After months of anticipation following the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' recommendation to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance, we finally have insight into the...more
5/6/2024
/ Agribusiness ,
Biden Administration ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Controlled Substances ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
DEA ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Dispensaries ,
Legalization ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Medical Foods ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Plant Based Products ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retail Market ,
State and Local Government
Following several failed attempts, Florida's conservative-leaning Supreme Court has paved the way for voters to consider a proposed state constitutional amendment on the November ballot aimed at allowing the recreational or...more
A constitutional ballot initiative was recently filed for Florida's 2024 General Election titled "Adult Personal Use of Marijuana." If approved by Florida voters, individuals 21 or older will be allowed "to possess, purchase,...more
8/18/2022
/ Ballot Measures ,
Cannabis Products ,
Constitutional Amendment ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Deregulation ,
Florida ,
General Elections ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State and Local Government
A long-awaited bill to federally legalize cannabis was finally introduced last week after a year of negotiation following the release of a draft last year. On Thursday, July 21, 2022, U.S. Senators Cory Booker, Chuck Schumer,...more
7/27/2022
/ Agribusiness ,
Cannabis Products ,
Controlled Substances ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Taxation
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) issued marketing denial orders (MDOs) to JUUL Labs for all of its products currently marketed in the United States. As a result of this MDO, JUUL must stop selling and...more
6/24/2022
/ Child Safety ,
E-Cigarettes ,
FDA Device Bans ,
Food & Drug Regulations ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Marketing ,
Premarket Approval Applications ,
Public Health ,
Public Safety ,
Retail Sales ,
Tobacco ,
Tobacco Regulations ,
Vaping
On Wednesday, July 14, 2021, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) – at long last – revealed the first draft of a comprehensive reform bill in an effort to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act. Only time...more
7/15/2021
/ Agribusiness ,
Controlled Substances ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Expungement ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Policy ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retail Market ,
Social Justice Issues ,
Tax Reform
Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU), this week, released the long-awaited rules surrounding the production and sale of marijuana edibles in Florida. ...more
8/28/2020
/ Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Dispensaries ,
Florida ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Medical Foods ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Plant Based Products ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Retail Market ,
State and Local Government
On Tuesday, December 3, 2019, several federal regulators issued a statement providing banks with an update on the legal status of hemp and some much-needed relief. Specifically, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve...more
On October 29, 2019, the Agricultural Marketing Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the text of its much anticipated interim final rule for regulations establishing a domestic hemp...more
Akerman’s Client, Florigrown, Prevails in Pivotal Case Impacting How Cannabis Businesses Will Operate in Florida.
This week, Florida’s First District Court of Appeal affirmed a landmark trial court temporary injunction...more
With the 2018 Farm Bill’s removal of hemp from the Controlled Substances Act (see (U.S.C. s. 1639p.), on the final day of the 2019 Legislative Session, the Florida House of Representatives and Senate followed the federal...more
Following the U.S. Senate’s lead, the U.S. House of Representatives approved The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 on December 12, 2018, with 369 yeas and 47 nays. The Act, better known as the 2018 Farm Bill, was...more
While the two major political parties continue to assess their mixed results from the 2018 mid-term elections, the cannabis industry is in a decidedly celebratory mood as the map continues to turn green. Three states...more
On an interview Friday, June 8, 2018, President Donald J. Trump stated that he “really” supports new marijuana legislation filed by Senators Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). The bi-partisan measure...more
On April 30, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected the Hemp Industry Association’s challenge to a 2016 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rule that, among other things, classified cannabidiol (CBD)...more
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions formally rescinded multiple prior U.S. Department of Justice memoranda and guidelines, including the “Cole Memo,” that address federal enforcement priorities impacting the legal cannabis...more
U.S. immigration policy continues to be a subject of national debate, but almost everyone agrees that the EB-5 visa program has been a win-win for immigrants and the U.S. economy. Under the EB-5 program, foreign nationals can...more
As the risk of disintermediation by e-commerce continues to grow, cultural tastes and their corresponding sumptuary laws change to enable the emergence of an entirely new sector for a product that 60 percent of Americans,...more
Florida lawmakers have finally passed legislation to implement Amendment 2, Florida’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment. The breakthrough came during the last afternoon of a three-day special session called after...more
Late last week, the White House provided the most significant insight since the inauguration as to how the Trump Administration will handle federal marijuana policy.
During an afternoon press briefing, White House press...more
Tuesday's election will be viewed as a turning point in the emergence of new economies centered around marijuana. Ballot initiatives around the country resulted in important changes in eight states. Four states legalized...more
Software giant Microsoft has taken a bold step forward into the legal marijuana business, signaling mainstream acceptance of the explosive, yet controversial, cannabis industry. Microsoft has partnered with Los Angeles-based...more
On March 7, 2016, the Florida Senate approved a House version of a bill (HB 307) that will allow terminally ill patients to use medical cannabis of all strengths during the last year of their lives. HB 307 is now headed to...more
Is any form of medical marijuana legal in the State of Florida?
Yes – In June 2014, Governor Scott signed into law The Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, known as the Charlotte's Web law. Unlike Amendment 2, the...more
Between September 2014 and December 2014, the Illinois Department of Public Health will be accepting applications from patients and caregivers to become part of the Illinois Medical Cannabis Pilot Program ("Pilot Program"),...more