguably most influential nation, has been on the path towards recreational