Spring/Summer 2017 fornia have limited the amount of THC to 10mg per serving. However, there are no regulation or monitor- ing systems to ensure that each batch is correctly dosed. While there is a push for greater regulation and uniformity, much of the industry re- mains inconsistent and inaccurate without FDA guidance. This also means that calories or any kind of nutritional information is often left off of Edible Cannabis Products. For example, under Massachusetts regulation, Marijuana-Infused Products (MIP’s) must have the following information on all packaging:27 1. Directions for using the product. 2. Information about the product’s THC dosage. 3. A label displaying the ingredients in the product. 4. A label advising patients that the product contains nuts or other allergens. 5. A disclaimer which states the following: This product has not been analyzed or ap- proved by the FDA. There is limited infor- mation on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Do not drive or operate ma- chinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. Nowhere in the Massachusetts regulation does it mandate that the packages contain any sort of nutritional information. Likely, because of the lack of industry regulation and inconsisten- cy and the inability to use FDA regulations and guidelines due to the federal prohibition on can- nabis, any sort of nutritional information may not be very trustworthy either. Conclusion: Despite the progress of medical and adult use cannabis legalization on the state level, the con- flict between federal law and state law remains (Continued from page 22) in regard to the status of cannabis. While many cannabis advocates and interested parties in the industry foresee that cannabis will eventu- ally be removed from Schedule I status and/or ultimately legalized federally, there is no rea- son to believe this will happen in the short term. For now, cannabis patients and users as well as business owners have to navigate a complicated and un- clear legal and regulatory situation. The best practices are to maintain full compliance with all local and state laws, avoid engaging in any activity that would be a target for enforcement under the provisions of the Cole Memo- randum, and stay well-informed of any changes that may occur in the federal government’s enforcement priorities. This will only increase in importance as more states allow medical and adult use of cannabis and as the industry continues to grow economi- cally. *Andrea Ruth Bird is the founding attorney of Bird Law Group, PC in Costa Mesa. Jonathan S. Landis is an associate at Bird Law Group. Alex Avakian is a summer associate at Bird Law Group. 1 During the Colonial period, cultivation of hemp, a varie- ty of the Cannabis Sativa plant, was required by legisla- tion and often used as a commodity for trade. Marijuana - The First Twelve Thousand Years, Shaffer Library of Drug Policy, June 29, 2017. http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/ hemp/history/first12000/4.htm. After the Civil War, hash- ish, a drug derived from cannabis, became popular among recreational users in both France and the United States. However, during the period of 1910-1930, there was a fear of the spread of cannabis as a recreational drug. Some Americans associated cannabis with concerns over immi- gration due to a perception that early Mexican immi- grants were frequent users. David F. Musto, M.D, The History of Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 Arch. Gen. Psychi- at. Volume 26, February 1972D http://druglibrary.org/ schaffer/hemp/history/mustomj1.html. Prejudice against Spanish-speaking newcomers led to a fear of cannabis. During the Great Depression, there was mass hysteria against cannabis due to questionable research showing that it was associated with violence, crime and racial infe- riority. Id. This resulted in 29 states outlawing cannabis (Continued on page 24) Page 23 Intersection of Federal and State Cannabis Law “For now, cannabis patients and users as well as business owners have to navigate a complicated and unclear legal and regulatory situation.”