Lanton Law Blog

Learn about the latest trends and activities through our blog posts.

Posts in cannabis
How to Choose a Lobbyist

Since the early 2000s, there has been a steady increase in the amount of government activity that has directly affected healthcare stakeholders. Prior to this time-period, companies could afford to focus only on differentiating their products from their competitors. Now companies are finding that during their strategic planning meetings, they must account for how state and federal government activity may impact their bottom line. In addition to having a Government Affairs staff, these same companies are starting to realize the importance of having established a relationship with a lobbyist. The question is how do you find the right lobbyist for your organization?

Read More
U.S. Hemp Roundtable Highlights New Industry CBD Study

The U.S. Hemp Roundtable is highlighting a study conducted by Validcare “confirms prior research that orally-ingested cannabidiol (CBD) has a strong safety profile, providing data that addresses FDA’s specific safety concerns regarding CBD, with the results indicating that daily consumption across a range of typical retail products and serving sizes is not associated with elevated liver tests, low testosterone levels, or daytime drowsiness.”

Read More
U.S. Houses Passes the MORE Act Helping Cannabis Stakeholders

The U.S. House has passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act otherwise known as the MORE Act. The proposed bill removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana.

Read More
New Congressional CBD Bill Introduced to Give Policy Clarity for CBD Products

Congress has introduced the CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act “that will establish federal standards for CBD food and beverage products to protect consumers and provide marketplace stability for farmers, producers, and retailers.”

Read More
Congressional Cannabis Caucus Advocates for Medical Marijuana Access to Veterans

On December 1, 2021 the Congressional Cannabis Caucus composed a letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs regarding the Caucus’ advocacy for medical marijuana access for veterans.

The letter stated “As bipartisan Co-Chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, we are pleased to learn the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is considering a change in policy to allow for access to medical cannabis for VA patients. We implore your agency to act swiftly and implement this change as soon as possible.”

Read More
Connecticut Has Enacted New Law Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis

According to Governor Ned Lamont’s press release, the Governor has enacted a new law that legalizes and regulates adult-use cannabis in Connecticut. “The legislation Governor Lamont signed today is Senate Bill 1201. A proposal to legalize adult-use cannabis was initially put forward by Governor Lamont to the General Assembly earlier this year as Senate Bill 888. He also proposed similar legislation in February 2020 as Senate Bill 16.”

Read More
Massachusetts Launches First in the Nation Marijuana Product Catalog For Public Awareness of the Regulated Supply Chain

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has distributed a press release announcing the first in the nation of a Product Catalog that will provide the public with a comprehensive database of regulated marijuana products that are sold through the Commonwealth’s licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MTCs) and Marijuana Establishments (MEs). The regulatory platform, which is considered the first of its kind in the nation, is hosted through the state’s seed-to-sale system of record, Metrc, and will be embedded on the Commission’s website.”

Read More
New York Reaches Agreement To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

According to Governor Cuomo’s press release, the Governor, “Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced an agreement on legislation (S.854-A/A.1248-A) to legalize adult-use cannabis.

Read More
SAFE Banking Act introduced Into the U.S. Senate

U.S. Senators Merkley (D-OR) and Daines (R-MT) have introduced the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, to ensure that legal cannabis operators have access to banking services. The bill can be viewed here.

Read More
Virginia Votes to Legalize the Sales & Recreational Use of Marijuana

Virginia has taken one step closer to becoming the first southern state to legalize marijuana. If enacted Virginia would follow Washington D.C. along with fifteen other states to do so. The proposed legislation would allow the possession of up to one ounce of marijuanato become legal starting January 1, 2024. This would be at the same time as sales and a regulatory scheme overseeing the new marijuana marketplace would take off. The bill is awaiting Governor Northam’s signature who is expected to sign the measure into law.

Read More
New York Governor Cuomo Announces 30-Day Amendments to Legislation Establishing Comprehensive Adult-Use Cannabis Program in New York

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced in a press release detailing “30-day amendments to the Governor's proposal to establish a comprehensive adult-use cannabis program in New York. Specifically, these amendments will detail how the $100 Million in Social Equity funding will be allocated, enable the use of delivery services, and refine which criminal charges will be enforced as it relates to the improper sale of cannabis to further reduce the impact on communities hit hardest by the war on drugs.”

Read More
Lanton Strategies: D.C. Based Lobbying Firm with No State Boundaries

COVID-19 has changed the way that we interact in a variety of ways. One of them being the way that businesses large and small interact with the government. Gone are the days where we can meet people in person without having to worry about travel restrictions and COVID-19 protocol. What remains is that businesses still need to get their voices heard. This is where Lanton Strategies has a strategic advantage.

Read More