Seven years after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and the ensuing proliferation of hemp-derived products, Congress has fundamentally rewritten the rules. On November 12, 2025, Congress passed–and the President signed into...more
11/21/2025
/ Appropriations Bill ,
Cannabis Products ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Farm Bill ,
Federal Bans ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Hemp Related Businesses ,
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) ,
New Legislation ,
Schedule I Drugs ,
State Attorneys General ,
State Legislatures ,
THC
A key U.S. House committee has approved a spending bill that, if passed, would effectively prohibit all hemp-based consumable cannabinoid products that were legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill. This article summarizes the...more
10/13/2025
/ Agribusiness ,
Appropriations Bill ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Farm Bill ,
Hemp ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
USDA
After an active (and long) session, on June 4, 2025, legislators approved modest changes to the cannabis statutes through HB7181, now Public Act 25-166 titled “An Act Concerning the Regulation of Tobacco, Cannabis, Hemp and...more
10/10/2025
/ Agribusiness ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Dispensaries ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Hemp ,
Hemp Cultivation ,
Licenses ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
New Legislation ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Social Equity Programs ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Telehealth ,
THC
On May 23, 2025, a National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) administrative law judge held that a cannabis company violated the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”) by laying off store associates without bargaining the impact...more
10/9/2025
/ Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Collective Bargaining ,
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Jurisdiction ,
Labor Relations ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
Preemption ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unfair Labor Practices ,
Unions
As cannabis laws and regulations evolve rapidly, our podcast series is here to help industry stakeholders, investors, and consumers stay informed and ahead of the curve. Each episode offers expert insight, real-world stories,...more
On May 20, 2025, the United States District Court for the District of Oregon held that the labor peace agreement (“LPA”) mandate, Measure 119, which requires all state-licensed cannabis businesses to sign a labor peace...more
5/22/2025
/ Cannabis Products ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Employment Litigation ,
First Amendment ,
Judicial Authority ,
Marijuana ,
NLRA ,
Oregon ,
Preemption ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unions
On April 14, 2025, a cannabis retailer filed suit to challenge the provision of New York’s cannabis law that requires licensed businesses to maintain labor peace agreements with their workers. The New York lawsuit asserts...more
4/29/2025
/ California ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Employment Litigation ,
Labor Relations ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA) ,
New York ,
NLRA ,
Preemption ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unions
Last week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals announced a significant change to the standard by which employers must address disability-related accommodation requests. In Tudor v. Whitehall Central School District, Case No....more
With everything going on in the world of cannabis, day-to-day personnel matters can fall by the wayside. International markets are beginning to emerge, bringing the potential for expansion and investment, but also increased...more
3/3/2025
/ Agribusiness ,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Labor Relations ,
WARN Act
Last week, an adult-use cannabis processor and retailer filed suit to challenge the constitutionality of a new Oregon law that now requires entry into a labor peace agreement for licensure. A labor peace agreement does not...more
2/21/2025
/ Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Employment Litigation ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
Marijuana ,
NLRA ,
Oregon ,
Retailers ,
State Labor Laws ,
Union Organizers ,
Unions
In our complimentary four-part webinar series, Shipman's labor and employment attorneys will guide private-sector employers through some of the most pressing legal challenges in the modern workplace.
From neurodiversity...more
Effective September 15, 2024, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) has announced a series of updates to its cannabis policies and procedures. These changes, spanning everything from lab testing to licensing...more
9/12/2024
/ Advertising ,
Agribusiness ,
Business Licenses ,
Connecticut ,
Data Protection ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Labeling ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Marketing ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Recreational Use ,
Testing Requirements