federal cannabis legalization bill

President Trump Signs 2018 Farm Bill Legalizing Hemp, Will Cannabis Follow?

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Every five years, Congress passes legislation that sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy, commonly referred to as the “Farm Bill”. On December 20, 2018 President Donald Trump signed legislation into law that includes language lifting the United States’ decades-long prohibition on domestic, commercial hemp and hemp-derived products. The provisions were included within The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the “2018 Farm Bill”), which takes effect on January 1, 2019.

Language included in the 2014 version of the Farm Bill permitted states to license farmers to cultivate hemp as part of a university-sanction pilot program, but did not allow for the commercialization of the crop.

The hemp-specific provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill amend the Federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970 so that hemp plants containing no more than 0.3 percent THC are no longer classified as a schedule 1 controlled substance under federal law. The 2018 Farm Bill also broadens the definition of hemp to include “any part of the plant, including … extracts [or] cannabinoids” that do not possess greater than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis (Section 297A).

The 2018 Farm Bill permits those States that wish to possess “primary regulatory authority over the production of hemp” to submit a plan to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The agency has 60 days to approve, disapprove, or amend the plan. In instances where a state-proposed plan is not approved, “it shall be unlawful to produce hemp in that state … without a license” (Section 297B). Federal grant opportunities will be available to licensed commercial farmers, as will the ability for farmers to obtain crop insurance. The 2018 Farm Bill does not federally recognize non-licensed, non-commercial hemp cultivation activities.

Until January 1, 2019, hemp has been grouped in with marijuana which under the Federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) 21 U.S.C. § 812 classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance with a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment, and lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

Generally, businesses can deduct ordinary and necessary business expenses under I.R.C. §162. This includes wages, rent, supplies, etc. However, in 1982 Congress added I.R.C. §280E. Under I.R.C. §280E, taxpayers cannot deduct any amount for a trade or business where the trade or business consists of trafficking in controlled substances…which is prohibited by Federal law. Cannabis, including medical marijuana, is a controlled substance. What this means is that dispensaries and other businesses trafficking in cannabis have to report all of their income and cannot deduct rent, wages, and other expenses, making their marginal tax rate substantially higher than most other businesses.

2018 Farm Bill Gives Hemp Growers Increased Access to Banks and Water

Lawmakers are realizing that there are economic and environmental benefits to growing hemp over other crops like cotton and corn. Hemp requires less water to grow, you can grow a lot of it on smaller plots of land, it doesn’t need pesticides to stay healthy, it can help reinvigorate damaged soil, and it actually can help reduce the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. This makes it an extremely lucrative crop. There are also tons of uses for hemp. Hemp can be made into fabric for clothing, environmentally friendly plastic, rope, food, shoes, building materials, lotions, and of course, CBD products.

An important change that the 2018 Farm Bill makes is that banks should not be reluctant to go into business with hemp farmers anymore. We know banks are extremely hesitant to get involved with cannabis businesses like dispensaries because of the legal status of marijuana at the federal level, and that challenge does create a lot of extra work for dispensaries. Now that hemp will be a legal business we will have to see how banks may increase their involvement with this industry and how it could spill over to cannabis.

Hemp farmers will also gain access to federally controlled water. The Bureau of Reclamation controls water projects in western states like Colorado, Montana and Oregon. While hemp was federally illegal, hemp farmers were not necessarily entitled to the use of that water for their crops. The Bureau could have denied farmers access to that water at anytime, which would have been a major hit to their crops. The 2018 Farm Bill puts hemp farmers in a more secure position.

Will the FDA Regulate CBD Products?

On December 20, 2018 the Federal Food & Drug Administration (the “FDA”) issued a press release stating its position and role in the regulation of hemp and CBD products. The FDA has stated that CBD is not allowed in food, and there is nothing in the 2018 Farm Bill that explicitly changes that. Since the government will regulate the growing of hemp, that should ensure “safe” pesticides are used and plants don’t contain more than .3% THC, so in that sense there will be more regulations. There are a lot of clarifications that still need to be made. Some states have laws that specifically classify CBD products as illegal, and the 2018 Farm Bill won’t erase those laws. The FDA will also need to adapt its stances on CBD by finding ways to enforce the laws and regulate products.

What Should You Do?

Given that there is still a lot of regulatory action and modifications to State law that needs to happen before we can say that CBD products are 100% legal and hemp businesses are taxed in the same way as any other business, you need to protect yourself and your investment. This is especially true for cannabis which is not impacted at all by the 2018 Farm Bill. Level the playing field and gain the upper hand by engaging the cannabis tax attorneys at the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. located in Orange County (Irvine), the Inland Empire (Ontario and Palm Springs) and other California locations. We can come up with tax solutions and strategies and protect you and your business and to maximize your net profits.

cannabis-cafe

West Hollywood Approves Cannabis Cafes And Consumption Lounges To Open In 2019.

