News

By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC False or deceptive claims, including unsubstantiated health claims, constitute the basis for a large amount of both federal and state lawsuits against hemp and CBD companies throughout the United States. At the federal level, both government entities including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Food and Drug Administration…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC In just one week — on October 20, 2020 — the public comment period for the recent Interim Final Rule titled “Implementation of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018” and promulgated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) will close. We urge you to submit your comments on or…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC It may come as a shock that, in Washington State, individual owners, officers, and agents of a business can be held personally financially responsible for non- or improper payment of employee wages. As thousands of businesses across the state prepare to re-open their doors after Governor Inslee’s “Stay…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC While individuals and businesses throughout the country are clamoring to secure their piece of disaster relief funds, marijuana businesses find themselves excluded from federal aid opportunities. However, state and local governments are stepping up to fill in the gaps and help companies stay afloat during the…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC ———– UPDATE: Just hours after this article was first published, Governor Inslee announced his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, utilizing nearly identical language (and organization) as the California order. (See Section II(A), below).  Again, the “essential workforce” listed is organized by category. Under the “Healthcare/Public Health”…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC 2019, as predicted, was the “Year of CBD.” Fueled by the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD and other hemp-derived products, as well as ancillary businesses, exploded into the marketplace. However, as reputable companies began marketing and selling to consumers all over the country, less…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law One of the key policy concerns regarding the federal legalization of cannabis centers on the public safety risk of drugged drivers. Not only do scientists and lawmakers disagree about the legally determined limit to which THC found in blood, breath, or saliva would constitute impairment, but to…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Earlier this month (August 2019), the Washington State Department of Agriculture (“WSDA”) released a statement regarding the use of CBD as a food ingredient, which some reported as an act by the state to suddenly “ban all CBD-infused food and drinks.” However, the WSDA has never permitted…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Last month (July 2019), the manufacturer of the popular candy Sour Patch Kids (Mondelëz Canada Inc., or “MCI”) filed a trademark lawsuit against the makers of “Stoney Patch” Sour & Sweet Jelly Candies – which are THC-infused gummies – in federal court. While information regarding the lawsuit…
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By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Last month (July 2019), JAMA Pediatrics, a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association and covers all aspects of the science of child and adolescent health, published an article providing insights into correlations between permissive marijuana laws and teen marijuana use. While many news…
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