There is a moment in the movie Wall Street, just before a fresh-faced Charlie Sheen as Bud Fox interviews for a coveted position with a peak-of-his-fame Michael Douglas playing the iconic Gordon Gecko, where Sheen looks in the mirror, adjusts his tie, and says: “Well, life all comes down to a few moments…this
Hemp
FDA Announces Important Shift in CBD Products Regulation
In the pilot episode of NBC’s Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope, deputy director of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department, promises her constituents she will fill in “the pit” that has become a hazard to her community and will build a park in its place. Despite the roadblocks and red tape, Leslie delivers on…
If You Don’t Believe, You Won’t Receive: Predicting Three Cannabis Reforms in the Coming Year
I’m not proud of it, but I’m the resident cynic amongst the editorial staff here at Budding Trends when it comes to federal marijuana reform. And after all, someone has to temper the frivolous whims of others. But we’re coming off the holiday season where I told two growing children that if they did not…
Warning Sign? A New Round of FDA Warning Letters Over CBD Consumer Confusion May Signal a Shift in Government Enforcement
FDA warning letters are nothing new in the cannabis industry. In fact, we here at Budding Trends have covered this topic a number of times (here, here, and here). Not resigned to playing the hits, however, the FDA issued a new set of warning letters on November 21 that may signal…
Delta-8: What Is and What Should Never Be
The United States Supreme Court once famously wrote that “[l]iberty finds no refuge in a jurisprudence of doubt.” There is perhaps no area of the law where doubt rules more than the cannabis industry, and perhaps no corner of that industry more shrouded in doubt than Delta-8 THC.
When you operate in the cannabis industry…
Money Doesn’t Grow on Leaves: Cannabis Investing for Dummies (and Non-Dummies)
When people learn that you are a cannabis attorney, there are a range of reactions. Nervous laughter bordering on incredulity may be most common. Another common reaction is the sentiment that investing in cannabis is a license to print money. Spoiler alert: This is not the case.
Consider this a public service announcement – one…
Industrial Hemp, Alicia Silverstone and The Office
When our Cannabis Industry team started this blog, we promised to deliver pop culture references and thought leadership. This one should deliver.
Growing up, I was a big fan of Alicia Silverstone. My earliest recollection was her appearance in Aerosmith’s 1994 “Cryin’” music video. In fact, Aerosmith’s Get a Grip album was one of…
Now I Know My CBDs – Louisiana Court Favors Employee Terminated for Failing Marijuana Test
This country’s relationship with cannabis is a complicated one, and as is often the case in complicated matters, words matter. Marijuana and hemp are different strains of the Cannabis sativa L plant. So, “cannabis” is a scientific term, not a legal one.
Although the Controlled Substances Act historically made no distinction between marijuana and hemp…
The Weeds Thicken: Making Sense of the Ninth Circuit’s Decision Finding Delta-8 Legal Under Federal Law
Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC) is legal under federal law. Or is it? It depends on who you ask.
The Ninth Circuit has now weighed in on the issue, following the lead of several states, to conclude that Δ8-THC products are federally legal under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill). But the Ninth…
Navigating the Cannabis Fog: Litigation Ensues Over Legality of Delta-8 and Delta-10
The stratospheric rise of products containing ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-8 THC) and ∆10-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-10 THC), both of which can cause psychoactive effects similar to ∆9-THC (the substance codified as “marihuana” by the federal Controlled Substances Act), have raised questions regarding these products’ legality under federal and state law. Recent litigation developments have indicated a possible trend toward…