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And you know that the IRS will surely be interested in auditing these businesses!

After spending more than seven months screening over 300 applicants, the city of West Hollywood, California released the names of businesses approved to have actual eateries, lounges, and cafes that allow smoking, vaping, and/or munching on edibles and weed-infused food.

There are five license categories, which brings the following new businesses into West Hollywood:

  • Eight edibles-only consumption area cafes
  • Eight consumption lounges where cannabis smoking, vaping, and edibles can be consumed on-site
  • Eight medical dispensary services
  • Eight new adult-use retail businesses
  • Eight cannabis delivery services

Each business must now secure a West Hollywood business license within the next 12 months, and find a physical location. To view the full list of approved cannabis applicants, click here for the City of West Hollywood website.

Cannabis Is Still Illegal Under Federal Law.

The Federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) 21 U.S.C. § 812 classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance with a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment, and lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

 

Generally, businesses can deduct ordinary and necessary business expenses under I.R.C. §162. This includes wages, rent, supplies, etc. However, in 1982 Congress added I.R.C. §280E. Under I.R.C. §280E, taxpayers cannot deduct any amount for a trade or business where the trade or business consists of trafficking in controlled substances…which is prohibited by Federal law. Cannabis, including medical marijuana, is a controlled substance. What this means is that dispensaries and other businesses trafficking in cannabis have to report all of their income and cannot deduct rent, wages, and other expenses, making their marginal tax rate substantially higher than most other businesses.

IRS Guidance On Cannabis.

The IRS issued a memo to provide guidance to its agents on conducting audits of cannabis businesses addressing whether an IRS agent can require a taxpayer trafficking in a Schedule 1 controlled substance to change its tax accounting to conform to I.R.C. §280E.

Not surprisingly that the IRS ruled that IRS agents have the authority to change a cannabis business’ method of accounting so that pursuant to I.R.C. §280E costs which should not be included in inventory are not included in Costs Of Goods Sold (“COGS”) and remain non-deductible for income tax purposes.

Cannabis Tax Audits & Litigation.

It is no surprise that cannabis businesses are proliferating as more States legalize cannabis and make available licenses to grow, manufacture, distribute and sell cannabis. The IRS recognizes this and it is making these cannabis businesses face Federal income tax audits. IRC §280E is at the forefront of all IRS cannabis tax audits and enforcement of §280E could result in unbearable tax liabilities.

Proving deductions to the IRS is a two-step process:
• First, you must substantiate that you actually paid the expense you are claiming.
• Second, you must prove that an expense is actually tax deductible.

Step One: Incurred And Paid The Expense.

For example, if you claim a $5,000 purchase expense from a cannabis distributor, offering a copy of a bill or an invoice from the distributor (if one is even provided) is not enough. It only proves that you owe the money, not that you actually made good on paying the bill. The IRS accepts canceled checks, bank statements and credit card statements as proof of payment. But when such bills are paid in cash as it typical in a cannabis business, you would not have any of these supporting documents but the IRS may accept the equivalent in electronic form.

Step Two: Deductibility Of The Expense.

Next you must prove that an expense is actually tax deductible. For a cannabis businesses this is challenging because of the I.R.C. §280E limitation. Recall that under I.R.C. §280E, taxpayers cannot deduct any amount for a trade or business where the trade or business consists of trafficking in controlled substances…which is prohibited by Federal law. What this means is that dispensaries and other businesses trafficking in cannabis have to report all of their income and cannot deduct rent, wages, and other expenses, making their marginal tax rate substantially higher than most other businesses.

A cannabis business can still deduct its Cost Of Goods Sold (“COGS”). Cost of goods sold are the direct costs attributable to the production of goods. For a cannabis reseller this includes the cost of cannabis itself and transportation used in acquiring cannabis. To the extent greater costs of doing business can be legitimately included in COGS that will that result in lower taxable income. You can be sure the IRS agents in audits will be looking closely at what is included in COGS. Working with a cannabis tax attorney can ensure that you receive the proper treatment of COGS versus ordinary and necessary expenses resulting in the lowest possible income tax liability.

In addition to IRS audits, state cannabis audits are also complex and thorough and generally include all taxes specific and nonspecific to the cannabis business. Potentially at risk is the cannabis license that enables the business to operate. State audits will focus on records regarding sales and use tax, excise taxes, and seed-to-sale tracking records.

Now if your cannabis IRS tax audit is not resolved, the results may be challenged and litigated in the U.S. Tax Court or Federal District Court. The U.S. Tax Court has jurisdiction to hear disputes over federal income taxes before final assessment and collections while the Federal District Court generally requires taxpayers to first pay the liability then seek repayment through a refund request.

