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Cannabis Law Changes In New Year

Legislative changes: These new marijuana laws take effect Wednesday, Jan. 1, some up some down but as always, the only constant is change.

Change to CA Cannabis law

 Senate Bill 34 will let licensed businesses donate products for medical marijuana patients in need. 

Assembly Bill 37 will let cannabis operators deduct expenses, a standard business practice that’s been blocked due to federal law.

And Assembly Bill 1810 makes it illegal for passengers in limos, taxis and other commercial vehicles to consume cannabis (though they can still drink alcohol), effectively ending any hopes of cannabis party buses. Also on Wednesday, mandated industry tax hikes will hit an already struggling industry.

A Toke and a Smile: Coca-Cola Could Dip Toes in Cannabis Pool

The Coca-Cola Co. said it is “closely watching” the expanding use of a cannabis element in drinks, another sign cannabis and cannabis-infused products are getting more acceptance in mainstream culture and a harder look from long-established pillars of American business.

The statement came Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, after reports the beverage giant was in talks with a Canadian cannabis company to create a health drink infused with cannabidiol (CBD), a naturally occurring, non-intoxicating compound derived from the cannabis plant. Shares of the company, Aurora Cannabis Inc., closed up nearly 17 percent on the Toronto Stock Exchange after the report.

Spokespeople for the companies declined to comment on the report but acknowledged their interest in that segment of the cannabis market.

CBD does not produce the high commonly associated with marijuana — that is due to its more widely known cannabinoid cohort, THC. It is believed by many to have anti-inflammation and pain-relieving properties, and numerous CBD-infused products have emerged recently.

Aurora spokeswoman Heather MacGregor said her company “has expressed specific interest in the infused-beverage space and we intend to enter that market.”

A Coca-Cola spokesperson said the beverage giant has made no such decision.

“Along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world. The space is evolving quickly,” said the spokesperson, Kent Landers.

Coca-Cola’s interest is another indication of the growing acceptance of cannabis by established companies and of the importance of Canada to the development of those businesses. Marijuana becomes legal across Canada on Oct. 17, 2018. Cannabis companies from the U.S. — where marijuana remains illegal at the federal level — have flocked to Canada to raise funds and establish businesses there.

American companies interested in making a play in the cannabis space can try things out in Canada without risking doing something illegal at home.

Constellation Brands, a giant spirits company that counts Corona beer among its labels, bought a multibillion-dollar minority stake in Canopy Growth, a Canadian medical marijuana producer. Molson Coors Co. was also seeking partnerships with Canadian canna-businesses to stem a decline in its established American and Canadian beer brands.

Coca-Cola’s statement shows the company has learned from its past missteps picking up on new drink trends, said Ali Dibadj, a senior analyst at AllianceBernstein with an expertise in U.S. beverage and snack food companies.

“The company has been caught flat-footed in the past in not keeping up with trends in beverages. They missed the energy drink phenomenon, they missed — and then had to buy into — the functional waters like Vitamin Water, and coffee,” Dibadj said. “I think what they’re saying is what they should be saying on this very new and emerging beverage.”

But testing the waters of cannabis-themed drinks could backfire, he said. Many Americans aren’t intimately familiar with the cannabis plant and might not understand that CBD has no psychoactive properties.

Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis plants, and both contain CBD, which can be extracted as an oil that can be added to edibles, topicals, and more.

“I think you have to be very, very careful with this as a large brand. There are different viewpoints on a product category, and you don’t want to offend too much,” Dibadj said. “You don’t want to be too far ahead on any curve.”

Special Thanks to www.marijuana.com and Gillian Flaccus for content share

In the event that you can’t quantify it, how might you oversee it? We mean Marijuana

In the event that you can’t quantify it, how might you oversee it?

The controllers are coming. It is safe to say that you are prepared? Are your licenses consistent with City, County, State and Federal necessities? Is your business in danger for infringement, fines and punishments?

How would we pass administrative assessments and guarantee we are consistent with all permitting and operational necessities? How would we secure your business today?

After in excess of 1,100 cannabis consistence examinations through the Adherence SCORE App, Adherence can help with best practices and featuring basic disappointment designs.

Early introductions Can Be Everything

Stock is the most difficult territory for following, observing and announcing for cannabis items. So far in 2018, around 75% of cannabis licenses examined have bombed no less than one stock following prerequisite. Cannabis stock influences income and expenses which can include extra administrative investigation from specialists.

