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.
There was a time when the observation of marijuana seeds on the floorboard of a vehicle provided probable cause to search. Why? Because the definition of “marijuana” under Iowa law includes cannabis seeds. However, with the passage of the Iowa Hemp Act, Iowa Code chapter 204, that may no longer be the case. “Hemp” in Iowa is any part of the cannabis plant with a delta-9 THC concentration of up to 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. The definition of hemp also includes seeds. Hemp is legal to possess in the state of Iowa. Both marijuana and hemp seeds […]
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.
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 […]
Is it legal to sell raw hemp flower in Iowa? Yes, but it depends on the retailer’s intent. Iowa law prohibits “smokable” hemp where the intent is to inhale the products of combustion. Possession or sale of such hemp products is punishable as a serious misdemeanor under Iowa Code section 204.14A. However, raw hemp flower, like hemp seed and powder, is very nutritious. In addition to phytocannabinoid acids and terpenes, raw hemp flower contains essential fatty acids, amino acids, dietary fiber and other enzymes, vitamins and minerals. For that reason, it can be consumed like any other dark green leafy […]
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the availability of consumable hemp products now that the retail registration portal is open. One of the more frequent questions we have been fielding concern the legal status of delta-8 THC in Iowa. Hemp is defined under state law to include “any part” of the plant of the genus cannabis and all “derivatives,” “extracts” and “cannabinoids” with a maximum delta-9 THC concentration of 0.30 percent. So it would appear that delta-8 THC, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in hemp, would be legal to sell over the counter here, right? Not so fast. The amount of […]
The drug defense attorneys at GRL have blogged before on the pitfalls of being stopped by police with marijuana in your personal vehicle. Fortunately, Iowa no longer suspends your driving privileges for drug convictions. Does this mean you can keep personal use quantities in the sleeper area of a semi truck? In a word, no. Not unless, of course, you are looking to have your CDL privileges disqualified for six months. That’s right. You will lose your privilege to drive a commercial motor vehicle if convicted of most simple possession offenses. Marijuana, amphetamines or any narcotic drug will do the […]
“NO ONE would be would be more deserving than Colin and his entire team. I was from another state where medical marijuana was legal. With odds against me, COLIN fought tooth and nail and held on like a bulldog biting on a stick. He gave me a life back when the systemic odds were against me. He is a rare breed of attorney that fights for what’s right regardless of how dismal or helpless things got. He was magnificent in knowledge, skill and determination and more so . . . HEART!!!! We will be forever grateful for having a hero […]
The November 4, 2020 issue of JAMA Psychiatry published results from a recent study examining whether the use of full-spectrum CBD from legal hemp (< 0.30% Δ9-THC) would lead to positive urine test results for THC metabolites. It has been often assumed that hemp-derived cannabidiol products will test negative for urinary THC. However, the study showed that half of subjects tested positive for carboxy-THC, an inactive metabolite of Δ9-THC, after four weeks of daily use. Samples were initially screened through urine drug assays. Positive screens were confirmed through gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The results suggest that individuals consistently using full-spectrum, hemp-derived […]
Greenfield, Adair County, Iowa. The drug defense attorneys at GRL Law prevailed again today by successfully securing a court order for the return of over-the-counter cannabidiol (CBD) products seized by local law enforcement. The estimated retail value of these CBD products exceeded $3,000, which is believed to be the largest seizure of its kind in Adair County. The original basis for the seizure was the erroneous belief that our client was operating an unlicensed “medical cannabidiol” dispensary under Iowa Code Chapter 124E. Medical cannabidiol in Iowa contains both concentrated CBD and THC extracted from marijuana and is heavily regulated by […]