Tax Planning For Cannabis Cafes And Consumption Lounges.

For first-year businesses, tax planning usually starts with determining which entity type to select and operate. Common entities used are C-corporations, S-corporation and Limited Liability Companies (LLC). Determining which entity type to select and operate involves the type of business (i.e., cultivator, manufacturer, distributor, retailer) and the risk that if the business is selected for audit, a higher tax liability may be assessed. Cannabis Cafes And Consumption Lounges are in a unique category of being in an “end-user” business like a retailer but having a huge opportunity like a cultivator or manufacturer to leverage expenses into Cost Of Goods Sold. Accordingly, it is essential that any business involving cannabis seek tax counsel early on to make sure the proper entity is used and other tax saving measures are adopted.

What Should You Do?

Considering the tax risks of cannabis you need to protect yourself and your investment. Level the playing field and gain the upper hand by engaging the cannabis tax attorneys at the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. located in Orange County (Irvine), Los Angeles Metro Area (Long Beach) and other California locations. We can come up with tax solutions and strategies and protect you and your business and to maximize your net profits.

cannabis regulation

Final Regulations Out In California: Will California’s Section 5032 Disrupt the Cannabis Market?

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On December 7, 2018, California’s three cannabis licensing authorities submitted final versions of the state cannabis regulations to be approved by January 16, 2019. A major change in the regulations comes from § 5032 Commercial Cannabis Activity. This section reads as follows:

All commercial cannabis activity shall be conducted between licensees.

Licensed retailers and licensed microbusinesses authorized to engage in retail sales may conduct commercial cannabis activity with customers in accordance with Chapter 3 of this division.

Licensees shall not conduct commercial cannabis activities on behalf of, at the request of, or pursuant to a contract with any person that is not licensed under the Act. Such prohibited commercial cannabis activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Procuring or purchasing cannabis goods from a licensed cultivator or licensed manufacturer.
  • Manufacturing cannabis goods according to the specifications of a non-licensee
  • Packaging and labeling cannabis goods under a non-licensee’s brand or according to the specifications of a non-licensee.
  • Distributing cannabis goods for a non-licensee.

It should be apparent from this provision that if you want to make money participating in the legal cannabis industry, you must follow the laws. There are different licenses for different links on the supply chain – from cultivating, to processing and manufacturing, to transporting, distributing, and retailing. Under these regulations, everyone in that chain needs to hold a license.

If you have gone through the heavy burden of time and finances to get licensed, dealing with an unlicensed entity on any stop of that chain can have dire consequences. The new regulations appear to be aimed at the practice of the cannabis industry that circumvents the current licensing requirements in a term known as “white labeling”.

“White labeling” is when one entity manufactures a certain good, but then sells it to a second company who packages and brands it as their own. This is a very standard practice in many different industries. However, the problem with cannabis is illegal under the Federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) 21 U.S.C. § 812 which classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance with a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment, and lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.

So if you want to make money in cannabis in the State Of California, you must get licensed or negotiate an ownership stake in a licensed company. To get your own license, for one thing you need to have to a commercial space. This is no problem for big money corporate cannabis players but is a huge challenge for many small to midsize cannabis businesses.

The new regulations also add a higher tax burden the cannabis businesses. Generally, businesses can deduct ordinary and necessary business expenses under I.R.C. §162. This includes wages, rent, supplies, etc. However, in 1982 Congress added I.R.C. §280E. Under I.R.C. §280E, taxpayers cannot deduct any amount for a trade or business where the trade or business consists of trafficking in controlled substances…which is prohibited by Federal law. Cannabis, including medical marijuana, is a controlled substance. What this means is that dispensaries and other businesses trafficking in cannabis have to report all of their income and cannot deduct rent, wages, and other expenses, making their marginal tax rate substantially higher than most other businesses.

Up until now, one workaround has been to form a partner company that never “touches the plant”, but instead handles marketing or apparel sales, or other ancillary services. Under this theory the tax burden could then be shifted between the two companies, allowing some revenue to be taxed at the more standard rates unassociated with the plant. Clearly this loophole closes tight now that § 5032 requires licensure.

What Should You Do?

Considering the tax risks of cannabis you need to protect yourself and your investment. Level the playing field and gain the upper hand by engaging the cannabis tax attorneys at the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. located in Orange County (Irvine), San Francisco Bay Area (including San Jose and Walnut Creek) and other California locations. We can come up with tax solutions and strategies and protect you and your business and to maximize your net profits.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions Resigns! What Does This Mean For The Cannabis Industry?

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Attorney General Jeff Sessions Resigns! What Does This Mean For The Cannabis Industry?