Stock Questions to Ask:

• Are on the whole records identified with current stock refreshed and accommodated?

• Moreover, would they say they are precise and promptly accessible for code authorization overseers?

• Lastly, has your group been prepared on Inventory and State necessities?

Security and observation positions second, with roughly 65% of cannabis licenses reviewed bombing no less than one security and reconnaissance prerequisite. Frequently, infringement happen in different regions and controllers swing to the security frameworks for extra audit. Similarly as with stock, these infringement are viewed as open security infringement, which convey expanded fines, punishments and by and large expenses.

Office logs are a typical disappointment point, as blunders and oversights can stack up after some time. Contingent on the purview’s necessities, a few organizations are required to have up to 3 long stretches of logs at the authorized commence accessible for investigations. A well-run cannabis office will have refreshed logs for squander, security and reconnaissance, synthetics and pesticides and guests.

Fabricate a Strong Compliance Program

It can be exceedingly hard to set up a comprehensive, inside and out consistence program without assistance from the correct accomplice. Knowing where you require help, and where to begin, can have a significant effect. Our proposal is to line up with a confided in consistence accomplice who has:

• Empirical boots-on-the-ground involvement and best practices learning

• top to bottom Training and Education Services worked from assessment information

• Battle-tried Compliance App with report cards and accessible database

• Proven Compliance Programs with ventures, neighborhood governments and banks

Transition Period Requirements

Transition Period Requirements

The transition period in the licensing authorities’ regulations allowing exceptions from specific regulatory provisions ends on June 30, 2018. Beginning July 1, 2018, cannabis goods must meet all statutory and regulatory requirements. Cannabis goods that do not meet all statutory and regulatory requirements must be destroyed in accordance with the rules pertaining to destruction.

LABORATORY TESTING REQUIREMENTS:

Beginning July 1, 2018, a licensee may only sell cannabis goods that have been tested and passed all testing requirements in effect at the time of testing.

  • Untested cannabis goods cannot be sold by a retailer and must be destroyed. A retailer may not send cannabis goods to a distributor for testing.
  • Untested cannabis goods manufactured or harvested before January 1, 2018, in possession of a distributor that are owned by the distributor must be destroyed.
  • Untested cannabis goods manufactured or harvested before January 1, 2018, in the possession of a distributor owned by a manufacturer or cultivator may be returned to the licensee who owns the cannabis goods. If a cultivator or manufacturer chooses to sell the returned cannabis goods, the cannabis goods must be sent to a distributor for testing and must meet all of the testing requirements in effect at the time of testing before transported to a retailer for sale.

PACKAGING AND LABELING REQUIREMENTS:

Beginning July 1, 2018, all packaging and labeling must be performed prior to cannabis goods being transported to a retailer.

  • A retailer shall not accept cannabis goods that are not properly packaged and labeled. A retailer shall not package or label cannabis goods, even if the cannabis goods were in inventory before July 1, 2018. However, for medicinal sales, retailers will place a sticker on cannabis goods stating, “FOR MEDICAL USE ONLY” upon sale to a qualified medicinal consumer, unless the statement is already printed on the package.
  • A retailer may not send unpackaged cannabis goods to another licensee for packaging or labeling. Cannabis goods in possession of a retailer that do not meet packaging and labeling requirements must be destroyed.
  • Exit packaging is not required to be child-resistant and can no longer be used to satisfy the child-resistant packaging requirements. All cannabis goods must be in child-resistant packaging prior to delivery to a retailer.

THC LIMITS FOR EDIBLE CANNABIS PRODUCTS:

Beginning July 1, 2018, edible cannabis goods may not exceed 10 milligrams of THC per serving and may not exceed 100 milligrams of THC per package.

THC LIMITS FOR NON-EDIBLE CANNABIS PRODUCTS:

Beginning July 1, 2018, non-edible cannabis products must meet package THC restrictions.

  • Non-edible cannabis products shall not contain more than 1,000 milligrams of THC per package if intended for sale only in the adult-use market.
  • Non-edible cannabis products shall not contain more than 2,000 milligrams of THC per package if intended for sale only in the medicinal market.

INGREDIENTS AND APPEARANCE OF CANNABIS PRODUCTS:

Beginning July 1, 2018, a retailer may only sell cannabis products that meet the requirements set by the California Department of Public Health for ingredients or appearance.

