Ron Lanton 11/16/21 Ron Lanton 11/16/21

Newly Introduced States Reform Act Proposes to End Current Federal Prohibition on Marijuana

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has introduced The States Reform Act, which is aimed at becoming the first prominent policy push by a House Republican to end the current federal prohibition on marijuana.

Rep Mace said the following regarding her legislation in a newly released press statement:

“Today, only 3 states lack some form of legal cannabis. My home state of South Carolina permits CBD, Florida allows medical marijuana, California and others have full recreational use, for example. Every state is different. Cannabis reform at the federal level must take all of this into account. And it’s past time federal law codifies this reality,”

“This is why I’m introducing the States Reform Act, a bill which seeks to remove cannabis from Schedule I in a manner consistent with the rights of states to determine what level of cannabis reform each state already has, or not.

“This bill supports veterans, law enforcement, farmers, businesses, those with serious illnesses, and it is good for criminal justice reform. Furthermore, a super-majority of Americans support an end to cannabis prohibition, which is why only 3 states in the country have no cannabis reform at all.

“The States Reform Act takes special care to keep Americans and their children safe while ending federal interference with state cannabis laws. Washington needs to provide a framework which allows states to make their own decisions on cannabis moving forward. This bill does that.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture would oversee growers
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives would oversee the cannabis industry.
Medical marijuana would be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration,
There would also be a 3% federal excise tax on all cannabis products, where these proceeds would be reinvested in small businesses, mental health and law enforcement

Lanton Law is a national boutique law and lobbying firm that focuses on healthcare/life sciences and technology. Specifically we have expertise in cannabis and CBD related issues.

If you are an industry stakeholder with questions about the current landscape or if you would like to discuss how your organization’s strategic initiatives might be impacted by either Congress, regulatory agencies or legal decisions, contact us today.

Ron Lanton 4/9/21 Ron Lanton 4/9/21

New Lanton Law Blogcast with Cannabis Insider David Vaillencourt

Lanton Law is excited to announce its new Blogcast with cannabis industry insider David Vaillencourt; CEO and Founder of The GMP Collective.

Lanton Law is excited to announce its new Blogcast with cannabis industry insider David Vaillencourt; CEO and Founder of The GMP Collective. David will be answering questions about the cannabis industry such as:

What are the main challenges?
Lessons learned from his experiences in the industry
What are the emerging regulatory issues?

Click here for the blog cast.

Ron Lanton 3/29/21 Ron Lanton 3/29/21

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.

The bill would establish the Office of Cannabis Management to implement a comprehensive regulatory framework that would cover medical, adult-use and cannabinoid hemp. The bill would also expand New York State's existing medical marijuana and cannabinoid hemp programs. The legislation provides licensing for marijuana producers, distributors, retailers, and other actors in the cannabis market, and creates a social and economic equity program to assist individuals disproportionately impacted by cannabis enforcement that want to participate in the industry.”

The New York State Cannabis/Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act address the following issues:

Establish the Office of Cannabis Management
Medical Cannabis
Adult-Use Cannabis
Cannabinoid Hemp
Adult-Use Cannabis Tax Revenue
Municipal Opt-Out
Traffic Safety
Personal Possession and Home Cultivation
Criminal Justice and Record Expungement
Protections for the Use of Cannabis and Workplace Safety
Public Health and Education Campaign

Lanton Law is a national boutique law and lobbying firm that focuses on healthcare/life sciences and technology. Specifically our cannabis practice helps all supply chain entities from growers, financiers, suppliers, dispensers to ancillary services.

Ron Lanton 3/9/21 Ron Lanton 3/9/21

New Psychedelic ETF About To Hit the Market

There is a new March 5, 2021 U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that will allow investors to gain exposure to the psychedelic and cannabis industries.

There is a new March 5, 2021 U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that will allow investors to gain exposure to the psychedelic and cannabis industries. According to the fling, the Defiance Next Gen Altered Experience ETF is:

The Index is a rules-based index that tracks the performance of a portfolio of life sciences companies conducting federally legal medical activities in the psychedelics, medical cannabis, hemp, and cannabidiol (“CBD”) industries whose common stock or depositary receipts are listed on a U.S. or Canadian exchange. Psychedelic drugs, also known as hallucinogens, are a group of substances, including psilocybin, that are used to change and enhance sensory perceptions, thought processes, and energy levels. Medical cannabis, also known as medical marijuana, refers to the use of parts of the marijuana plant, such as hemp and the plant’s chemicals, for the treatment of a variety of diseases or medical conditions. Hemp is a type of cannabis plant whose stalks and seeds are used for a variety of commercial products.

While Lanton Law is not making any statements about whether people should invest in this or not, we are simply monitoring the industry to let interested stakeholders know about the developments within the cannabis market.

Ron Lanton 2/6/21 Ron Lanton 2/6/21

Cannabis Reform Legislation Anticipated in 117th Congress

We at Lanton Law have been closely monitoring cannabis policy developments as we fully anticipate federal action on this issue in 2021. How much activity remains to be seen.

We were encouraged by the joint statement issued by Senators Booker (D-NJ), Wyden (D-OR) and Schumer (D-NY) on comprehensive cannabis reform legislation in the 117th Congress. The statement in full reads:

“The War on Drugs has been a war on people—particularly people of color. Ending the federal marijuana prohibition is necessary to right the wrongs of this failed war and end decades of harm inflicted on communities of color across the country. But that alone is not enough. As states continue to legalize marijuana, we must also enact measures that will lift up people who were unfairly targeted in the War on Drugs.

“We are committed to working together to put forward and advance comprehensive cannabis reform legislation that will not only turn the page on this sad chapter in American history, but also undo the devastating consequences of these discriminatory policies. The Senate will make consideration of these reforms a priority.

"In the early part of this year, we will release a unified discussion draft on comprehensive reform to ensure restorative justice, protect public health and implement responsible taxes and regulations. Getting input from stakeholder groups will be an important part of developing this critical legislation.”

The promise of possible Congressional action on this issue is stronger this session than it has even been.

Lanton Law is a national boutique law and lobbying firm that focuses on healthcare/life sciences and technology. Specifically we have expertise in cannabis and CBD related issues.

Ron Lanton 12/8/20 Ron Lanton 12/8/20

House Passes the MORE Act

The House of Representatives passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expengement Act of 2020 otherwise known as the MORE Act of 2020 or H.R. 3884. The party line vote was 228 to 164. The bill proposes to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substance Act and seeks to mirror the changing policy around this subject as medical cannabis is legal in ⅔ of the states while approximately 15 states have passed laws permitting recreational usage. The bill heads to the Senate where it is not expected to pass this session.

Lanton Law believes that the cannabis market will continue to evolve and expand. Notwithstanding this market potential is the fact that medical and adult-use cannabis operations are confronted with a complex patchwork of state and federal laws and regulations that we assist a variety of businesses with.

Lanton Law is a national boutique law and government affairs firm that focuses on healthcare/life sciences and technology. Specifically we have expertise in cannabis and CBD related issues.