While Rescheduling Unifies Some Federal Tax Treatment, California Cannabis and Hemp Keep Diverging Along the THC Line
Marijuana rescheduling now unifies some federal tax treatment, but California cannabis and hemp keep diverging along the THC line. This post walks operators and investors through what the shift means for entity choice, Section 280E, ownership disclosure, exits, and staying compliant — and why the cannabis-hemp divide is widening even as one federal tax answer emerges.
The April 22 Rescheduling Order: What We Know, What We Don’t, and What to Watch Before June 29
The April 22, 2026 rescheduling order moves state-licensed medical marijuana to Schedule III — but leaves adult-use cannabis in Schedule I, creates contested treaty-compliance mechanisms, and opens a June 27 DEA registration deadline that demands immediate attention from California dual A/M operators. Here is what we know, what remains genuinely uncertain, and what to watch before June 29.
Recent and Expected California Cannabis & Hemp Rulemaking to Govern the Licensed Supply Chains for Years to Come
California cannabis and hemp operators face five active or anticipated rulemakings in 2026 — covering multipack cannabis goods, pesticide residue testing, cultivation requirements, METRC track-and-trace reform, and AB 8 implementation. California cannabis attorney Shay Aaron Gilmore breaks down each DCC rulemaking proceeding, the AB 8 two-year countdown to hemp-DCC licensing integration, and why administrative law counsel delivers its highest value before any enforcement action begins.
California’s 2026 Cannabis Bills: All Active, All in the Assembly, and a Critical Deadline Approaching
Every active 2026 California cannabis bill affecting licensed dispensaries and retailers — including AB 2532’s beverage overhaul — is now sitting in the Assembly Appropriations Committee with a hard May 15 deadline. California cannabis attorney Shay Aaron Gilmore breaks down all of the bills, their current status, who’s sponsoring them, and what operators need to do before the window closes. Read the full legislative update at shaygilmorelaw.com.
California M-License Operators in a Bifurcated Federal World: A Legal Deep Dive on DOJ’s April 2026 Rescheduling Order
The DOJ’s April 22, 2026 order rescheduling medical marijuana to Schedule III is the most significant shift in federal cannabis law in a generation — but it is narrow, legally fragile, and comes with a hard deadline. Here is what California M-license operators and investors need to know right now.
Where the Law Meets the Ground: A Spring 2026 Field Report for California Cannabis Operators and Investors
California’s spring 2026 cannabis landscape is being shaped by ground-level events that demand immediate attention from operators and investors: nine Santa Barbara County licenses revoked over odor compliance failures, geopolitical fuel price shocks stress-testing distribution contracts across the state, a wave of M&A deals introducing new joint venture and earnout structures, and pricing data from Michigan and the East Coast confirming that California’s price compression is structural — not temporary. California cannabis attorney Shay Aaron Gilmore analyzes what it means for your business.
Physician-Furnished, Legally Frozen: How AB 8 Locks California Out of the Federal Hemp-CBD Medicare Benefit
California’s AB 8 bans detectable THC in hemp products sold outside licensed dispensaries — putting the state on a direct collision course with the new CMS Substance Access BEI, which allows physicians to furnish hemp-CBD products worth up to $500 annually to Medicare patients. Here’s what ACOs, hemp businesses, and healthcare providers need to know.
California Cannabis Regulatory Compliance in 2026: What Local & State Headlines Are Telling Operators
By The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore | shaygilmorelaw.com The past few weeks have produced a striking cluster of cannabis compliance news from across California — from the North Coast to the Central Coast to San Diego, and from small agricultural counties to major cities. Taken together, these stories send a clear message: regulatory […]
Administrative Law and the California Cannabis Industry Now: New Rulemaking and Appeals Process
By Shay Aaron Gilmore | The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore | shaygilmorelaw.com Right now, in the spring of 2026, California cannabis administrative law is as active as it has ever been. A new multipack rulemaking is open for public comment through April 13, 2026. The Cannabis Control Appeals Panel is hearing contested license […]
California Cannabis & Hemp Industry and Legal Update: What Operators and Investors Need to Know
California’s cannabis and hemp markets are navigating a perfect storm of declining retail sales, shifting local tax policies, and a federal hemp reckoning that could reshape the competitive landscape for years to come. Whether you operate a licensed dispensary in Los Angeles, cultivate in the North Coast, manufacture edibles in the South Bay, or distribute […]
More Than a Dozen Cannabis and Hemp Bills Introduced in the 2026 California Legislative Session
With yesterday’s bill-introduction deadline now past, the contours of California’s 2026 legislative cannabis and hemp agenda are becoming clear. Between January and February 20, California lawmakers introduced 16 bills that either directly regulate cannabis and hemp or, like AB 2494 and SB 936, impose collateral rules that licensed operators will need to navigate or at […]
The Intersection of Cannabis Law and Family Law in California: Legal Standards and New Questions
California stands at a crossroads in American jurisprudence, where liberalization of state cannabis laws has converged with family law issues. Since the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996, which legalized medical marijuana, and Proposition 64 in 2016, which legalized recreational cannabis for adults 21 and over, the Golden State has led the nation in cannabis […]
California Cannabis M&A in 2026: Rescheduling Momentum, Hemp Bans, and State Integration Collide
California’s 2026 cannabis M&A activity will unfold as three distinct regulatory shifts begin to converge: (1) President Trump’s December 2025 executive order directing federal marijuana rescheduling, (2) Congress’s November 2025 redefinition of hemp that bans most intoxicating hemp products, and (3) California’s AB 8 integration of hemp-derived cannabinoids into the licensed cannabis framework. Recent industry […]
California Opens Public Comment on Cannabis Appellations Program Amendments
On January 2, 2026, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) released proposed amendments to its Cannabis Appellations Program (CAP) regulations, marking a significant step toward operationalizing the world’s first governmental appellation system for cannabis. The 45-day public comment period runs through February 17, 2026, giving stakeholders an opportunity to weigh in on key […]
2025 California Cannabis Litigation and Case Law: DCC Loss Headlines Year of Court Decisions
As California’s cannabis industry matures, the past year has produced an array of court decisions and case law addressing regulatory compliance, property rights, insurance coverage, and the persistent tension between state legalization and federal prohibition. DCC’s Track-and-Trace System Fell Short in California Superior Court Arguably, the most significant decision this year came from Orange County […]