For additional information about the transition period requirements, or to subscribe to email alerts to hear about updates as they become available, please visit the Bureau’s website at http://www.bcc.ca.gov/. For information on all three state licensing authorities, please visit the state’s California Cannabis Portal at https://cannabis.ca.gov/. Follow the Bureau on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for daily news and updates.

Those looking to get in touch with the Bureau of Cannabis Control can call our Call Center at (833) 768-5880, or send an email to bcc@dca.ca.gov.

Trump says he is likely to support ending blanket federal ban on marijuana

President Trump said he likely will support a congressional effort to end the federal ban on marijuana, a major step that would reshape the pot industry and end the threat of a Justice Department crackdown.

 

Trump’s remarks put him sharply at odds with Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions on the issue. The bill in question, pushed by a bipartisan coalition, would allow states to go forward with legalization unencumbered by threats of federal prosecution. Sessions, by contrast, has ramped up those threats and has also lobbied Congress to reduce current protections for medical marijuana.

 

Trump made his comments to a gaggle of reporters Friday morning just before he boarded a helicopter on his way to the G-7 summit in Canada. His remarks came the day after the bipartisan group of lawmakers proposed their measure.

 

One of the lead sponsors is Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), who is aligned with Trump on several issues but recently has tangled with the administration over the Justice Department’s threats to restart prosecutions in states that have legalized marijuana.

 

 

“I support Sen. Gardner,” Trump said when asked about the bill. “I know exactly what he’s doing. We’re looking at it. But I probably will end up supporting that, yes.”

 

The legislative proposal, which is also championed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), would reshape the legal landscape for marijuana if it becomes law.

 

California and eight other states, as well as Washington, D.C., have legalized all adult use of marijuana. An additional 20 states permit marijuana for medical use.

 

But even as states legalize, marijuana has remained a risky and unstable business because of federal law making it illegal. Concerns about federal law enforcement seizures have inhibited most lenders from working with marijuana businesses. And investors have also proceeded cautiously.

 

“If you are in the marijuana business … you can’t get a bank loan or set up a bank account because of concern over the conflict between state and federal law,” Gardner said at a news conference Thursday to unveil the new bill. “We need to fix this. It is time we take this industry out of the shadows, bring these dollars out of the shadows.”

 

He called it a “public hypocrisy” that the firms are expected to pay taxes yet are barred from participation in the financial system.

 

A lifting of the federal prohibition also would bolster efforts to create uniform testing and regulatory standards for marijuana, and potentially free scientists to pursue research into the medical uses of marijuana.

 

Trump’s support could potentially have a major impact, providing political cover for Republicans who worry about being tagged as soft on drugs. Still, the proposal faces a tough road in Congress.

 

Even though most lawmakers now represent areas where pot is legal for at least medical use — and public opinion polls show majorities of Democratic and Republican voters nationwide favor legalization — congressional leaders have shown little appetite for loosening restrictions. The House is blocking the District of Columbia from permitting sales of recreational pot, even after its voters chose to legalize. A 2014 budget amendment that protects medical marijuana businesses from Drug Enforcement Administration raids is perpetually under attack.

 

“It faces tremendous head winds,” John Hudak, a marijuana policy expert at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said, referring to the Gardner-Warren bill.

 

Trump said he is likely to support the federal legalization effort despite a warning against it from a coalition of narcotics officer groups.

 

“We urge you to see through the smoke screen and reject attempts to encourage more drug use in America,” they wrote in a letter to Trump Thursday.

 

The marijuana industry continues to be whipsawed by mixed messages from the administration.

 

In January, the Justice Department sent pot businesses into a panic by rescinding an Obama-era policy that restricted prosecutors from targeting sellers who operate legally under state laws. Sessions warned at the time that any pot business could find itself in the crosshairs of prosecutors — regardless of whether marijuana was legal in their state.

 

The move enraged Gardner, who said the administration had earlier given him assurances that there would be no such raids, at least in his state. At Gardner’s behest, Trump in April ordered an abrupt retreat from the announced crackdown. Trump made the order without even consulting Sessions, a sign of their tense relationship.

 

But prosecutors did back off. During this administration, there have apparently been no federal raids or seizures of pot companies for sales that are legal under state law.

 

“Remarkably little, if anything, has changed,” said John Vardaman, a former Justice Department attorney who helped draft the Obama-era rules, known as the Cole memo, after former Deputy Atty. Gen. James M. Cole, who issued it. “Almost every U.S. attorney in states where marijuana is legal has decided to apply the same principles as the Cole memo,” said Vardaman, now an executive at Hypur, which sells banking compliance software to marijuana companies.

