L.A. marijuana lawyer

March 12, 2017

Marijuana Pipe Maker Suing for Alleged Counterfeit Bongs

Bong manufacturing has come a long way from the days of the homemade versions, usually involving a used, two-liter bottle. There were always companies that produced higher-end pipes and bongs, but it was always something of an underground scene and very much a niche market. bong

Today, people purchase certain pipes to impress. Although technically both marijuana and the tools used to smoke are outlawed by federal statute, there are still companies carving out a market for themselves. In fact, they can be much sought-after status symbols, with the higher-end models selling for anywhere from $1,000 all the way up to $4,000. Some are even diamond-studded, and certain brands pride themselves on being top-of-the-line.

Despite the illegality under federal law, one manufacturer is availing itself of the remedy of federal court, where it has filed a complaint to protect both its brand and its sales from alleged counterfeit bong makers. Continue reading

March 10, 2017

Licensed Pot Shops Take On Illegal Sellers for a Fair Market

By Cannabis Law Group

In Santa Ana, licensed marijuana dispensaries say their greatest nemesis isn’t a federal prosecutor or local police or even criminals seeking to rob their cash-based operations. Today, the greatest challenge they face at the moment are unsanctioned marijuana shops that dot the city. courthouse

These unlicensed, unregulated operations are snapping up black market business by selling the drug at a lower cost – made possible because those other shops aren’t following the stringent guidelines as expected by state regulators. They ignore city safety codes and guidelines, which means they can undercut licensed dispensaries on price. Licensed regulators have responded by suing a number of these operations.

You may recall back in 2014, Santa Ana city officials approved a city initiative called Measure BB. This gave the green light to about 20 medical marijuana dispensary licenses in the city, to be chosen via a lottery system. However, despite efforts to carefully regulate the legal marijuana system, the number of licensed dispensaries in the city soon became overwhelmed by the number of unlicensed shops. Continue reading

February 19, 2017

It’s a Nice Day for a Green Wedding: When Cannabis Connoisseurs Get Hitched

By Cannabis Law Group

Weddings are often about tradition. There is the dress and the vows and the dance and the tossing of the bouquet. But it appears a growing number of betrothed couples in states where recreational marijuana is now legal are forging a new tradition: Weed at the wedding. boquet

There are a lot of different ways couples are incorporating this.

For some, as Fox News noted, it involves “the first toke,” using a “unit bowl” that represents the blending of their two budding lives together – similar to what we see with the older traditions of the “unity candle’ or the “sand ceremony.” In other cases, as CNBC reports, there is at least one florist in Denver who at her “Buds & Blossoms” shop specializes solely on marijuana-infused weddings. She affixes floral wedding bouquets and centerpieces with buds of cannabis tucked among the hydrangeas and roses. And there are other couples who are inviting their guests to imbibe with “cannabis bars.” One company that caters to newlyweds in Seattle and Portland specializes in setting up outdoor cannabis bars (as many venues shy away from having the substance smoked or on display inside). Continue reading

February 17, 2017

Trump May Nominate Marijuana Advocate to FDA

By Cannabis Law Group

There has been a lot of uncertainty for some Americans in recent weeks as President Donald Trump has taken office, and that has extended to the question of how the federal government will proceed with regard to legal marijuana. Especially troubling was the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions to the post of U.S. Attorney General over the Justice Department. Sessions in the past has been outspoken in his opposition to legalized marijuana, questioning the character of those who use the drug for any purpose. american

However, there is some evidence Sessions may be softening somewhat on his position, and there could be new reason to be hopeful about the Trump-era as far as legal cannabis is concerned. In a recent confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, Sessions, although shying away from a definitive plan for how to treat states’ legalization of the drug, did concede during questioning that to disrupt the legal marijuana markets by enforcing federal cannabis laws could result in an unnecessary strain on federal resources.

Beyond this revelation came the recommendation of Jim O’Neill for the appointment to lead the U.S. Food & Drug Enforcement Administration (FDA). According to Bloomberg News, O’Neill is managing director at Mithril Capital Management and a Silicon Valley investor. He previously served as the principal associated deputy secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services. Although he doesn’t have a medical background (and the head of the FDA has been for the lats 50 years either a medical doctor or prominent scientific researcher), he is believed to be a supporter of medical marijuana. He has strong ties with billionaire Peter Thiel, a Trump transition team member who co-founded the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform. Continue reading

February 11, 2017

Marijuana for PTSD Still Controversial in Colorado

By Cannabis Law Group

Over the course of the last year, a number of states have acquiesced to allow medical marijuana to be distributed for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. army

For example:

The U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate voted on separate occasions to allow the Veterans Affairs office doctors to talk about medicinal marijuana with their patients as an alternative form of treatment if they suffer from PTSD.
In Ohio, PTSD was listed as one of the 20 conditions that qualified under the state’s medical marijuana law signed by the governor.
In Illinois (Cook County, to be specific), a judge ordered that the state’s department of health add PTSD as a condition that qualifies for medical marijuana.
In New Jersey, the state assembly passed a bill that qualified PTSD as a condition for which sufferers could obtain medical marijuana.
In Rhode Island, the governor signed a law listing PTSD as a condition that is debilitating for purposes of medical cannabis treatment.

