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As co-chair of McGlinchey's Cannabis team, Heidi Urness has a national reputation as a skillful, tenacious, and results-focused attorney who advises licensees, financiers, and cannabis-ancillary business and service providers as they navigate and prosper in this highly regulated industry. Heidi was named one of the Top 30 Cannabis Litigators You Should Know, a “Rising Star,” a Top 200 Global Cannabis Attorney, and is a respected legal voice for the industry nationally.

Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is one of the most misunderstood and controversial cannabinoids in the Cannabis sativa (cannabis) plant. While booming in popularity, THCA is also a high-risk cannabinoid from a legal standpoint.

Following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the marketplace for “alternative” or “minor” cannabinoids – chemical compounds

Continue Reading Is THCA Legal? The State Line is the Bottom Line

A hard lesson was learned after cannabis was discovered in a suitcase at the airport: the government does not have to prove cannabis is marijuana to convict you of trafficking in marijuana. A new case recently clarified that the legal burden shifts and requires the accused to produce evidence that

Continue Reading Hemp in Your Suitcase Can Get You Convicted of Trafficking in Marijuana

This is the third installment in our three-part series: “Exploring Issues in Cannabis and Bankruptcy.” In this final episode, we’ll explore what the two recent decisions in Blumsack and Hacienda mean for creditors in the cannabis industry and also what rights are available to lenders and marijuana financiers in the bankruptcy context.
Continue Reading Podcast: Cannabis and Bankruptcy, Ep. 3: Considerations for Lenders

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of man-made chemicals used in various industries, such as food packaging, cosmetics, and household products. More than 10,000 chemical substances can be classified as PFAS in the United States. However, despite their broad use, several studies have identified potential health risks associated with these chemicals.
Continue Reading Contamination, PFAS, and the Cannabis Industry

Federally legal CBD products may, under some circumstances, cause consumers to fail drug tests. An employer’s right to terminate employee-consumers on that basis is not prohibited by federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Many of us are familiar with CBD products. In some states, they can be found

Continue Reading CBD & The Workplace, A Word to The Wise

It is no secret that cannabis businesses and owners remain largely barred from taking advantage of federal bankruptcy protections, leaving distressed marijuana businesses with limited restructuring options. Most often, distressed marijuana businesses and businesses serving the marijuana industry (collectively, MRBs) must instead rely on state law, including state-specific cannabis

Continue Reading Cannabis Creditors Face Receivership in Oregon

For financial institutions who engage in marijuana-related banking services, the primary compliance challenge remains the disconnect between federal and state law, as it is still illegal to manufacture, distribute, or dispense marijuana under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Continue Reading Marijuana & Banking: What’s the Hold Up? Part 2 – Compliance Challenges

While States Continue to Regulate Employers’ Right to Refuse to Hire, Discipline, or Terminate Employees Based on Their On- and Off-Duty Marijuana Use, Some Legal Tools Remain for Maintaining Drug-Free Employees and Workplaces.
Continue Reading Use of Cannabis by Workers in Safety-Sensitive Positions