It’s common for companies in all industries to use social media “influencers” to promote their goods and services online. Influencer advertising in the cannabis industry is a particularly risky idea, because paid advertisers need to comply with all cannabis marketing and advertising rules. These rules are beasts of the applicable state regulations on cannabis products
If the cannabis industry wants to truly normalize cannabis use in American culture, it’s time to start shaping public perception through entertainment, not just policy. For decades, alcohol and tobacco didn’t just grow their markets through lobbying; they embedded their products into the cultural fabric through Hollywood. From James Bond’s vodka martinis to Marlboro’s cowboy
Happy 4th of July from all of us here at the Canna Law Blog! We hope you have a fun, safe and not-too-hot holiday celebrating with family and friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with our regular programming.
Cannabis intellectual property (IP) licensing deals can be complicated, presenting unique issues. Many companies expect the biggest hurdle to be state cannabis law compliance. Although this is certainly a major concern, it’s important to start with the brand licensing fundamentals by analyzing the validity and strength of the IP itself. With any licensing deal, the
This would be a good time to review the branding protection avenues available to cannabis business owners, and to discuss celebrity branding. There are three main ways a brand owner can establish trademark rights: By using the mark in connection with their goods or services (legally) in commerce; By registering the mark with the United
Three years after Thailand became the first Asian nation to decriminalize cannabis, its groundbreaking policy may collapse under political turmoil. The recent exit of the pro-cannabis Bhumjaithai Party from the ruling coalition, has left prohibitionists in control. Political instability threatens everything Thailand’s Parliament faces potential dissolution amid calls for Prime Minister Paetongtarn’s removal following a
In the never-ending loop of federal marijuana reform debates, one crucial fact keeps getting overlooked: the Attorney General (AG) has the power to reschedule marijuana. Right now. No act of Congress. No HHS review. No rulemaking marathon. Just a signature. Under 21 U.S.C. § 811(d)(1), the AG can unilaterally reschedule marijuana to better align U.S.
You may have seen this article or some other article yesterday or today, covering the Ontario Supreme Court’s recent certification of a national class action lawsuit against Aurora Cannabis. The defendant entities are all part of the same conglomerate, with Aurora Cannabis Inc. being the parent. You can view their vast array of cannabis products
Running a cannabis business is difficult and many people fail. These ventures bottom out for myriad reasons, although owners tend to blame federal law issues first of all. It’s true that federal law creates a tough environment for cannabis businesses (tax issues, market saturation, geographic constraints, etc.), but federal prohibition also has kept big money
We’re proud to share that attorney Jason Adelstone will be a featured panelist at this year’s Cannabis Law Institute (CLI 2025), hosted by the International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA). Taking place June 12–13, 2025 at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, CLI 2025 is widely recognized as the leading annual conference for cannabis
