Don’t Use AI to Write Cannabis Contracts
One of the most persistent and common failures in the cannabis industry is using handshakes instead of written cannabis contracts. This is an issue I’ve written about for years (most recently here),...
View ArticleThe Top Four Risks for Cannabis Businesses and Investors in 2024
2024 is going to be a crazy year for cannabis businesses and investors. Among many other things, there will be a general election, possible rescheduling to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act...
View ArticleExecuting Cannabis Contracts
I spend a LOT of time blogging about the importance of written cannabis contracts as a general concept (most recently here or here). Today I want to talk about something that a lot of people overlook...
View ArticleCalifornia Bill Proposes Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Workgroup
California recently failed at least twice in passing sweeping statewide psychedelic decriminalization bills: a) SB-58, which Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed last year, and b) SB-519, which didn’t garner...
View ArticleWhat is the Deal with California Close Corporations?
We spill a lot of ink on the Canna Law Blog talking about different types of business entities that cannabis entrepreneurs often use. In most cases though, the choice is between LLC and corporation. It...
View ArticleCannabis and Gun Rights: Predictions for the Future
Big federal law changes in cannabis regulation are on the horizon. One area where I expect a lot of movement in the coming years is with respect to gun rights. I write on this topic fairly extensively,...
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California’s Cannabis Taxes Are a Disaster
Cannabis regulation efforts are usually sold to voters or legislators with the express promise that a state will be able to milk the new industry for all it’s got through cannabis taxes. Don’t believe...
View ArticleGrading the Presidential Candidates on Cannabis: RFK Jr.
Every election cycle, we grade the many of the presidential candidates based on their track record with cannabis (here’s our summary of 2020’s main candidates). We kicked off 2024 with our analysis of...
View ArticleCalifornia Gives Up on the Illegal Cannabis Market: Another Update
California publishes quarterly data concerning its “enforcement” efforts against the illegal cannabis market. Over the last couple of quarters, I’ve gotten in the habit of analyzing this data (see here...
View ArticleCalifornia Bill May Change State’s Cannabis and Hemp Industries
On February 7, 2024, California Assembly Member Aguilar-Curry introduced AB 2223. The bill, if passed, would significantly change the state’s cannabis and hemp industries – for better or worse. Today,...
View ArticleTop Five Concerns When Buying a Regulated Business
Over the years, our corporate attorneys have developed a niche in a host of regulated and soon-to-be-regulated industries across the globe — everything from healthcare, to cannabis, to banking and...
View ArticleCannabis M&A: Will California Allow License Transfers?
Cannabis M&A (short for mergers and acquisitions) in California is much more complicated and problematic than in other states. The biggest reason for this is that licenses are not transferrable,...
View ArticleCalifornia Cities: Prohibition Doesn’t Work
California has a population of nearly 40 million, six years of cannabis licensing, but only has about 1,200 licensed dispensaries. These stores are mostly spread out in highly populated areas like Los...
View ArticleAre Crypto Airdrops Legal?
Over the last few years, airdrops have become much more common in the crypto space. Airdrops are often used to market or promote a crypto startup or platform. But like with so many other things in the...
View ArticleCalifornia Cannabis Tax Collection and Penalty Nightmares
California’s cannabis taxes are a disaster, with no end in sight. I’ve written about the state’s tax problems extensively, but today I want to talk about what the state can do when it comes to tax...
View ArticleWhat is a Series LLC?
Series LLCs Series LLCs are a relatively new type of entity that more and more states are embracing. Still, many experienced businesspeople are unfamiliar with series LLCs. Below, I break down the...
View ArticleInvesting in Cannabis: Five Due Diligence Red Flags
Our cannabis team has performed due diligence on countless business purchases, investments, loans, and just about every other kind of transaction you can imagine. As you can imagine, we’ve seen some...
View ArticleCommon Pitfalls in Cannabis Brand License Agreements
Cannabis companies and (depending on the state) brands often use license agreements to grow their brands. If done correctly, they can be a huge driver of revenue for the brands and licensees, and can...
View ArticleCalifornia Allows Cannabis Cultivators to Reduce License Sizes
The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) just published some new guidelines for cannabis cultivators following the passage of SB-833. Among other things, California will let cannabis...
View ArticleHow LOIs Can Go Horribly Wrong
Cannabis businesses often use letters of intent (LOIs) to get agreed deal terms in writing before spending time and money negotiating the definitive written contract. LOIs can be a big help, especially...
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