On Wednesday, November 7, 2018, the day after the mid-term elections, Attorney General Jeff Sessions handed his resignation letter to President Donald Trump stating in his letter to the president that he was stepping down “at your request”. The President later announced that Sessions’ chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, would serve as an acting replacement. Mr. Sessions was not a supporter of cannabis despite a growing number of states in the U.S. legalizing cannabis including just yesterday voters in Michigan passed a recreational marijuana bill and both Missouri and Utah passed medical marijuana initiatives.

Despite a growing number of states in the U.S. legalizing cannabis, it is still illegal under U.S. Federal law so U.S. cannabis business must still face the ongoing challenges of running a cannabis business given this disparity with U.S. Federal law. Those challenges being: your local Federal District Attorney shutting down your business and seizing assets; losing all bank privileges; and getting a big tax bill from IRS that you cannot pay.

Risk of Being Shut Down And Assets Seized By Your Local Federal District Attorney

On January 4, 2018 Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded what was known as the “Cole Memo”.

The Cole Memo which came out of the Department Of Justice (“DOJ”) under the Obama administration in 2013, directed U.S. Attorneys to use discretion to prioritize certain types of violations in prosecuting cannabis operators, but, strictly speaking, it did not make operations in cannabis legal. 

The Cole Memo included eight factors for prosecutors to look at in deciding whether to charge a medical marijuana business with violating the Federal law:

  • Does the business allow minors to gain access to marijuana?
  • Is revenue from the business funding criminal activities or gangs?
  • Is the marijuana being diverted to other states?
  • Is the legitimate medical marijuana business being used as a cover or pretext for the traffic of other drugs or other criminal enterprises?
  • Are violence or firearms being used in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana?
  • Does the business contribute to drugged driving or other adverse public health issues?
  • Is marijuana being grown on public lands or in a way that jeopardizes the environment or public safety?
  • Is marijuana being used on federal property?

But now that the Cole Memo has been rescinded, federal prosecutors in cannabis legal states will now be free to decide how aggressively they wish to enforce federal marijuana laws. While State law and public acceptance of marijuana usage may temper federal prosecutors’ aggressiveness, this risk of seizure and shutdown is still real. Criminal prosecution is also possible so it is important to have qualified legal counsel lined-up and available to intervene.

Risk Of Losing All Bank Privileges

While states are opening their markets to marijuana, the illegality under Federal law still restricts cannabis businesses access to banking channels. On February 14, 2014, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) which is a division of the Department Of Treasury issued guidance (FIN-2014-G001) clarifying how financial institutions can provide services to marijuana-related businesses consistent with their Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) obligations, and aligned the information provided by financial institutions in BSA reports with federal and state law enforcement priorities. This FinCEN guidance issued by the Department Of Treasury was following the Cole Memo issued by the DOJ. But now that the Cole Memo has been rescinded, the FinCEN guidance is not has persuasive leading many banks to turn away cannabis businesses. For those cannabis businesses that have eluded banks with their true business activity (which such misrepresentation is also a Federal crime), those businesses run the risk of having their bank accounts shut down by the bank when the bank learns of their true business activity so it is important to secure qualified legal counsel to come up with solutions that will allow you to still conduct business and meet financial obligations.

Risk Of Getting A Big Tax Bill From IRS That You Cannot Pay

Generally, businesses can deduct ordinary and necessary business expenses under I.R.C. §162. This includes wages, rent, supplies, etc. However, in 1982 Congress added I.R.C. §280E. Under §280E, taxpayers cannot deduct any amount for a trade or business where the trade or business consists of trafficking in controlled substances…which is prohibited by Federal law. Marijuana, including medical marijuana, is a controlled substance. What this means is that dispensaries and other businesses trafficking in marijuana have to report all of their income and cannot deduct rent, wages, and other expenses, making their marginal tax rate substantially higher than most other businesses. A cannabis business that has not properly reported its income and expenses and not engaged in the planning to minimize income taxes can face a large liability proposed by IRS reflected on a Notice Of Deficiency or tax bill.

Of the three big risks, by far this is the one posing the greatest challenge as the Federal taxation of cannabis businesses is consistent in all states and not dependent on whether local Federal prosecutors are aggressive in enforcing the illegality of cannabis or the banks unwilling to do business with the cannabis industry. This unexpected liability can put you out of business so it is important to secure qualified tax counsel to be proactive with tax planning to minimize taxes and to defend you in any tax examinations, appeals or litigation with the IRS.

What Should You Do?

While Mr. Sessions’ resignation should be favorable to the cannabis industry, these risks still exist. Considering this risks of cannabis you need to protect yourself and your investment. Level the playing field and gain the upper hand by engaging the cannabis tax attorneys at the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. located in Orange County (Irvine), the Inland Empire (Ontario and Palm Springs) and other California locations. We can come up with solutions and strategies to these risks and protect you and your business to maximize your net profits.