Much attention has recently been placed on hemp-derived products marketed in packaging that mimics popular snack foods.
Originally published in Law360 - August 15, 2023....more
11/15/2023
/ Cannabis Products ,
Controlled Substances ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana-Infused Edibles ,
Plant Based Products ,
Product Packaging ,
Public Health ,
Recreational Use ,
THC
On October 30, Virginia’s hemp industry suffered an early defeat in its effort to overturn Virginia SB 903, a law that imposed stricter limitations on hemp products than what is currently required under federal law....more
11/15/2023
/ Commerce Clause ,
Dormant Commerce Clause ,
Farm Bill ,
Hemp ,
Hemp Cultivation ,
Hemp Related Businesses ,
Manufacturers ,
Preemption ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
THC ,
Virginia
Recently, NJOY LLC filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against more than 30 foreign and domestic defendants that manufacture, market, distribute, and sell tobacco products in an...more
10/31/2023
/ E-Cigarettes ,
False Advertising ,
Imports ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Lanham Act ,
Manufacturers ,
PACT Act ,
Public Health ,
Public Safety ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
RJ Reynolds ,
Tariff Act of 1930 ,
Tobacco ,
Tobacco Litigation ,
Tobacco Regulations ,
Unfair Competition Law (UCL) ,
Vaping
In the latest episode of Payments Pros, hosts Keith Barnett and Carlin McCrory are joined by Jean Gonnell and Agustin Rodriguez, co-leaders of Troutman Pepper’s Cannabis practice, to discuss the legal complexities that...more
While many individuals are excited about the proliferation of state laws providing for medical and recreational use of marijuana across the country, inconsistencies in these state laws have made it difficult for employers to...more
10/24/2023
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Controlled Substances ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Drug Testing ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Popular ,
Recreational Use ,
Schedule I Drugs ,
State Labor Laws ,
THC ,
Wage and Hour
On October 2, the Virginia Board of Pharmacy posted a general notice indicating that it had voted to rescind the request for applications (RFA) for a Pharmaceutical Processor license in Health Service Area I. The RFA will now...more
10/11/2023
/ Agribusiness ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
CCA ,
Dispensaries ,
HSA ,
Licensing Rules ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Patient Access ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Virginia
In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued two new rounds of warning letters to online retailers, manufacturers, and distributors for reportedly selling or distributing unauthorized e-cigarette products....more
10/2/2023
/ Distributors ,
E-Cigarettes ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Manufacturers ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Retail Market ,
Retailers ,
Tobacco Regulations ,
Warning Letters
State attorneys general (AG) are continuing their push for cannabis banking reform, underscoring the need for action to promote public health and safety in legal cannabis markets. On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of 22 state...more
9/28/2023
/ Agribusiness ,
Banking Reform ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
State Attorneys General
The Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to mark up a new version of the SAFE Banking Act, now known as the “Secure And Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act” or the SAFER Banking Act (SB 2860). The revised bill addresses...more
On August 9, a lawsuit was filed in Connecticut that aims to stop all legal cannabis activity in the state and declare the state’s 2021 legalization framework as unconstitutional. The complaint, filed by a local homeowners...more
9/26/2023
/ Anti-Commandeering ,
Cannabis Products ,
Connecticut ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Controlled Substances ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Federal v State Law Application ,
Legalization ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Preemption ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
On September 12, the New York Cannabis Control Board (CCB) approved final regulations governing the adult-use cannabis industry in New York, marking a long-awaited moment for industry participants and state regulators alike....more
9/26/2023
/ Agribusiness ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Deregulation ,
Dispensaries ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Licenses ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
New York ,
Real Party in Interest ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
State and Local Government
Over the last decade, hundreds of localities have passed ordinances restricting or prohibiting the sale of some or all types of tobacco products. Some of these ordinances have been challenged in court, but, in most cases, the...more
Last summer, we wrote about the Iowa Attorney General’s $133 million suit against the tobacco manufacturers that are signatories to the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). Brought in Iowa state court, this suit alleged that...more
It has been widely reported and confirmed publicly that, on August 29, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recommending that cannabis be moved from...more
9/5/2023
/ Biden Administration ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
DEA ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Dispensaries ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Research ,
Recreational Use ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Research and Development ,
Schedule I Drugs
On August 22, 2023, the Troutman Pepper Tobacco + Nicotine Team attended the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (“CTP”) virtual listening session on the development of CTP’s strategic plan. We...more
On August 18, 2023, a New York Supreme Court judge has enjoined New York cannabis regulators from further processing, approving, or investigating any new or pending applications for a state conditional adult-use retail...more
8/24/2023
/ Agribusiness ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Dispensaries ,
Dormant Commerce Clause ,
Licensing Rules ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Motion To Enjoin ,
New York ,
NY Supreme Court ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Separation of Powers ,
State and Local Government ,
Veterans
Oregon has enacted a new “equity assessment” upon non-signatories to the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). We previously blogged about the bill’s introduction. The law replaces Oregon’s escrow deposit system,...more
The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (“CTP”) will hold a two-day public meeting on the agency’s premarket tobacco product application (“PMTA”) process. The meeting will be held October 23-24 and can...more
On August 9, 2023, Judge Amit P. Mehta of the US District Court for the District of Columbia issued his decision vacating the decision of the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to “deem” premium cigars covered by FDA’s 2016...more
California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta is asking the Los Angeles County Superior Court to enter a civil forfeiture order allowing the state to collect unpaid taxes and fees from an unlicensed marijuana business by seizing...more
Florida-based cannabis inventory tracking vendor Metrc LLC is asking a Colorado state court to toss a dispensary’s lawsuit challenging its process for charging so-called “support fees” as violative of state anti-trust and...more
8/9/2023
/ Cannabis Products ,
Colorado ,
Consumer Protection Act ,
Dispensaries ,
Florida ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Popular ,
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Tracking Systems
The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission’s first and only executive director is supposedly planning to leave the agency, which is in the midst of implementing the state’s new cannabis equity law, enacted in August 2022....more
8/4/2023
/ Administrative Resignation ,
Agribusiness ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Dispensaries ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Restaurant Industry ,
State and Local Government
Virginia’s new hemp-derived products statutes (Va. Code § 3.2-5145.1 et seq.) went into effect as of July 1, standing to drastically alter the availability of hemp-derived products in Virginia. ...more
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued first-of-its kind draft guidance for investigational new drug (IND) applications involving psychedelic drugs. Citing the rise in interest in exploring the potential...more
FDA recently announced the issuance of warnings letters to 189 retailers found to be selling unauthorized tobacco products, specifically Elf Bars and Esco Bars....more