On July 21, 2020, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued draft guidance outlining the agency’s current thinking on the development of drugs containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds. The new guidance is disappointing to many in the cannabis industry because it does not provide insight into the FDA’s views on the marketing of nondrug, hemp-derived CBD products.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
Duane Morris attorney Joseph Pangaro spoke at the July 9 National Paralegal Association (NALA) Conference and Expo.
Mr. Pangaro presented on two topics: “Taking the High Road: Legal Issues in the Cannabis Transportation Business” and “Risks and Variances of Cannabis Law.”
For more information and to obtain the recorded sessions, visit the NALA Conference & Expo website.
A video replay of the webinar “Cannabis 304: Investing in Cannabis in the COVID-19 Era” is available to view.
Duane Morris attorneys Justin Stern and Joseph Pangaro authored the July 1 Law360 article, “Okla. High Court Marijuana Ruling Provides Preemption Guide.”
Stern and Pangaro write:
Adult-use marijuana may be coming to Oklahoma sooner rather than later — barring any unforeseen events, legalization of marijuana for adult use will be on the state’s ballot this year.
On June 23, in the case of In re: State Question No. 807, Oklahoma Supreme Court rejected arguments that the proposed initiative was legally insufficient as preempted by federal laws making marijuana illegal. Interestingly, the court explained that state legalization of marijuana would not be “clearly or manifestly” unconstitutional as preempted by the federal Controlled Substances Act, or CSA, despite the apparent conflict.
To read the full article, visit the Duane Morris website.
By Naina Kamath
While in recent years the main critique of the legal cannabis industry has revolved around its profitability despite high drug-related incarceration rates, a new focus, inspired in part by the Black Lives Matter movement, has been placed on the underrepresentation of Black business owners and executives in the legal cannabis industry. This underrepresentation is thought to be the result of overwhelming barriers to entry, particularly for Black business owners in the cannabis industry, who must initially rely on the discretion of investors and dispensaries. Continue reading “Addressing Systemic Racism and Barriers to Entry in the Cannabis Industry”
Duane Morris has been named a top law firm for cannabis law by Business Insider. The publication reached out to 29 players in the cannabis industry, from VCs to startups to multistate operators, to get their take on the best law firms in the industry.
Founded: 1904
Involved in cannabis: 2015
Recommended by: Panther Opportunity Fund, Salveo Capital
About: Duane Morris’ cannabis industry group, which has been around since 2015, is led by Seth A. Goldberg (Philadelphia), Tracy Gallegos (San Francisco/Las Vegas) and Paul P. Josephson (Cherry Hill, NJ).
Their clients range from those directly cultivating and selling cannabis products to investors in the industry. A spokesperson for the firm said that the group advises clients in a variety of areas, including regulatory, intellectual property, and litigation law.
For more information, please visit the Business Insider website (subscription required).
Consumer class actions regarding CBD marketing are on the rise. In recent months, a number of federal judges have placed lawsuits concerning the marketing of CBD-infused products on hold because the U.S. Food & Drug Administration—tasked with regulating those products under the 2018 Farm Bill—still has not issued regulations governing how they can be marketed. This further complicates the already confusing federal-state regulatory structure concerning the treatment of CBD products.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.
Earlier this week, the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) issued permits allowing Zen Leaf Elizabeth (Verano NJ) in Elizabeth and Columbia Care in Vineland to begin dispensing medical marijuana.
These 2 new operations bring the total number of operating dispensaries in the state to 11. Zen Leaf Elizabeth is scheduled to open Friday, May 29 and Columbia Care will likely open in early June.
The 9 other ATCs currently dispensing medical marijuana include Greenleaf Compassion Center of Montclair, The Botanist (Compassionate Care Foundation) of Egg Harbor and Atlantic City, Garden State Dispensary of Woodbridge and Union Township, Breakwater Alternative Treatment Center of Cranbury, Curaleaf NJ, Inc. in Bellmawr, Harmony Dispensary in Secaucus and Rise in Paterson.
In March, the DOH issued several waivers to improve ATC operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included waivers that allowed for curbside pick-up, telephonic consultations (instead of in-person), volume-based discounts and reduced caregiver fees.
Participation in the medical program continues to grow. According to the DOH, there are currently over 77,000 patients, 3,000 caregivers and 1,100 physicians enrolled.
Patients and caregivers can visit the Division of Medicinal Marijuana’s website if they choose to change their preferred ATC. http://www.nj.gov/health/medicalmarijuana/
The change can also be made by calling the Customer Service Unit of the Division at 844-419-9712 and does not require changing ID cards.
Patients can refer to the FAQ section of the DOH’s website for additional information. http://www.nj.gov/health/medicalmarijuana/pat_faqs.shtml/ Active physicians enrolled in the program are listed by county and medical specialty on the website.
Duane Morris has a robust Cannabis Practice Group to assist clients in all facets of the cannabis arena including formation, licensing, fund raising, regulatory, real estate, and intellectual property. Contact your Duane Morris attorney for more information. Prior Alerts on the topic are available on the team’s webpage.
For Further Information:
If you have any questions about this post, please contact Brad A. Molotsky, Paul Josephson or the attorney in the firm with whom you are regularly in contact.
Be well and stay safe!
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on nearly every industry in the global economy. The nascent and volatile cannabis industry was not exempt and, in some jurisdictions, has been impacted significantly due to local or state shelter or stay-at home orders. In most states where adult-use cannabis is legal, local and state governments have deemed cannabis businesses as essential and, thus, are permitted to continue operating notwithstanding local or state shelter orders. However, despite their characterization as essential businesses, many limitations imposed by local or state shelter orders have greatly affected the way cannabis businesses operate. As a result, cannabis businesses have experienced steep declines in their revenues and, in some instances, have left cannabis businesses unable to perform contractual obligations that they entered into pre-pandemic.
To read the full text of this article by Duane Morris partner Tracy Gallegos, please visit the Cannabis Business Executive website.
Duane Morris congratulates our Cannabis Industry Group on being ranked as a National Leader in Cannabis Law by Chambers and Partners.
Chambers writes:
What the team is known for Utilizes cannabis expertise on a nationwide basis and across a broad spectrum of practice areas, with practitioners specializing in IP, corporate transactions and regulatory advice within the sector. Offers expanded capabilities in the wake of the 2018 Farm Bill for clients trading in hemp and hemp-derived CBD products. Also boasts litigators able to handle contentious issues for producers and distributors across the industry.
Strengths “Outstanding is the first word I’d choose to describe their service,” says one client, who notes that the team is “creative and always very informative in an industry changing on an almost daily basis.“
Another client says: “The group is very polished, professional and experienced.”
Work highlights Represented iAnthus Capital Holdings as US counsel in connection with its all-stock merger with MPX Bioceutical.
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