For the fifth time since joining GRL Law in 2018, Colin Murphy was once again named to the Great Plains Super Lawyers list in 2022, an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 5 percent of attorneys in the region receive this distinction.
Frequent visitors to the GRL Law Blog are no doubt familiar with our approach to defending medical marijuana charges. The drug defense lawyers recently raised this reciprocity defense in two separate cases. The first dealt with raw cannabis flower purchased in another state with a valid medical card. The other concerned edibles. In both cases, the court entered an order granting the defense and dismissing the charge at the state’s cost. We believe these are the first rulings of their kind in the state on the issue of reciprocity. Charged with possession of marijuana for out-of-state medical marijuana? GRL knows […]
The medical journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research recently published an article examining the relationship between CBD and liver function. Researchers affiliated with UCLA and the University of Buffalo assessed nearly 1500 volunteers who consumed oral CBD products for a minimum of 30 days. The authors identified “no relationship between continuing to take CBD, daily dose of CBD and ALT [an enzyme found mostly in the liver] levels or change in ALT elevation severity.” Elevated levels of the enzyme can indicate liver disease.
Iowa’s medical cannabidiol program needs a boost. Marijuana extracts containing THC and CBD have been available to qualifying medical patients now for three years. The products are safe to use. And the risk of diversion is virtually non-existent. While the program is slowly growing, it may not be fast enough to keep the doors open. Total sales statewide this year through October total $4.9 million. By comparison, the State of Missouri sold $24.2 million in October alone. What’s the solution? Smokable cannabis. Iowa already allows vape extracts. We also grant reciprocity for out-of-state medical marijuana products. So, it’s not too […]
Does marijuana legalization free police to solve more serious, violent crimes? A recent study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy suggests that is true. The study looked at crime clearance rates in Oregon from 2007 to 2017. Oregon legalized adult-use marijuana in 2014. Researches found that clearance rates improved after 2014. Police solved more violent crimes than counterparts in prohibition states. A 2018 study examining clearance rates in Washington and Colorado found similar results. This is also consistent with studies showing overall crime rates in states that legalized marijuana either held steady or declined. It makes sense intuitively, […]
It’s been nearly three years since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized the production of hemp in the United States. However, the Food and Drug Administration has yet to promulgate rules concerning the sales and marketing of products containing CBD. FDA representative Gail Sipes recently commented that the agency needs more data on the safety of products. The agency continues to take the position that CBD products marketed as either food or dietary supplements violate the Food, Drugs and Cosmetic Act.
On October 13, 2021 GRL Law’s own Colin Murphy spoke before a packed room of cannabis activists at the ISU Memorial Union. The presentation for NORML ISU focused on the current status of marijuana and cannabis extracts. Colin discussed what not to do during traffic stops. He also reviewed important driver rights to assert during detention and arrest. GRL’s firm culture emphasizes public outreach especially when it comes to emerging legal issues like cannabis. Our attorneys regularly take part in educating the general public, criminal defense bar and bench. Presentations like this are what sets GRL Law apart as the […]
The Polk County Attorney’s Office and GRL Law announce the resolution of criminal charges against Lacie Navin arising from the retail sale of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) in December 2019. At the time of her arrest, Iowa’s Hemp Act, S.F. 599, which would provide for the production and retail sale of hemp products in Iowa, had not been fully implemented. Until the approval of the State Hemp Plan by the United States Department of Agriculture, it was unlawful to distribute CBD products under Iowa Code chapter 124. In late November 2019, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (MINE) Task Force officers informed Ms. Navin […]
For the fourth time since joining GRL Law in 2018, Colin Murphy was again named to the Great Plains Super Lawyers list in 2021, an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 5 percent of attorneys in the region receive this distinction.
Iowa NORML has a new Executive Director. GRL Law’s own Colin Murphy, long-time member of the NORML Legal Committee, recently assumed the leadership role. One of the first orders of business will be to recertify the state chapter with NORML. Murphy has been very active behind the scenes working closely with Carl Olsen, a leading national expert in cannabis advocacy and reform. Together, they have petitioned the Drug Enforcement Administration to grant a federal exemption for the state-authorized use of medical cannabidiol in Iowa. Medical cannabidiol is derived from marijuana containing concentrations of THC greater than 0.3 percent, which is […]
