The Law Offices of Omar Figueroa is a boutique California law firm focusing on cannabis law. We fight for justice and human rights, and advocate passionately for our clients every step of the way.
By Lauren Mendelsohn January 11, 2020 (updated February 24, 2020) On Monday, February 10, 2020 the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) submitted proposed emergency regulations regarding industrial eligibility and registration for the state’s industrial hemp program to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). Specifically, CDFA is proposing to […]
By Lauren Mendelsohn, Esq. January 14, 2020 (updated Feb. 4, 2020) On Monday, January 6, 2020, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors took a major step towards lifting the county’s moratorium on hemp cultivation by unanimously approving the first reading of an ordinance that would replace the current moratorium […]
December 18, 2019 By Lauren Mendelsohn Yesterday, the United States Department of Food & Agriculture (USDA) announced that it was extending the deadline to submit comments on its U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program interim final rule. We previously discussed the USDA’s interim final rule here and here. Comments must now […]
December 6, 2019 By Andrew Kingsdale On December 3, 2019, federal banking agencies released a joint statement clarifying requirements under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) for banks providing financial services to hemp growers. Because hemp is no longer a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, banks are […]
November 26, 2019 By Lauren Mendelsohn On November 25, 2019 the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) sent out warning letters to 15 different companies for selling CBD products that violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). In addition to sending these new warning letters, the FDA […]
by Omar Figueroa and Andrew Kingsdale November 18, 2019 Beginning on December 2, 2019, California hemp growers will likely be able to apply for three-year federal cultivation licenses directly from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (California hemp farmers also will need a state license to produce hemp under state […]
November 12, 2019 By Lauren Mendelsohn, Esq. On October 31, 2019 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published an Interim Final Rule for hemp production under the 2018 Farm Bill. We previously discussed the 2018 Farm Bill here. The Interim Final Rule outlines the process […]
By Andrew Kingsdale, Esq. (with Omar Figueroa, Esq.) September 12, 2019 Introduced by Republican Senator Scott Wilk, California Senate Bill 153 has made it out of the Legislature and is likely to be signed into law soon. This hemp cultivation bill will amend and supplement existing laws governing industrial hemp […]
On June 10, 2019 the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved the emergency regulations pertaining to industrial hemp sampling, laboratory testing, and destruction that were submitted by the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA). Specifically, these emergency regulations are now codified in Sections 4940, 4941, 4942, 4943, 4944, 4945, […]
May 1, 2019 – On April 30, 2019 the California Department of Food & Agriculture announced that applications to lawfully cultivate hemp pursuant to the state’s industrial hemp law are now available. This follows the Office of Administrative Law (OAL)’s recent adoption of the regulation dealing with industrial hemp registration […]