Beveridge & Diamond principal Mackenzie Schoonmaker (New York) and of counsel Chris Strunk (San Francisco) published an article, "How Green is the “Green Rush”? Recognizing the Environmental Concerns Facing the Cannabis Industry," in Volume 21 (2019-2020) of the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law. 

As a regulatory patchwork emerges of state laws and local ordinances governing cannabis farmers, dispensaries, and ancillary businesses, this article is a primer of potential environmental risks facing the industry. These challenges include litigation sparked by toxic tort, product liability, public nuisance, and safe drinking water claims, as well as regulatory issues such as product labeling, water access, land use, waste disposal, and pesticides law. 

It is important that players in the cannabis industry be aware of—and carefully navigate—these issues. 

Click here to read the full article.

Beveridge & Diamond's Industrial Hemp & Cannabis industry group assists cannabis-based businesses with state-level environmental compliance, product liability, project planning, environmental risk avoidance, and, when appropriate, litigation and defense against state-level environmental enforcement actions. Please contact the authors with any questions. Click here to sign up for our Industrial Hemp & Cannabis industry list to receive topical news alerts and event invitations by email.

Possession, use, distribution and sale of cannabis may be a federal crime. These materials, and any advice provided herein, are not intended to provide any guidance or assistance in violating federal law, or in providing guidance or assistance in complying with federal law.