Los Angeles Officials Move to Change Rules for Local Legal Cannabis Market
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles City Council committee members last week took action to “reboot” the local legal cannabis market, according to media reports. Revisions to local regulations would expand licensing and resources for cannabis industry members who have suffered negative effects from the war on drugs. The revisions included suggested changes “such as limiting delivery licenses until 2025 only to businesses that meet so-called social-equity benchmarks,” local news outlet KTLA5 said. KTLA5 also reported that Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation Executive Director and General Manager Cat Packer said
HBO Max Releasing Cannabis-Infused Edible Gummies to Celebrate Close Enough Series
HBO Max is taking an unconventional approach to promoting its upcoming new series Close Enough. The streaming service is partnering with Sunderstorm's Kanha to release limited edition cannabis infused edible gummies to celebrate the new animated series set to premiere on June 9th. The gummies feature strains inspired by each of the show's four main adult characters and will be available at select California dispensaries as well as for delivery in California via Eaze while supplies last through the month of July. The
San Diego creates new marijuana business regulatory agency
San Diego has joined cities like Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco in creating a cannabis-specific agency to oversee its marijuana industry. The city’s upcoming Cannabis Permitting Bureau will have an annual operating budget of just under $1 million and a staff of nine full-time employees to focus on licensing as well as industry oversight, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “We will be doing proactive code enforcement where necessary and revoking permits for what we call ‘bad actors,’ if necessary,” P.J. Fitzgerald,
State Cannabis Licensing Authorities Offer 60-day License Fee Deferrals to Additional Licensees
The Bureau of Cannabis Control SACRAMENTO – The three state cannabis licensing authorities announced today that businesses with state commercial cannabis licenses expiring between July 1, 2020 and August 31, 2020 may request 60-day deferrals of their license fee payments. This allows for fee deferral financial assistance to be provided to additional licensees. The license fee deferrals are intended to provide immediate financial assistance to state cannabis licensees impacted by COVID-19. Though deemed an “essential business” under Executive Order N-33-20, the cannabis
California Cannabis Equity Grants Program Provides $30 Million in Grant Funding for Local Jurisdictions
Sacramento, CA – Today, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), in partnership with the Bureau of Cannabis Control, announced $30 million in grant funding through the Cannabis Equity Grants Program for Local Jurisdictions. The program focuses on the inclusion and support of individuals in California’s legal cannabis marketplace who are from communities negatively or disproportionately impacted by cannabis criminalization. This is done through small business support services like technical assistance to individuals, reduced licensing fees or waived fees,
California agency recommends major overhaul to state’s cannabis taxes
Legislative Analyst’s Office calls for taxing marijuana based on potency and dropping cultivation taxes. California’s struggling cannabis industry didn’t get the recommendation many hoped for — a call to sharply lower the industry’s tax rate — but a long-awaited state report did suggest a marijuana tax overhaul. The report from California’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Office, released Tuesday, Dec. 17, says lawmakers should ditch the way the state currently taxes marijuana and, instead, tax cannabis at different rates based on its potency. Such
Square Launches Pilot for CBD Cannabis Payment Processing
Square has launched a program to process credit card payments for CBD businesses. With the movement to provide banking to cannabis on the state and federal level, the company is positioning itself to service the cannabis industry. Yet, Square is moving quietly with discretion. “Square is currently conducting an invite-only beta for some CBD products,” a spokesperson for the company said in an email. (Source: Forbes.com) Square, and others like PayPal and Stripe have held a policy to turn away cannabis related businesses. They
California’s New Guidelines for Cannabis-Related Trademarking
A summary of guidance and information for registering cannabis-related trademarks in California. Get the 2019 California Cannabis trademark guidelines brochure, costs, and links to official government services. In April 2019, The Secretary of State’s Office released new brochure with guidance and information for registering cannabis-related trademarks in California. You can download the full brochure from the California Cannabis Portal’s Business Resources page or click here to instantly download the Brochure PDF. Here are the highlights. CA Cannabis Trademark Definitions “Trademark” means
CBD-infused products are being sold everywhere in California — but are they legal?
The market for CBD, or cannabidiol, products is exploding in California -- but the state says even if the active ingredient, derived from marijuana, doesn't make you high, it still must be licensed. LOS ANGELES — Greg and Gary Avetisyan make no secret of it: They proudly sell all manner of products infused with CBD, from essential oils to bath bombs to fruity tealike beverages that promise calming relief in a frantic world. CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a molecule derived from