Cannabis Arrests Again Surpassed 200,000 in 2023, Concentrated in U.S. South & Midwest
For the second year in a row, the FBI has reported that law enforcement made over two-hundred-thousand (200,000) arrests in the United States related to cannabis. Of those charged with violating marijuana laws in 2023, eighty-four percent (84%) were charged with possession only, and the FBI reported that in 2023 nearly twenty-five (25%) percent of […]
California Local Jurisdictions Must Meet Ten Conditions to Implement “Cannabis Cafe” Law
Sponsored by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D – San Francisco), AB 1775, the “Cannabis Cafe” bill, goes into effect on January 1, 2025, and a number of California cannabis operators are already looking ahead to the implementation of this legislation. In Southern California, National City’s only permitted cannabis consumption lounge is expecting to be the first […]
Governor Newsom Signs Ten Cannabis Bills, Including “Cannabis Cafe” Bill, Into Law
Today, the last day for Governor Newsom to sign bills passed by both chambers in the 2024 California Legislative Session, Governor Newsom has now signed a total of ten cannabis-related bills into law including: Governor Newsom has also vetoed one cannabis-related bill: AB 1111 (Pellerin), which would establish a small producer event sales license allowing […]
Marijuana Rescheduling Means Federal Status Quo for Recreational Prohibition & FDA Approval
Even if the DEA reschedules marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the federal ban on recreational cannabis will remain in place, and the FDA drug approval process will remain as the only pathway for any drug containing marijuana to be federally legally marketed and sold in the United […]
Small Cannabis Producer Event Sales Bill Awaits California Senate Floor Vote
California cannabis cultivators are struggling with wholesale price depression from oversupply, outsized competition from the illicit cannabis market, and now losses from wildfires driven by climate change. Many cannabis farmers are surrendering cultivation licenses amid a 12% decline in the total value of all California cannabis products sold from $6 billion (in 2021) to $5.3 […]
Southern California Jurisdictions Consider Expansion and Reform of Commercial Cannabis
The City of Long Beach is looking into allowing temporary permitted special events with on-site cannabis consumption within the city’s boundaries after a unanimous vote last week by the Long Beach City Council. On November 5, the voters in the City of Duarte will consider allowing cannabis retail operations in the city. While San Diego […]
Medicine and Science Support Cannabis Decriminalization and Legalization
Following last month’s endorsement of drug decriminalization by the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians has published a policy paper calling for the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use and for evidence-based medical education on the health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids, among other recommendations. These American College […]
Northern California Jurisdictions Expand and Strengthen Regulated Cannabis Markets
Over the past few weeks, a number of northern California local jurisdictions have taken steps to expand and strengthen the regulated cannabis markets operating within the boundaries of these cities and counties. Last month, the Petaluma City Council voted 6-0 to allow up to three new cannabis storefronts within city limits, expanding retail access within […]
Top 100 Northern California Super Lawyers® Announced
Shay Aaron Gilmore has been named to the Super Lawyers® Magazine Top 100 Northern California Super Lawyers List for 2024. This list recognizes the highest-rated Northern California attorneys across all areas of law practice. Shay has previously been recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer in the Business & Corporate Law and Cannabis Law practice […]
Environmental Remediation Bill for Unlawful Cannabis Cultivation Heads to Senate Hearing
Illegal cannabis cultivation has emerged as a major threat to wildlife throughout California due to the rampant use of pesticides, habitat destruction, and water diversions associated with the trespass grows overlapping the habitats of sensitive species. In counties where cannabis cultivation is prohibited, like Siskiyou County, illicit cannabis farms have devastated wildlife. Representing California’s North […]
