The Evolving and Conflicting Legal Landscape of Hemp and CBD Laws
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law I. Background Recently, we reported on the current state of hemp and CBD laws in the United States following the Ninth Circuit’s April 2018 decision in HIA v. DEA (Case No. 17-70162), the proposed Hemp Farming Act of 2018 (S. 2667), and reading through to the subtler “messages” the Court and Congress…
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Employer Liability for Employees’ Acts
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law In our previous post, we discussed general rules applicable to the transportation of cannabis both across and within state lines. Here, we discuss the issue of who is responsible when an accident happens – or worse, an intentional wrongful act is committed – by an employee driver or a third-party…
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The Transportation of Marijuana Within and Across State Lines
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Some of the most commonly asked questions by cannabis business owners and operators, as well as consumers, involve the transportation of marijuana and the applicable laws, as well as the division of liability between the business owner and the driver. Transportation of marijuana is highly regulated. The transportation of marijuana…
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Marijuana Criminal Justice Reform Makes Slow Progress
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Published in: Marijuana Venture Magazine, July 2018 Communities of color are still disproportionately impacted Marijuana used to land you in jail; now it can land you on the Forbes list. However, while states across the country are decriminalizing cannabis and instituting their own medicinal and recreational programs,…
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The True Party of Interest: Ownership and Financing of Cannabis Businesses
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Cannabis industry insiders recently learned the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) is considering implementing a “Hidden Ownership Amnesty Program” that would allow cannabis businesses to come into compliance with ownership and financing regulations without fear of license revocation. In this article, we dive deeper into what ownership…
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Advertising Regulation Overhaul Causes Mass Confusion in Washington Cannabis Industry
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law The laws applicable to the advertising of legal cannabis and legal cannabis business are some of the most rapidly evolving not only in Washington state, but also across the country. I. Cannabis Advertising Law Overhaul Mass confusion resulted over these regulations in Washington state in the spring of 2017,…
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Marijuana’s Role in Mitigating the Opioid Crisis
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Last Thursday, the White House announced it is launching a multimillion-dollar ad campaign intending to warn young people about the dangers of opioid abuse and curb opioid addiction. It is part of the anti-opioid initiative President Trump announced in March of this year, following his declaring the crisis a…
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New Marijuana Licenses in Oregon are No More
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law The agency responsible for licensing marijuana businesses and enforcing relevant laws in the state of Oregon, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), announced last Thursday it will “pause” the processing and issuance of new marijuana license applications as of June 15, 2018. I. Announcement of Temporary “Pause” on Oregon’s…
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Make Your Mark in Marijuana: Trademark Basics
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law & Sam Mendez, Attorney at Lane Powell Clients often request legal advice with respect to registering and protecting their trademarks and brands. All businesses, large and small, should consider the importance and value of trademarks to the success of their business. Heidi Urness Law provides comprehensive legal services with…
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Overproduction, Diversion, and the “New” Marijuana Black Market
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law On Friday, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Billy Williams, issued a memorandum titled “Priorities in Enforcement of Federal laws Involving Marijuana in the District of Oregon.” The memo explains that changes are afoot in enforcement policies and practices with respect to federal marijuana laws in Oregon. These…
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