News & Insights
Colorado Passes Natural Medicine Health Act Clean-Up Bill
On May 13, 2024, Colorado passed Senate Bill 24-198, a clean-up bill designed to assist with the implementation of the Colorado Natural Medicine Health Act (NMHA). Among technical fixes to add more clarity to the statute, the NMHA was amended to shift the responsibility of approving facilitator education and training programs from the Division of Private Occupational Schools (DPOS), within the Colorado Department of Higher Education, to the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). SB 24-198 exempts facilitator education and training programs from regulation as private educational schools in hopes of making the licensing process less burdensome for aspiring educators and practitioners.
Proposed Rule to Reschedule Cannabis Officially Published in Federal Register
On May 16, 2024, President Joe Biden published a video providing his long-awaited announcement that the Biden administration is actively taking steps to reschedule cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Hours later, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published its Proposed Rule to Reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III.
Mayor Adams is Taking Action Against Unlicensed Cannabis Shops in NYC
The proliferation of unlicensed cannabis dispensaries has posed a significant challenge to the regulated cannabis market in New York in recent years, especially in the city. With an estimated 2,900 illicit storefronts, these unauthorized outlets not only undermine the efforts of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) and the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) but also jeopardize consumer safety by peddling unregulated products. On Tuesday, May 7, 2024, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced he is
finally
planning to crack down on these unlicensed cannabis shops.
Courtney Barnes attends Benzinga 2024 in Hollywood, Florida
Partner, Courtney Barnes will be at Benzinga this week in Hollywood, FL!
She guest lectured today in South Florida for IDH3035 Psychedelic Renaissance, a multidisciplinary FIU Honors College course touching on the history, chemistry, business, law and ethics surrounding psychedelics.
Adult-Use Cannabis to Appear on the November Ballot in Florida
As the debate over adult-use cannabis legalization continues to gain momentum across the United States, Florida finds itself at a critical juncture with Amendment 3 slated for the November 2024 ballot. Sponsored by Smart and Safe Florida, Amendment 3 aims to legalize recreational cannabis for adults twenty-one (21) years of age and older, ushering in a new era of regulatory oversight and economic opportunity.
Natural Medicine Health Act Rulemaking has Officially Commenced in Colorado
Colorado’s regulated psychedelic access program is emerging with the recent publication of draft regulations governing facilitator training and business licensing. After 26 committee meetings and 11 listening sessions, the Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) have released their first rounds of draft rules and will be holding meetings to accept public comment over the next few months.
Navigating the New Law Requiring Small Businesses to Disclose Full Beneficial Ownership
If you have significant control over the operations of or own twenty-five (25%) or more of a company that makes less than five million dollars ($5,000,000) per year, you may be subject to new reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”). The CTA, which took effect January 1, 2024, establishes beneficial ownership information (“BOI”) reporting requirements for certain corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities created in or registered to do business in the United States.
Colorado Natural Medicine Health Act Overview
In recent years, Colorado has become a focal point of psychedelic policy reform. In May 2019, Denver became the first city in the nation to deprioritize the arrest and prosecution of adults engaging in the personal use of psilocybin. Three years later, in November 2022, Colorado voters approved Proposition 122, the Natural Medicine Health Act (“NMHA”). The law includes both a statewide decriminalization component and a framework for a regulated access system to psilocybin, and eventually other “natural medicines.” In May 2023, Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 23-290 to implement the NMHA, and it took effect on July 1st, 2023.