 

Banking is the area in which the Gardner bill could most help pot companies.

 

The Senate proposal, and a companion bipartisan measure in the House, would amend the Controlled Substances Act so that its marijuana provisions do not apply to any person or business that is in compliance with state laws. To put bankers at ease, it specifies that such marijuana sales would not be considered trafficking and do not amount to illegal financial transactions.

 

“The very people you want involved in this market are the ones who have been most reluctant to get involved because of the banking issue,” said Vardaman. “If you address that, you would have enormous beneficial effects for the industry.”

 

While Trump’s comments were welcomed by marijuana activists, they remain on edge, especially because of Trump’s spotty record at actually pushing legislation through Congress.

 

“We have seen this president voice his support for a lot of things related to cannabis, but he has done absolutely nothing to move legislation,” said Hudak. “This is just more empty rhetoric from a president who is vague on this issue.”

 

Gardner is hoping he can persuade more of his conservative colleagues to join the crusade by framing the issue as one of state’s rights. Several Republicans, including Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Don Young of Alaska, are demanding an end to federal marijuana laws that intrude on the states. Their movement is slowly growing in Congress.

 

“This is a chance for us to express that federalism works,” said Gardner, who like some other Republicans was not a proponent of marijuana but took up the cause after his state’s voters endorsed legalization, “to take an idea that states have led with and provide a solution that allows them to continue to lead.”

 

Special Thanks to  EVAN HALPER JUN 08, 2018 | 2:10 PM of the LA Times for Content Share and Sensiseeds for Media Share

California Senate passes bill to create banks for pot businesses

California Senate passes bill to create banks for pot businesses

The state Senate passed a bill this week to create a state charter for banks to serve California cannabis businesses, which would allow licensed merchants to write checks to pay taxes, fees and vendors — rather than use large amounts of cash, as they currently do.

SB-930, by state Sen. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, now heads to the Assembly.

Because marijuana is classified by the federal government as a Schedule 1 drug, federally insured financial institutions cannot process cannabis-related transactions without the risk of facing money laundering charges.

The bill would establish banks and credit unions, regulated by the Department of Business Oversight, that could process deposits, withdrawals and other transactions by cannabis businesses. Proponents say it would improve security at cannabis shops, which largely operate on a cash-only basis and pay taxes with money that they carry in armored vehicles.

“It’s not only impractical from an accounting perspective, but it also presents a tremendous public safety problem,” Hertzberg said in a statement. “This bill takes a limited approach to provide all parties with a safe and reliable way to move forward on this urgent issue. ”

Adult recreational use of marijuana became legal in California this year, and the state expects to collect $600 million in cannabis taxes in 2018, the Department of Finance estimates.

Special Thanks to Author: Catherine Ho for content share

How to Grow Weed at Home: Choose Your Light

Getting Started Growing Cannabis Indoors

Approximately 70% of the U.S. population consumes cannabis at least on occasion, but for many people, cannabis is far more than a plant they enjoy when it’s around.

Instead, cannabis is a way of life, a religion, and an escape from the sometimes harsh realities of life, whether it is aches and pains or sadness interfering with your well-being. Enthusiasts who understand the sheer magnitude of cannabis oftentimes find the cultivation process one that heightens their experience. This God-given plant has powers unbeknownst to some, but for the true cannabis enthusiasts, its amazing qualities are undeniable. Growing weed indoors offers the perfect opportunity to take your cannabis love to the next level.

Now that marijuana has become a hot topic around the country, many of the stigmas that once surrounded the plant are gone and more people are learning and accepting that it is a beneficial plant and a far cry short of the Class I narcotic the federal government has it labeled as. Currency eight states allow usage and cultivation of marijuana for recreational use, while more than 40 have legalized cannabis use and cultivation for medicinal purposes. Marijuana research is being conducted at universities, elite members of our community are showing their support, and advancements are being made every single day. Nonetheless, it is a crime to grow marijuana without a medical red card (How to apply for medical marijuana card?) if you don’t reside in a legal state.

Growing marijuana indoors alleviates the worry. Many people are growing cannabis indoors as we speak, producing large, beautiful, plants filled with those delightful buds that you so greatly appreciate. If you’re ready to join the trend, learning how to grow is the first step. Growing marijuana indoors isn’t as difficult as some people would assume. In fact, it takes just 10 simple, easy steps to grow!

