Daniel Shortt

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With a foundation in advocacy for cannabis legalization built through involvement on University of Washington's campus and with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, Daniel has positioned himself as a fearless advocate for the cannabis industry.

Connect: Read more about Daniel Shortt
Firm/Organization: Harris Bricken
Blogs: Canna Law Blog™

Latest Articles

This post is part two of two on how New York is regulating CBD.  On Monday, I wrote about the New York City Department of Health’s (“DOH”) recent crackdown on Hemp-CBD in food and how it was consistent with the New York State Department of Agriculture’s (“Department”) FAQs on hemp-derived CBD (“Hemp CBD”). In summary, the Department’s FAQs state that any Hemp-CBD product sold in New York state must be labeled and manufactured as a…
This post is part one of two on how the State of New York is regulating CBD.  Last week, New York City’s Department of Health (“DOH”) quarantined a number of edible products that contained hemp-derived CBD (“Hemp-CBD”) and announced that Hemp-CBD would not be allowed in food products in the City. Eater first broke the story, but the crackdown made national news with the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, NBC,…
In light of the recent federal legalization of industrial hemp, Washington lawmakers are taking a hard look at the state’s hemp program. Senators Bob Hasegawa (D) of Beacon Hill, Steve Conway (D) of Tacoma, and Karen Keiser (D) of Kent recently introducing Senate Bill 5719. The stated purpose of SB 5719 is as follows: Authorize the growing of hemp as a legal, agricultural activity in this state. Hemp is an agricultural product that may be…
This is the second installment in our series on the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and hemp-derived CBD (“Hemp-CBD”). Our last post focused on the Drug Exclusion Rule, which essentially states that an article cannot be marketed as a dietary supplement if it was investigated or approved as a drug before the article was marketed as a dietary supplement (or food). Today, we’ll take a look at what that use of “before” really means. Prior Market Clause A…
Since the 2014 Farm Bill passed, products containing cannabidiol (“CBD”) derived from hemp (“Hemp-CBD”) have become widely popular and available in a wide range of stores and online. The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has, for the most part, sat on the sidelines. The FDA has occasionally sent out warning letters to Hemp-CBD distributors who made medical claims about their products, but that was it. The days of relative non-enforcement may be over, as the…
Today I’m attending the Washington State Cannabis Summit. This is the 5th Annual summit, but this year is particularly special due to a major announcement by Governor Jay Inslee. During the morning session, Gov. Inslee unveiled the Marijuana Justice Initiative. The Initiative will allow individuals to submit an online petition to Gov. Inslee requesting a pardon for certain marijuana convictions. To be eligible for clemency under the Initiative, an individual’s conviction must meet…
In a move straight out of the 1984 classic “Repo Man,” Washington regulators are making marijuana edibles really, really boring. Earlier this year, we wrote about the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board’s (WSLCB) decision to effectively ban marijuana-infused candy. The industry pushed back and the WSLCB reevaluated its stance. December 12, the WSLCB issued a new interim policy to “further clarify the procedures and processes for packaging, labeling, and product decisions for marijuana…
Bush of a hemp with drops on leaves
Today the US takes a major step forward in cannabis reform! The 2018 Farm Bill legalizes industrial hemp, and was just signed into law by President Trump. Industrial hemp will now be treated like an agricultural commodity, not a controlled substance. Our in-depth look at the hemp provisions in this new Farm Bill is available here. Hemp has been booming in popularity these last few years and this latest development is only likely to do…
Update: The 2018 Farm Bill was just approved by the House. It now heads to President Trump’s Desk.  At long last, it’s finally happening: The 2018 Farm Bill has made it out of conference and been approved by the Senate. It currently awaits approval from the House, which is expected this week. If Donald Trump signs the 2018 Farm Bill before the current legislative session ends on December 21, industrial hemp will be legal under…
In January 2018, the United States Postal Service (USPS) seized a package in Denver, Colorado sent by KAB, LLC, a registered, Colorado industrial hemp cultivator. The package contained 1170 grams of cannabidiol (CBD) powder, derived from industrial hemp. KAB appealed USPS’s decision, arguing that the powder was not a controlled substance and therefore should not have been withheld. Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) James G. Bilbert oversaw the appeal and wrote an opinion in favor of KAB.…