After Jeff Sessions’ January 4 Memo on Marijuana Enforcement, many property owners and business people are wondering if federal asset forfeiture could become a growing problem. The asset forfeiture laws allow the federal government to seize assets (e.g., bank accounts, cash, vehicles, homes, or other buildings) that the government alleges are tied to the distribution or production of controlled substances, including cannabis. They remain a problem for all cannabis businesses, although some recent reforms have reduced the impact of asset forfeiture.
On January 4, Jeff Sessions’ Justice Department issued a new Memo on Marijuana Enforcement that has left many people in states that allow marijuana confused or worried. The feds dropped this news just as California and its many cities are getting their new cannabis regulation systems going. For the first time in California, cannabis will be grown, distributed, and sold in a highly regulated environment. Substantial new tax money and jobs will be created in the state. Many have wondered, should they scrap their cannabis licensing plans and pick a new line of work?
