In late August, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that it would recommend moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. In this episode, corporate cannabis attorney Daniel Shortt moderates a discussion with tax attorney Douglas Charnas and financial services regulatory attorney
Continue Reading Podcast: Tax and Banking Implications of Rescheduling MarijuanaLegislative and Regulatory Updates

Is THCA Legal? The State Line is the Bottom Line
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
DEA Likely to Reschedule Marijuana Based on Congressional Report
According to a report from the Congressional Research Service (the Report), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is likely to follow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommendation to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act…
Continue Reading DEA Likely to Reschedule Marijuana Based on Congressional Report
From Schedule I to Schedule III: Potential Shift in Marijuana’s Legal Status
Major news broke on August 30, 2023, as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it would recommend moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, as first reported by Riley Griffin for Bloomberg. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said earlier this year that the recommendation…
Continue Reading From Schedule I to Schedule III: Potential Shift in Marijuana’s Legal Status
All Eyes on Ohio’s Adult-Use Marijuana Measure Post Issue 1 Defeat
On August 8, 2023, Ohio voters defeated a proposed amendment to the state’s Constitution that would have required at least 60% of the vote on any citizen-initiated proposal to amend the Constitution, otherwise known as Issue 1. Since 1912, the Ohio Constitution has required only a majority of the vote…
Continue Reading All Eyes on Ohio’s Adult-Use Marijuana Measure Post Issue 1 Defeat
Rescheduling Marijuana: Understanding the Legal Impacts
Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule I substance in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA); this scheduling means the federal government concluded marijuana has no currently accepted medical use in any setting. This could change as the Biden Administration evaluates marijuana’s current legal status, potentially opening the door to rescheduling…
Continue Reading Rescheduling Marijuana: Understanding the Legal Impacts
NY, NJ Regs Give Clarity To Cannabis Investors, Ancillaries
New laws and regulations are likely to be implemented in both New Jersey and New York in the very near future, which will greatly affect parties’ abilities to work with marijuana businesses.
Continue Reading NY, NJ Regs Give Clarity To Cannabis Investors, Ancillaries

Federal Legalization of Marijuana May Be Closer Than You Think
According to reporting from Kyle Jaegar of Marijuana Moment, the federal government aims to finish its review of marijuana’s current legal status by the end of 2023, based on remarks from the head of the U.S. Department of Health of Human Services (HHS), Secretary Xavier Becerra. Becerra told Marijuana…
Continue Reading Federal Legalization of Marijuana May Be Closer Than You Think
The Long and Winding Road to Adult-Use Cannabis in Ohio: An Update
While the Ohio Legislature’s May 3, 2023, deadline to put forth adult-use legislation to avoid a ballot initiative went up in smoke, Ohioans have continued pushing forward in their attempt to legalize adult-use cannabis. And, perhaps reading the tea leaves, a bipartisan bill was just introduced in the Ohio House…
Continue Reading The Long and Winding Road to Adult-Use Cannabis in Ohio: An Update
Marijuana & Banking: What’s the Hold Up? Part 2 – Compliance Challenges
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