In addition to all this, the results of the November election mean that 21 states plus Washington D.C. and Guam gave the green light for marijuana to be used to treat PTSD. However, not all states are on the same page about this. Continue reading

February 10, 2017

Air Force Alters Marijuana Rules for New Recruits

By Cannabis Law Group

U.S. Air Force policy has historically been extremely strict with its entry criteria. This is the agency that refused entry to those who suffered from eczema, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder *(ADHD) and prior marijuana use. airforce

Now, a number of those rules are being relaxed – including the one regarding previous use of cannabis. This coincides with the fact that a growing number of states allow marijuana as medicine and for adult recreation.

Of course, the Air Force will continue to maintain a zero tolerance policy with regard to service members using or smoking cannabis. However, the number of days/ weeks/ months since the marijuana use prior to service is no longer going to be a limiting factor. Additionally, the service is no longer going to ask potential recruits how long it has been since their last time using marijuana in the standardized questioning forms. Continue reading

February 9, 2017

Medical Marijuana in Schools? Washington is Weighing It.

By Cannabis Law Group

Lawmakers in Washington state are weighing a bill that would give parents of children prescribed medical marijuana the right to administer that medicine to their child at school. House Bill 1060 , which was filed Jan. 4th and from there referred to the Committee of Education, would also give parents the right to administer the medication on buses or at school-sponsored events. school

This would be a major victory for parents of children grappling with conditions that require medical marijuana. Some of these children have been diagnosed with conditions like autism and epilepsy, and marijuana has helped to reduce their symptoms, focus and possibly even participate in a class as any typical child would.

But of course, allowing children to use marijuana as medicine has long been a subject of controversy. It has grown increasingly accepted as there have been a number of anecdotal success stories, as well as studies that suggest children with autism, cancer, epilepsy and other conditions may have a better quality of life if they have access to marijuana therapy. In a lot of cases, it only requires a tiny amount of cannabis oil given over the duration of the day to have a substantial impact on the lives and futures of these children. Continue reading

February 7, 2017

4 Ways the 4 Trump Years Could Influence Marijuana

By Cannabis Law Group

The marijuana industry in the U.S. is slated to become a $20 billion industry in the next four years. However, we could change course on that very rapidly depending on the approach taken by our new new commander-in-chief and those he has placed in top positions of power. There are millions of dollars and many businesses at stake. newspaper

There is reason to believe Donald Trump may lean toward favoring states’ rights on the issue. Others believe he may at the very least support medical marijuana rights. However, we also know that Trump has shown no problem walking back from several of the promises he made on the campaign trail, so it’s not illogical that he would shy away from statements in support of medicinal marijuana. On top of this, there is concern given that his U.S. attorney general pick Jeff Sessions is a vocal opponent of any form of marijuana legalization, refusing to concede even the benefits of the drug as a form of medicine.

Still, states have already taken incredible measures to pass laws and initiate regulation. What impact could Trump really have on the industry? It turns out a lot. Here are four scenarios we might see over the next four years. Continue reading

February 5, 2017

Report: Colorado Marijuana Laws May Not be Safe

By Cannabis Law Group

Federal appeals court judges are reviewing how far certain racketeering laws can be extended in a case that could threaten the right to recreational marijuana in California. gavel

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit reportedly took oral arguments in a case that consolidates several claims and argues the recreational marijuana law in Colorado violates U.S. racketeering and controlled substances law. Both Oklahoma and Nebraska joined the claim after the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to consider an earlier case they brought asserting Colorado’s pro-marijuana law was unconstitutional and illegally facilitated the industrialization of marijuana. The consolidated appeals also contain complaints from several county sheriffs offices as well as a horse ranch.

Plaintiffs assert that neighboring states have had to contend with federally-illegal substances crossing their borders, causing a strain on local law enforcement and other interested parties. The federal appellate court judges are now considering whether RICO or other federal statutes should have an impact on marijuana cultivation on properties (particularly those near Denver, where this case is being considered). Continue reading

February 2, 2017

Exploring Public Use of Marijuana in Denver

By Cannabis Law Group

Although a handful of states have given the green light for legal marijuana for recreational use, none so far have granted explicit permission to allow the drug to be used in public.

That may soon change in Denver. restaurant

Back in November, Denver became the first city in the country to allow people to use marijuana at certain restaurants and other venues that want to allow it. That was Proposition 300, and it was approved at the same time eight other states – including California – passed laws to legalize marijuana for either recreational or medicinal purposes. The city measure allows bars and restaurants to apply to allow marijuana to be used by their patrons – so long as the drug isn’t smoked, although there could be some cases in which outside smoking areas could be designated.

Now, the city is working on implementing that provision, and it appears it will extend to places like yoga studios, art galleries and coffee shops. The law doesn’t offer up any guidelines for how marijuana can be consumed other than it can’t be smoked indoors and patrons have to be at least 21-years-old. Additionally, the state’s liquor control board has forbidden any company that has a liquor license from allowing patrons to use marijuana. That means bars would be excluded, as would restaurants that serve alcohol. WYFF4 reported a group of stakeholders – marijuana business owners, city regulators and opponents of legalized marijuana – are all meeting to begin hammering out suggestions of what this new law is going to look like. Continue reading