DEA’s Interim Final Rule Affecting Hemp and THC
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC In just one week — on October 20, 2020 — the public comment period for the recent Interim Final Rule titled “Implementation of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018” and promulgated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) will close. We urge you to submit your comments on or…
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Financial Assistance and Resources for Cannabis Companies During Coronavirus Pandemic
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC While individuals and businesses throughout the country are clamoring to secure their piece of disaster relief funds, marijuana businesses find themselves excluded from federal aid opportunities. However, state and local governments are stepping up to fill in the gaps and help companies stay afloat during the…
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Slew of Lawsuits Highlight CBD Labeling and Advertising Risks
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law, PLLC 2019, as predicted, was the “Year of CBD.” Fueled by the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD and other hemp-derived products, as well as ancillary businesses, exploded into the marketplace. However, as reputable companies began marketing and selling to consumers all over the country, less…
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Did Washington State Just Ban CBD from All Food and Drink Products?
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Earlier this month (August 2019), the Washington State Department of Agriculture (“WSDA”) released a statement regarding the use of CBD as a food ingredient, which some reported as an act by the state to suddenly “ban all CBD-infused food and drinks.” However, the WSDA has never permitted…
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Mailing CBD and Hemp-Based Products Just Got Easier
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law The rules regarding mailing CBD and hemp-based products have changed. In June (2019), the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) released new mailing standards for “products derived from cannabis and industrial hemp” in light of Congressional and Departmental clarification that interstate commerce of hemp is expressly permitted. The USPS apparently…
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Heidi Urness is Literally Defining Legal Cannabis
By: Mitch Pfeifer Published in: Respect My Region, May 2019 Heidi Urness is one of the rising stars in the industry. [Cannabis attorneys] have seen tomato farmers grow into full-fledged cannabis entrepreneurs. In this same way, Urness had made the transition from environmental law to helping shape the landscape for legal cannabis in Washington State.…
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Legal Interstate Transportation of Hemp is Federally Affirmed
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law The United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) released a document titled “Executive Summary of New Hemp Authorities” on May 28, 2019, which, among other things, affirming Heidi’s analysis that states (and tribes) cannot block the transportation or shipment of hemp throughout the US — directly contradicting not…
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Transporting Hemp and CBD in Early 2019
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law Published in: Cannabis Law Journal, April 2019 Prior to the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill, there was intense conflict and confusion regarding whether or not transporting hemp and CBD across state lines was permitted under state or federal law. However, following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, and the recent decision…
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FDA’s Early Statements on CBD Regulation, Explained
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law On April 1, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) issued yet another “statement” regarding its ever-evolving position with respect to CBD, again offering little to no information, and providing generally no predictability, to business working with – or considering working with – CBD. Many CBD business…
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Transporting Hemp Under the 2018 Farm Bill
By: Heidi Urness, Attorney at Heidi Urness Law I. The Transportation of Hemp in 2019 The transportation of hemp, including interstate transportation of hemp, was previously a highly volatile area of law. Today, however, the transportation of hemp is expressly Congressionally authorized throughout, and across the borders of, all 50 states under Section 10114 of the…
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