Tag: Iowa Hemp Act

Do Marijuana Seeds Still Provide PC to Search?

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 […]

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No Federal Regulations Yet on OTC CBD Products

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.      

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Plain View Observation is Not Probable Cause to Search

Do police have the right to search your car without a warrant if they see THC edibles in your center console during a traffic stop? The answer may surprise you. Suspected contraband in plain view does not necessarily provide probable cause to search the passenger compartment.  Sure, the observation alone might provide PC under the right circumstances, but it’s still the State’s burden to prove it. The drug defense attorneys at GRL Law believe PC requires more that just a plain view observation. Like furtive movements or efforts to conceal.  Or uncooperative behavior or false identification by the driver or […]

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GRL Law Secures Dismissal of Felony CBD Charges in Polk County

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 […]

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GRL Law Considered Authority on Delta-8 THC by Task Force

The cannabis compliance attorneys at GRL Law received a call this week that brought smiles to the office. Apparently, one local task force is supplying copies of our most recent blog post on delta-8 THC to area retailers to explain the current state of the law on this particular cannabinoid.  When law enforcement is citing the firm as authority, then we must be experts, right? We think so. We help Iowa cannabusinesses maintain compliance with the changing landscape of consumable hemp laws and regulations. Have questions about manufacturing or the retail sale of hemp-derived products?  Give us a call at […]

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