What You’ll Need to Monitor During Growing

Growing marijuana indoors allows you to keep an eye on the entire growth process. Marijuana is a plant that requires lots of attention if you want it to yield powerful, potent results, though the overall process is fairly simple once you get the swing of things. Checking in on your plants three or four times per day can help yield the best results, especially for the beginning grower.

It is important to monitor the amount of air and light that the plant receives when growing marijuana indoors. Marijuana is a native outdoor plant and thrives when pristine conditions are noted. Thus, proper air flow, proper light, and the right amount of moisture are key ingredients to a successful grow.

Flowering plants like marijuana produce fruits only once per year during the fall season. They’re fruitful during this cooler period after receiving sunlight and nutrients during the warmer months. It’s called a photosynthesis period and is a process that you’ll need to reproduce when growing marijuana indoors. To do this, the plants need up to 16-hours of light during the seedling stage and approximately 12-hours during the flowering process.

The photosynthesis also requires proper air be delivered to the plant. All plants need air to survive, including the cannabis plant. A steady stream of airflow in the grow room is essential to a healthy marijuana plant. Marijuana plants thrive in temperatures ranging from 70 F to 85 F; an exhaust fan can help you maintain these temperatures. Since some strains of the marijuana plant prefer lower temperatures while others thrive when temperatures are closer to the highest temperature point, it is important to properly educate yourself on the preferences of the seedling before you begin.

Step 2: Choose Your Light

Plants Grow Light

Grow lights provide the marijuana plants the light they need to thrive and reproduce. Quality lighting in the grow room is imperative to a good grow. It is a wise idea to invest as much money as you can comfortably afford to spend on high-quality lights. The initial costs are well-worth the expense when the plant begins flowering and producing those delightful buds that you’ll indulge.

HID lighting, or High-Intensity discharge, is the industry standard lighting for marijuana cultivation. The lights combine efficiency, value, and high output that yields great results in return. Although costlier than fluorescent or incandescent lights, they produce more lighting when and where it is needed the most. To use HID lighting, a ballast and reflector or hood are also needed. The reflector/hood is used to provide air and a mounting space for the lighting, while the ballast holds the lights in place.

You’ll need two types of HID bulbs to grow marijuana indoors:

HPS: High-Pressure Sodium bulbs (HPS lamps) are best used during the flowering stage. They deliver more light per watt than the MH bulbs.

MH: Metal Halide bulbs produce a blue light that helps the plant tremendously during the vegetative stage

LED: LED grow lights are expensive, with prices as much as 10 times the cost of HID bulbs. The lights are more durable than the other options and use electricity. They also benefit the plant in that they do not produce the same intense heat as other lighting options. The result of this more intense spectrum of light is higher-quality cannabis and larger yields.

Fluorescent grow lights provide a cheaper start-up for a new grower, though they certainly fail to provide the same efficiency as the HID bulbs. In fact, fluorescent lighting produces approximately 30% less light per watt than the HID light bulb. Furthermore, several T5 bulbs are needed to attain the same output as a singular 600-watt HID bulb. The ballast, reflector, and bulbs are all included with a fluorescent grow light kit and no cooling system is required.

If you can splurge on lighting, by all means, take that opportunity. Grow lights tremendously impact the plant and how well it grows. The most distinguished of growers have attained their status in part due to the superb lighting they’ve selected. You, too, can attain such a status as long as the best grow lights are used in your operation.

Content share offered by “Sophia Walters of Plantsily.com”

How To Properly Store Cannabis Concentrates

It is easier to preserve the quality of cannabis extracts than flowers. Especially when you learn how to properly store cannabis concentrates. To store weed for extended periods of time you need to keep light, air, moisture and heat away. You can assume the same about extracts. However, the way you store them still differs. We’ll go over all the information you need to learn how to properly store cannabis concentrates.

CONTAINERS FOR CANNABIS CONCENTRATES

Cannabis concentrates can’t be stored just anywhere. Some consistencies of concentrate are not meant to be stored in glass jars. For example, most shatter will get stuck to the glass. Then, it will be extremely difficult to get it all out. You’ll need a nectar collector to use up all the shatter that ends up stuck in the jar. On the other hand, consistencies like live resin sauce or budder are easier to scoop out of small glass jars.

The ideal environmental conditions to properly store cannabis concentrates is about the same for all consistencies. However, the best storage containers will vary based on the consistency of the extract.

