DCR Recommends Various Changes to LAMC to Address Holes in Current Ordinance
Last week DCR recommended the substantive changes to the ordinance which were accepted by City Council and the proposed ordinance (actual text to become law) was published Friday. City Council will be voting on this Tuesday June 30, 2020. A pathway for temporary approval has finally been created for Phase 3 Round 1 Invoiced Applicants and an […]
Restructuring Tax Systems and Budgets in light of Covid-19 and BLM
On June 15, 2020, California legislators passed their version of the 2020 state budget. It differs from the Governor’s May Revision, which assumes that multiple programs will be cut unless the federal government provides $14 billion in financial support. The Legislature’s budget supports their “Invest. Don’t cut.” strategy, arguing that severe cuts to programs that […]
How Can I Invest in a Mushroom Company?
Written by: Hugh Mayo, J.D. Candidate 2021 In 2018, the FDA made waves when, for the first time, they issued a “Breakthrough Therapy” designation to fast track the development of a psilocybin-based therapy for treatment-resistant depression.1 Psilocybin and psilocin—the principle psychedelic compounds found in mushrooms—are both Schedule I compounds under the Controlled Substances Act making them federally […]
The Decriminalization of Magic Mushrooms
Written by Kristen Abajian Welcome to a murky new movement to bring psychedelics out of the shadows and into a medical and research forefront. This movement aims to decriminalize psilocybin, otherwise known as the “magic” in magic mushrooms. What is psilocybin? Psilocybin is the main ingredient found in several species of psychoactive mushrooms. The most […]
LA Phase 3 Update: Manzuri Law’s Response to DCR Recommendations to Council
Yesterday, our office sent a letter to the City of Los Angeles describing the further delay and undue harm invoiced Phase 3 Round 1 Applicants would suffer from if the DCR’s Recommendations are adopted and implemented as suggested. We have recommended the following: The DCR Recommendations Should ONLY be Applicable to Round 2; DCR Should Issue Local Authorization Immediately to Round […]
Cannabis Deals: Unregistered Broker-Dealers
Written by: Galen Pham, J.D. Candidate 2022 Using an unregistered broker-dealer to help raise money for your cannabis startup or to help find and facilitate a purchase or sale can have serious legal consequences for your business, including potentially providing the investor or buyer/seller the right to rescind the deal. Before engaging with a broker-dealer, […]
LA Update – Lawsuit, Audit Results, DCR Recommendations, What Now?
The highly anticipated results of the controversial Phase III, Round 1 Audit were released to the public and auditors reportedly found the process “fair and unbiased”. Thereafter, on or around March 27, 2020, the City Administrative Officer (“CAO”) recommended that the DCR be instructed to “complete the processing of Phase III Round 1 license applications […]
Returning Business to “Normal” – COVID-19’s Impact on Cannabis Businesses
The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. In light of this sustained outbreak, federal, state, and local governments have placed numerous protocols in place to curtail the risks associated with the pandemic. Thankfully, Governor Newsom classified the cannabis industry within the realm of essential businesses, so there were no mandatory […]
Fiscal Relief for California Cannabusinesses: Possibility or Pipe Dream?
While most of California is still sheltering in place, the state Assembly and Senate are set to go back to work on May 4 and 11, respectively, to hold committee hearings and try to pass the state budget by June 15. Surprising no one, the fiscal outlook for this year is not pretty. While California […]
US v Campbell – Ninth Circuit to Consider Whether Hashish is Marijuana
In a very interesting case, the Ninth Circuit is considering whether the criminal defendant in United States v. Campbell is exempt from federal prosecution due to compliance with Montana’s medical marijuana laws. The case further considers a unique paradox in the law whereby “hashish” is excluded from the State’s definition of “marijuana” thus precluding Mr. […]