Articles Posted in Federal Enforcement/ California Marijuana

In 2013, Deputy Attorney General James Cole issued what was known as The Cole Memo, a directive during the Obama administration that told federal officials to back off of prosecuting those selling, distributing, growing, or using marijuana, so long as the offenders were following state laws. The memo was issued to reconcile the federal Controlled…

It’s no news that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has strong feelings about the cannabis industry. Since his appointment almost a year ago, he has promised to uphold federal cannabis law, which classifies marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic under Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812. This path is in stark contrast with the…

There is no question that more of the American public supports medical marijuana and the legalization of cannabis for recreational use than at any other point in our nation’s history. Currently, more than half of all U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for either medical use, recreational use, or both. However,…

While a number of new states recently voted to expand marijuana rights, many did not realize that this could directly conflict with their Second Amendment right to purchase a firearm. That’s because federal law – specifically 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), which is part of the Gun Control Act – criminalizes the possession or receipt of…

The first federal marijuana possession case prosecuted in Oregon in five years involves a teenager who is facing up to one year in prison for having just a single gram of the plant. According to The Washington Post, the 19-year-old recent high school graduate is preparing for college this fall. But at the same time,…

There is no question that playing professional football results in a lot of injuries. It has gotten to the point where you cannot watch a single game without seeing at least one, and often multiple, players being carted off the field on a golf cart and taken for an X-ray or MRI. In addition to…

The California marijuana industry just scored a stunning victory as federal prosecutors announced an end to a years-long fight to shutter and seize the assets of Harborside Health Center in Oakland. With some 100,000 patients, the center is the biggest marijuana dispensary in the nation. Now, federal prosecutors say they are giving up. The center…

A man awaiting sentencing following a federal marijuana cultivation conviction is arguing on appeal that a Congressional action should have halted his prosecution long before he was convicted. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit is expected to rule on the case soon, and the outcome could have a significant impact on the…

Those who face arrest for marijuana-related crimes may be given the opportunity to negotiate a plea bargain. Plea bargaining can appear to be a better option than taking your chances in court, especially if you are facing federal charges as most drug defendants face in California since the state has decriminalized most types of cannabis…

California has allowed medicinal marijuana use for two decades and is moving towards allowing recreational use of cannabis if a 2016 ballot initiative passes. This does not, however, mean those who grow or sell cannabis in California are immune from the threat of prosecution. The federal government still interferes with legal marijuana businesses in the…