🌿 Cannabis & Hemp Attorney in California

Legal guidance built on real-world cannabis industry experience.

At ASH LEGAL, cannabis and hemp law isn’t just a practice area — it’s the foundation of our firm. Before founding ASH LEGAL, we worked inside cultivation facilities, distribution centers, and retail dispensaries, gaining a firsthand understanding of how this industry truly operates. That perspective — from electrical and lighting systems to HVAC, irrigation, nutrients, pest management, planting, harvesting, and trimming — gives us a unique advantage as legal counsel. We don’t just know the law; we know the business.

🔎 Legal Definitions: Cannabis vs. Hemp

• Cannabis (Marijuana): Defined under California law (Prop 64 / MAUCRSA) and the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as cannabis plants and derivatives with more than 0.3% THC. Cannabis remains federally controlled, though California regulates its adult-use and medical markets.

• Hemp: Defined under the 2018 Farm Bill and California law as cannabis plants and derivatives with 0.3% THC or less on a dry-weight basis. Hemp is federally legal for cultivation and commerce, but subject to strict testing, labeling, and marketing rules.

Understanding this distinction is critical, as the laws, licensing, and compliance regimes differ dramatically.

📝 Core Services

Policy & Regulatory Guidance

• Advise on federal and state frameworks: Farm Bill, CSA, rescheduling/descheduling, Proposition 64 / AUMA, and MAUCRSA.

• Track pending legislation and policy shifts that may impact cannabis and hemp operators.

• Interpret local ordinances and zoning restrictions for facility siting and operations.

Licensing & Permitting

• Prepare and file applications with the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) and local agencies.

• Secure licenses for every stage of the supply chain: nursery, cultivation, manufacturing (volatile and non-volatile), distribution, retail storefronts, and delivery operations.

• Handle ownership changes, renewals, and compliance amendments.

Standard Operating Procedures & Compliance

• Draft and implement SOPs tailored to each operation type.

• Ensure compliance with track-and-trace (METRC), recordkeeping, and reporting.

• Develop compliance regimes to prepare for inspections (DCC, health, fire, building, and environmental regulators).

Marketing, Advertising & Packaging

• Review campaigns for compliance with California cannabis advertising restrictions.

• Advise on websites, social media, and digital marketing rules.

• Ensure packaging and labeling meets DCC and consumer safety standards.

Events & Activations

• Secure permits for cannabis events and onsite consumption activations.

• Advise on sponsorships, vendor agreements, and event-specific compliance.

⚖️ Specialized Support

• Adult-Use & Medical Markets: Guidance for both recreational operators (Prop 64) and medical operations transitioning from Prop 215/MCRSA.

• Industry-Specific Knowledge: Practical experience with facility buildouts — electrical, lighting, HVAC, irrigation, soil/nutrients, pest control, and cultivation methods (indoor, outdoor, mixed-light).

• Multi-Agency Liaison: Direct correspondence with DCC, county regulators, fire marshals, and health inspectors.

• Full Supply Chain Insight: Legal services designed to match the unique compliance needs of each license type.

🌟 Why Choose ASH LEGAL?

• Hands-On Industry Experience: We’ve worked in the facilities, not just studied the regulations.

• Regulatory Mastery: In-depth knowledge of state, local, and federal cannabis and hemp laws.

• Full-Scope Support: Licensing, compliance, SOPs, inspections, packaging, marketing, and events.

• Future-Focused: We track developments like federal rescheduling, Farm Bill revisions, and state-level reforms to keep clients ahead of the curve.