New California Cannabis Retail Opportunities Opening in Southern California
Is a commercial cannabis license on your New Years’ Resolution list? Several cities plan to open applications for new retail licenses throughout Southern California in 2024. Entering the retail market is generally high pressure, as applicants must compete for a capped number of licenses. Having procured and maintained over 300 commercial cannabis licenses in California, […]
Potential Impact of Schedule III: Everything Cannabis Operators and Consumers Should Know
In October 2022, President Biden requested a U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) administrative review of cannabis’s classification under federal law. After conducting a scientific and medical review of cannabis, HHS issued a recommendation to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) that cannabis should be recategorized from Schedule I to Schedule III, recognizing […]
New California Hemp, CBD Rules Affect Nationwide Compliance
Well known to the industry by now, the Federal Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, or the 2018 Farm Bill, legalized hemp as defined, with a Delta-9 THC concentration of no more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis, and altered the Controlled Substances Act’s definition of “marihuana” to exclude hemp as a Schedule I substance. […]
A Legal Guide to Natural Medicine Regulation in Colorado
In November of 2022, Coloradians voted to approve Proposition 122, known as the Natural Medicine Health Act, a citizen-initiated measure to decriminalize certain psychedelic substances and create a regulated facilitated use program. In May of 2023, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 23-290 (SB 23-290) into law, which effectively replaced Proposition 122 and formally […]
California Psychedelic Initiatives on the Ballot in 2024
In the State of California, laws may be enacted by the California state legislature or through a citizen-driven ballot initiative. Whereas laws passed through the legislature require the majority of California legislators’ support, the ballot initiative process gives California voters the power to propose new laws or amendments without the oversight or support of any […]
Los Angeles Retail PCN Applications Deadline: Due August 29th!
Are you a social equity applicant that wants to apply for a retail storefront in Los Angeles? Specifically, Central City, Central City North, Harbor Gateway, Sherman Oaks – Studio City or Venice? Here is what you need to know. What is the Public Convenience or Necessity Process? In the City of Los Angeles, each Community […]
Psychedelic Policy in California: Senate Bill 58
What is the Status of Senate Bill 58? Last month, the California State Assembly Health Committee voted to approve Senator Scott Weiner’s Senate Bill 58 (“SB 58”), which aims to both decriminalize certain psychedelics and create a regulatory framework to govern the supervised therapeutic use of psychedelics. Having passed the Health Committee, SB 58 goes next […]
Advancing Equitable Psychedelic Policy: Lessons from Cannabis Regulation
Like cannabis, psychedelic drugs have a long history of recreational, spiritual, and therapeutic use. Despite decades of federal prohibition of both cannabis and psychedelics, cannabis markets have now taken the United States by storm; Thirty-eight states have legalized cannabis for medical use, and twenty-three states have recreational adult-use programs. The psychedelics industry is now experiencing […]
The Psychedelic Renaissance: Legal Opportunities in the United States
A. The Psychedelic Renaissance For thousands of years, indigenous cultures across the globe have used naturally occurring psychedelic drugs for therapeutic and mystical purposes. In the 20th Century, extensive research showed natural and synthetic psychedelics to be a non-toxic and non-addictive potential breakthrough in the field of psychiatry. However, psychedelics were criminalized and socially stigmatized […]
The Biden Administration’s Review of the Classification of Cannabis
In October 2022, President Biden requested that the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiate an administrative review of cannabis’s classification under federal law. In June 2022, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said HHS and the DEA are aiming to complete a review of cannabis’s federal scheduling status by the end of “this year.” This […]