Cannabis Law Blog

  On May 21, 2024, the United States Department of Justice through the DEA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to transfer "marijuana" from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III. Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of Marijuana, 89 Fed. Reg. 44597, 44597 (2024).    In an order dated August 29, 2024 (General Notice of Hearing or GNoH) , the DEA Administrator determined that in-person hearing proceedings are appropriate and fixed a December 2, 2024 commencement date at the DEA Hearing Facility.   On October 29, 2024, the DEA Administrator released a list of twenty-five “participants” (Designated Participants or DPs). However, the Hon. John J. Mulrooney, II, Chief Administrative Law Judge, issued a Preliminary Order on October 31 , stating that the DP list failed to specify whether the “participants” support or oppose the NPRM or how the “participants” satisfy the “interested person” definition set forth in th...

Last September, the 2nd European Cannabis Law Conference took place in Dortmund, organized by the INCBA Europe conference team with Kai-Friedrich Niermann, Daniel Haymann, Marie Sanchez and Robert Jappie. The conference took place alongside the Cannabis Business Expo and Intertabac, the largest global tobacco trade fair. With 7 tracks and 28 speakers, current topics in global cannabis law were discussed over two days, from the reclassification of cannabis in the USA and its global consequences, semi-synthetic cannabinoids in the USA and Europe, GMP requirements, to the emerging market for medical cannabis in Ukraine and much more. The conference was accompanied by an extensive social program for networking, which the international cannabis legal scene thoroughly enjoyed.  Here are some session highlights:  Ukraine recently legalized medical cannabis and significantly de-regulated industrial hemp. The government and Ministry of health of Ukraine have approved subordinate legis...

Las Vegas, NV – The International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) is excited to announce the 2024 Cannabis Law Sessions at MJBizCon, taking place on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at the Las Vegas Convention Center . This series of expert-led cannabis Continuing Legal Education (CLE) sessions will explore the evolving legal landscape surrounding both cannabis and hemp, offering crucial insights for professionals navigating these industries. Co-chaired by Nastasia Mora, Executive Director of INCBA, and Kyle Finnegan, attorney at Ice Miller LLP, the Cannabis Law Sessions 2024: The Intersection of Cannabis and Hemp Under the Law and In The Marketplace, will bring together more than 30 legal experts and thought leaders, addressing key regulatory and business challenges faced by those involved in the cannabis and hemp industries. David Ruskin, President of INCBA, highlighted the importance of this year’s event: "As the cannabis and hemp industries grow, the legal landscape continues t...

INCBA's Voter Registration Drive The goal: The goal of ROLL TO THE POLL is to inspire and facilitate voter participation within the cannabis community by helping industry professionals, businesses, consumers, and advocates register to vote, verify their registration status, and understand the voting process. By fostering civic engagement in a non-partisan manner, we aim to strengthen our collective voice and drive meaningful change within the industry and beyond.  How you can help: We are asking all cannabis industry stakeholders to encourage civic engagement by adding the INCBA's  ROLL TO THE POLL graphic ( download graphic here ) to your website or blog & link the graphic to INCBA's ROLL TO THE POLL voter registration tools here: https://incba.org/#vote .   Encourage others to use these free tools on their own websites to spark continued civic engagement across the cannabis space. “ Roll to the Poll ” was created by the International Cannabis Bar Association...

Chicago, IL – July 10, 2024 – The International Cannabis Bar Association  (INCBA) announced today that the Cannabis Law Institute sm  (CLI 2024) will feature Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker as the keynote speaker on Thursday July 25th. The event is scheduled to take place on July 25-26, 2024, at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, Illinois. CLI 2024 aims to provide critical insights for law professionals, particularly in light of federal rescheduling in the cannabis industry. Governor J.B. Pritzker is recognized for signing House Bill 1438, the nation's most equity-centric law legalizing adult-use cannabis. This initiative positioned Illinois as the first state to fully legalize adult-use cannabis through legislation and serves as a model for the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis nationwide. “It is a great honor to have the Governor deliver the keynote speech at CLI 2024,” said Jason Horst, President of the INCBA. “Governor Pritzker's l...

"INCBA commends President Biden for leading the push to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. This is a historic turning point that marks the most significant progress in the national cannabis legalization movement to date. This move marks a crucial step towards harmonizing federal law with states and the will of the majority of Americans that continue to call for cannabis legalization. By taking this critical step, we can begin to foster a cohesive national regulatory landscape and a sustainable cannabis industry.   The decision will eliminate the unfair tax burdens imposed on state-regulated cannabis operators and could pave the way for greater access to financial services and resources to build a sustainable industry and improve access to safe and effective plant medicine. In recognizing cannabis’ therapeutic benefits and revisiting unfounded narratives surrounding its purported harm, HHS and DEA have dealt a major blow to the stigma that has justified cannabis prohib...

  INCBA Europe Co-Chair, Kai-Friedrich Niermann from Germany , provides an overview of the changes and the expected consequences, moderated by INCBA Europe co-chair Daniel Haymann from Switzerland and INCBA UK member Robert Jappie . Please feel free to enjoy the recording below, and be sure to follow our blog and our YouTube channel for more, great free cannabis law content.