Content Share from The Marijuana Retailer Report

420 Money Helped Inspire John Boehner’s Belated Cannabis 180

Sure, 420 Money Helped Inspire John Boehner’s Belated Cannabis 180, but It’s Still Worth Applauding

Hundreds of thousands of Americans were locked up for being in the business the former speaker of the House is now in for himself.

After years of being “unalterably opposed” to the legalization of cannabis, former Republican speaker of the House and Ohio congressman John Boehner has changed his mind.

Earlier today, Boehner said “my thinking on cannabis has evolved” and announced his new role on the board of advisers of a large if little-known American cannabis company called Acreage Holdings, previously known as High Street Capital Partners, which holds plant-touching licenses in 11 U.S. states. Acreage also announced that former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld will join its board of advisers, and both Boehner and Weld have committed to join Acreage’s board of directors once it is formed.

“I’m convinced descheduling the drug is needed so we can do research, help our veterans and reverse the opioid epidemic ravaging our communities,” Boehner tweeted.

While Boehner’s dramatic about-face on the subject of legalization is an undeniable win for the legalization movement, it also shows how complicated progress is for a movement that has been fighting for sensible drug policy for decades and only witnessed adult-use legislation in the last six years.

As speaker of the House, Boehner fought legalization tooth and nail, writing to one constituent in 2011, “I am unalterably opposed to the legalization of marijuana or any other FDA Schedule I drug. I remain concerned that legalization will result in increased abuse of all varieties of drugs, including alcohol.” As Quartz reported this morning, more than 400,000 Americans were arrested for selling and trafficking marijuana between 2011 and 2015, when Boehner served as one of D.C.’s most powerful politicians.

But now that Boehner—who stepped down as speaker and resigned from office in 2015—is no longer one of D.C.’s most powerful politicians, he has apparently come around to the idea that legalization is the right path forward for America and the rest of the world. And not only does Boehner support reforming drug laws, he’s actually advocating for descheduling cannabis, a distinction worth pointing out as many prominent Democrats still only support the rescheduling of marijuana from its current (and absurd) position as a Schedule I substance.

I spoke earlier with Acreage Holdings CEO Kevin Murphy, who refers to Boehner as a “senior statesmen and thinker.” He acknowledged Boehner’s prohibitionist past but says the former speaker has a compelling answer to the question of his recent shift in perspective

Much appreciation to Content share  from The Daily Beast and author “Ricardo Baca” &  PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY also THE DAILY BEAST

FEDERAL CANNABIS UPDATE: 2018

FEDERAL CANNABIS UPDATE: 2018 SPENDING BILL KEEPS ROHRABACHER-BLUMENAUER AMENDMENT

Last week, despite controversy, criticism from both sides of the aisle, and talk of a veto, President Trump agreed to sign the federal government’s omnibus spending bill for 2018. To the relief of many in the legal cannabis industry, the spending bill retains a provision known as the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer (or Rohrabacher-Farr) amendment, which provides limited protection from federal prosecution for state-level legal cannabis activity.

Given both Trump’s and Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ tough talk on drugs and threats to crack down on the cannabis industry, the continued presence of this amendment is a silver lining for those anxious about the future of legal cannabis. While this won’t mean a change in the federal treatment of marijuana – the amendment has been included in every spending bill since 2014 – it does indicate that the government intends to keep on its current course with regard to cannabis, as the provision has to be renewed every year to remain in effect.

Likewise, though the actual protections afforded by the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment are limited, its being signed into law was, and remains, an important indication of the federal government’s shift in attitude regarding cannabis: as the LA Times reported following the provision’s first inclusion in the spending bill, “Congress for years had resisted calls to allow states to chart their own path on pot. The marijuana measure, which forbids the federal government from using any of its resources to impede state medical marijuana laws, was previously rejected half a dozen times.” In this light, the amendment was a notable pivot from a top-down to a state-level approach to cannabis regulation.

California cannabis consumers and business owners shouldn’t get too comfortable, though: not only does the amendment not change anything about the federal government’s cannabis policy in and of itself, its terms only apply to medical marijuana, not recreational cannabis. So far, the government has rejected proposed amendments that would grant recreational cannabis operations the same protection from federal intervention. For the time being, California cannabis business owners’ best bet is to stay in full compliance with state and local law as the federal situation develops.

Special Thanks to MARGOLIN & LAWRENCE for Content Share

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