Enforcing Your Patent Without Litigation

Patent litigation can be costly; the median cost can be more than $3 million. Even as the owner of a patent, you should explore all options before deciding to file an infringement suit. Litigation should be your last resort, even if your lawyer is convinced you can win. Winning a patent lawsuit is not likely your true goal. Remind your …

Australian MMJ and Hemp Firm Expands into China

Australia’s Creso Pharma is expanding its reach into China, announcing the company has established a strategic partnership and commercial distribution agreement with hemp-producer Zhejiang Kingdom Create So., Ltd. Kingdom Creative will import hemp and cannabis-derived animal and human health products and invest in the marketing and distribution of the products. Dr. Miri Halperin Wernli, Creso Pharma CEO, said the partnership …

Steep Hill Expands To Oregon

Last week, Steep Hill announced they are expanding into Oregon with a laboratory in Portland. According to the press release, the company has licensed its testing technology to Dr. Carl Balog, a renowned pain and addiction physician. Steep Hill has expanded significantly over the past year, including new laboratories in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Hawaii, among other states. The …

Montana MMJ Draft Rules Released

The Montana Department of Health and Human Services has proposed draft rules for the medical cannabis program under the expanded regime approved by voters last year. The rules put the state program in line with others throughout the U.S., requiring product testing, and seed-to-sale tracking. Under the plan, providers with more than 10 registered patients would need to pay the …

California Releases Proposed Emergency Regulations

Last week, the California Bureau of Cannabis Control released their proposed emergency regulations for the industry. The Bureau, the government agency tasked with regulating California’s cannabis industry, announced the proposed emergency regulations ahead of the highly anticipated January 2018 start date. The Bureau also published helpful fact sheets and overview documents, providing a good snapshot of the major requirements for …

University of New Mexico Study Finds MMJ Program Enrollees Decrease Opioid Use

A University of New Mexico study is the latest to suggest that cannabis could be a tool in the opioid epidemic. The study, which observed 37 habitual, opioid-using, chronic pain patients who chose to enroll in the state’s medical cannabis program, and 29 patients with similar conditions who chose not to enroll in the program, found a 47 percent reduction …

Kentucky’s Secretary of State Convenes Medical Cannabis Task Force

Kentucky’s Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes has formed a task force to study a legislative proposal to legalize medical cannabis and to look at the implementation and regulatory processes involved. “Too many Kentuckians are suffering from debilitating physical and mental illnesses. Most have lived with the effects of these illnesses for years. We must do more to relieve their …

California Releases Emergency Regulations; Sales Set for Jan. 1.

Retail cannabis sales will begin on-time in California after regulators released an emergency rules package allowing operators a six-month transition period, and providing for grows much larger than the 1 acre proposed by the Department of Food & Agriculture. The rules prohibit combined cannabis and alcohol sales at shops, the word “candy” from being used in branding, and drones and …

Aurora Makes ‘Unsolicited Offer’ for CanniMed Takeover

Canada’s Aurora Cannabis Inc. is seeking to takeover CanniMed Therapeutics in an all-stock $455 million deal, according to a Bloomberg report. The deal values CanniMed stock at C$24 a share, 57 percent above Tuesday’s Toronto Stock Exchange closing price. Aurora Executive Vice President Cam Battley told Bloomberg that the firm is “making a very big push into Europe” and the …

California Regulators Propose Capping Cannabis Grows at 1 Acre

According to cannabis industry environmental regulations proposed by the California Department of Food & Agriculture, cultivators would not be allowed to grow more than 1 acre of cannabis, regardless of municipal rules, until 2023, the Eureka Times-Standard reports. Operators expressed mixed reviews of the plan as some would have to completely overhaul their business plan, while others say it would …