Co-Authored 2020 Encinitas Cannabis Ballot Initiative

November 30 2020 in Case Results, Marijuana Business

Attorney Jessica McElfresh co-wrote the recent ballot measure to allow retail sales and cultivation within the city of Encinitas. In November 2020, the voters weighed in and the measure passed. As a result, the application process is set to begin and new, local cannabis businesses will start opening...

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What You Need to Know About San Diego’s Marijuana Tax Lawsuit

November 2 2020 in Marijuana Business

Last month, San Diego filed its first lawsuit seeking payment of a tax on cannabis products. And while it appears the legal action may not last long because the defendant, San Diego developer Dave Gash, stated he’d pay it immediately, he did blame the problem on a misunderstanding and lack of comm...

Attorney McElfresh on San Diego’s First Cannabis Tax Lawsuit

October 23 2020 in Marijuana Business, Media Coverage

San Diego Union-Tribune: October 22, 2020 - San Diego filed its first lawsuit based on a failure to pay the city’s cannabis tax, a revenue stream the city expects to reach nearly $30 million over five years. The suit was filed against Grizzly Peak Farms for failure to pay tax on cannabis product...

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Is a Cannabis Coworking Space Right for your Marijuana Business?

October 22 2020 in Marijuana Business

Once cannabis was legalized for recreational use for adults in California, it seemed the sky was the limit for entrepreneurs. But potential businesses aren’t limited by ideas—it’s the regulations and costs that get in the way. Cannabis entrepreneurs in California, particularly if they are mino...

Attorney McElfresh on Illegal ‘Double Dippers’ in California

October 16 2020 in Marijuana Business, Media Coverage

WeedWeek: October 12, 2020 - Attorney Jessica Mcelfresh discusses the practice of “double-dipping,” which involves legal cannabis businesses operating in both the licensed and illicit markets. The WeedWeek article revolved around double-dipping's prevalence in California's legit cannabis indus...

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Are SPACs a Source of Funding for the Cannabis Industry?

October 15 2020 in Marijuana Business

This has been a difficult year for public companies and the economy overall. The result of such a financially challenging year could be bad news for the cannabis industry. But a new player is becoming popular in the marijuana industry. Cannabis special purpose acquisition corporations (SPACs) hav...

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Tips for Branding Your Cannabis Business

September 25 2020 in Marijuana Business

Building a cannabis business in California is no easy feat. There are near- endless regulations, and the rules are always evolving. For your business to be a success, you not only have to obey the law, but you also have to become a master at branding and marketing which has its own rules and regulat...

Attorney McElfresh on The State of Cannabis

September 11 2020 in Marijuana Business, Media Coverage

The State of Cannabis: September 3, 2020 - San Diego Cannabis attorney Jessica McElfresh recently appeared at California's State of Cannabis conference to discuss local ballot measures and cannabis regulations. The State of Cannabis is an all-day meeting of the minds where industry leaders, govern...

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California Energy Mandate Burdens Cannabis Growers

August 27 2020 in Marijuana Business

The California Energy Commission’s (CEC) proposal for new efficiency standards for indoor and greenhouse cannabis facilities has California growers worried. All indoor cultivation operators, which are predominantly in the marijuana industry, would have to transition away from common grow lights, i...

cultivating marijuana

California’s Organic Certification Plan for Cannabis: 6 Key Takeaways

July 24 2020 in Marijuana Business, Medical Marijuana

Because cannabis remains illegal under federal law, cannabis businesses cannot go through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s certification program to label their products as organic. California is therefore, creating comparable-to-organic cannabis standards to rectify this. While products won’...

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