Medical Marijuana Archives

“MORE” Votes for Cannabis Reform? We Shall See on September 21

by Ryan Holz | Sep 4, 2020 | Banking/Financial Services, Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana, Social Equity | Federal

On September 21, 2020, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the “Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act” or “MORE Act.” We have written about the MORE Act previously here and here. The MORE Act does not legalize marijuana nationwide, but it does remove cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (thus decriminalizing it under federal law and allowing states to decide whether to legalize). It also requires the expungement of certain marijuana-related criminal records and provides for grants to communities impacted by the War on Drugs.

Shaky Dominos: Pennsylvania Eyes Recreational Legislation and Voters in Montana, Mississippi and South Dakota Will See Marijuana Ballot Initiatives in November

by Irina Dashevsky | Aug 27, 2020 | Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Mississippi, Montana, Pennsylvania, South Dakota

In a recent post we explored where things stood at the federal level with respect to marijuana decriminalization and legalization. The takeaway was that the focus on criminal justice reform and economic variables continue to propel cannabis to the forefront of a national discussion.

Update—Florida Supreme Court to Hold More Arguments in Florigrown Case

by Irina Dashevsky | Jul 15, 2020 | Litigation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Florida

In a rare move, the Supreme Court of Florida has asked for a second round of oral arguments in the Florigrown matter. As we wrote about here, this case will determine whether Florida’s medical marijuana licensing framework, which effectively requires vertical integration by each licensee, is constitutional.

Will We See a Record Number of States Legalize Marijuana in 2021? One Expert Thinks So

by Douglas Sargent | Jun 26, 2020 | COVID-19, Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana, Social Equity | Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota

It is hard to underestimate the impact that the coronavirus and its related fallout—economic and otherwise—will have on the cannabis industry. Some of that impact will be decidedly negative. For instance, as we wrote about recently, cash is harder to come by for cannabis companies right now.

Sorry, You Did Not Win an Illinois Dispensary License. Now What?

by Akshita Singh and Ryan Holz | Jun 15, 2020 | Legislation, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana, Social Equity | Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada

As we arrive at the middle of June, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has not issued any conditional adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses and, as we recently wrote about here, it may be a while before the licenses are issued. Nevertheless, those licenses will be issued eventually, and it is important that cannabis entrepreneurs begin evaluating their next steps.

Early May Sales Figures Show Promise, Including New Record Highs in Illinois, Oregon, and Oklahoma

by Douglas Sargent | Jun 12, 2020 | COVID-19, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon

As we’ve discussed on our blog and our podcast, we have been closely watching how marijuana sales fare in the face of the recession created by the coronavirus. Sales figures for marijuana in May are still rolling in, but early returns appear favorable.

Cannabis Employment Lessons from a Leading Industry Recruiter

by Douglas Sargent | Jun 4, 2020 | Hemp, Labor and Employment, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana

Full disclosure: David Belsky is a personal friend (don’t hold it against him) and his company, FlowerHire, is a firm client. He is also one of the foremost authorities on placing talent in the regulated cannabis and hemp industries. Earlier this week, Forbes posted a great interview with Belsky that we highly recommend.

Cannabis Industry Keeps Hiring Amid COVID-19

by Ryan Holz | May 13, 2020 | COVID-19, Labor and Employment, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland

Recent American job losses have been staggering, and have cut across nearly every industry. Yet according to a recent Politico Pro article (subscription required), some cannabis companies are bucking the trend and continuing to grow and hire.

Florida’s Highest Court Hears Arguments in Two High Priority Cannabis Matters

by Irina Dashevsky | May 11, 2020 | Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana | Florida

For years we have been intrigued about the prospect of legal recreational marijuana in Florida—not a particularly far-fetched notion given the overwhelming support for Florida’s 2016 constitutional amendment broadly legalizing medical marijuana in the state.

Essential or Not, Cannabis Sales Start to Slide During Shutdown. Can They Recover?

by David Standa | Apr 17, 2020 | COVID-19, Medical Marijuana, Recreational Marijuana

The preliminary reports were great. Cannabis shops were deemed “essential businesses” in several states, and according to The Motley Fool “[d]uring the first few weeks of [March], cannabis sales were soaring and spiked around the middle of the month as fears heightened that people would be confined to their homes in an effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic.”

Topic: Medical Marijuana

Shaky Dominos: Pennsylvania Eyes Recreational Legislation and Voters in Montana, Mississippi and South Dakota Will See Marijuana Ballot Initiatives in November

Update—Florida Supreme Court to Hold More Arguments in Florigrown Case

Early May Sales Figures Show Promise, Including New Record Highs in Illinois, Oregon, and Oklahoma

Cannabis Employment Lessons from a Leading Industry Recruiter

Cannabis Industry Keeps Hiring Amid COVID-19

Florida’s Highest Court Hears Arguments in Two High Priority Cannabis Matters

Essential or Not, Cannabis Sales Start to Slide During Shutdown. Can They Recover?

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