Author: News Room

A recent ruling opens the door for cannabis patent owners to consider enforcement actions to protect the value of their patent rights and obtain damages in federal courts. By Jayashree Mitra, Fox Rothschild LLP As states across the country legalize cannabis for recreational and medical use, the question of intellectual property rights is likely to become a growing concern for patent owners. Even in the absence of federal legalization, patents covering cannabis-related subject matter are routinely being sought and granted. Patent enforcement has been lagging in comparison, with only a handful of actions being initiated to enforce patent rights. There…

The Kansas City Royals formed a new partnership with a cannabis brand to promote education about the potential therapeutic benefits of CBD—the second Major League Baseball (MLB) team to do so. The Missouri-based team announced on Tuesday that it has joined forces with Pure Spectrum CBD, a company that produces hemp-derived cannabidiol products like oils and gummies. This is the second MLB team to embrace the cannabis space, coming just two months after the Chicago Cubs teamed up with the CBD sparkling beverage brand MYND DRINKS. MLB itself announced its league-wide partnership with a popular CBD brand last year. Charlotte’s…

This was a significant milestone for cannabis because during the 1960s, the majority of cannabis that was coming into the United States was coming from tropical regions such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Colombia, Mexico, and Jamaica and were designated by names that indicated where they were grown such as Colombian Gold, Acapulco Gold, Michoacán, and Thai Stick. Starting in the late 50s and going through the late 70s, people from the counterculture started navigating their way from London to India on what has become known as the “Hippie Trail”.  These traveling adventurers would play a significant role in the…

A Rhode Island House committee has approved a bill that would legalize possession and cultivation of psilocybin mushrooms, while taking steps to prepare for regulated therapeutic access pending federal reform. The House Judiciary Committee, which held an initial hearing on the legislation from Rep. Brandon Potter (D) in March, passed the bill with amendments in a 12-2 vote on Tuesday. The next stop for the bill will be the House floor. Meanwhile, a Senate companion version from Sen. Megan Kallman (D) received a hearing in the chamber’s respective committee last week, but members agreed to hold it for further study…

A bill to legalize marijuana in Colombia was approved in its second-to-last vote in the Senate on Tuesday, bringing the country one step closer to ending prohibition. However, advocates are increasingly concerned that unrelated governmental controversies could derail the effort this year as deadlines for action quickly approach. After advancing through a series of votes and clearing the full Chamber of Representatives last month, the Senate First Committee took up the proposal from Rep. Juan Carlos Losada Vargas and passed it in a 15-4 vote. #ULTIMAHORA @PrimeraSenado aprueba en penúltimo debate nuestro proyecto de #CannabisDeUsoAdulto💪🏼 Hoy nuevamente el Congreso reafirma…

As the Biden Administration actively reviews the classification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act, a diverse group of cannabis companies and organizations is partnering with scientific and legal experts to launch the Coalition for Cannabis Scheduling Reform. Read the full article here

The New York Senate has approved a bill that would provide tax relief to New York City marijuana businesses that are currently blocked from making federal deductions under an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code known as 280E. While Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed a budget bill last year that included provisions allow state-level cannabis business tax deductions—a partial remedy to the ongoing federal issue—New York City has its own tax laws that weren’t affected by that change. Now the Senate has passed legislation from Sen. Luis R. Sepúlveda (D) to fill that policy gap, voting 43-18 on Monday to send…

A new congressional bill would provide $150 million in marijuana research funding for universities over five years, while allowing those institutions to obtain cannabis for studies through partnerships with state regulatory agencies and law enforcement. The legislation, introduced by Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Joe Neguse (D-CO) on Monday, is titled the Higher Education Marijuana Research Act. It would add universities and public entities to the list of marijuana manufacturer applicants that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) would need to prioritize for research purposes, while also requiring yearly reports to Congress on that status of those applications and any reasons…

Minnesota’s new cannabis law has legalized both high-producing delta-8 and delta-9 THC derived from industrial hemp, and will allow such products to be widely available to consumers. The relatively low-dose products, which are produced in concentrated form by putting CBD made from hemp flowers through a process in the lab, are preferred by some consumers as an alternative to marijuana, which naturally contains higher amounts of delta-9 THC. Gov. Tim Walz last week signed the state’s cannabis law, making Minnesota unique among U.S. states because the legislation covers both hemp and marijuana. Outlier By legalizing the synthetic compounds, Minnesota has…

As federal agencies work to complete a marijuana scheduling review at the president’s direction, a new coalition of major cannabis companies and advocacy organizations has launched, aiming to advance the conversation in a way that embraces the potential benefits of an incremental rescheduling move even as they push for broader legalization. The Coalition for Cannabis Scheduling Reform (CCSR), which detailed its plans exclusively to Marijuana Moment ahead of an official launch on Tuesday, will be working with advocates, stakeholders, lawmakers and administration officials to promote education about the need to remove marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act…