Cannabis Law & Policy

Limit: 20 Students

Description: The legal status of cannabis is changing rapidly across the U.S. While cannabis remains a controlled substance federal law, a slight majority of states now have medical and recreational laws permitting some uses. At the same time, cannabinoids (components of cannabis plants that are separate from the psychoactive THC components) have potential for medical and therapeutic uses. There is also a renewed interest in the use of industrial hemp for cheap, resilient materials.

This class covers a wide range of legal issues confronting cannabis, marijuana, and hemp uses. In particular, it surveys the legal aspects of the emerging markets for these substances, using Oregon as its state-level focal point. Topics surveyed in this class include constitutional law, business law, intellectual property, tax, banking, bankruptcy, anti-trust and legal ethics. Expert practitioners in these areas will provide guest lectures to frame the issues for students, who will develop their paper topics under the guidance of the instructor.

Student evaluation will be based, and grades assessed, upon a combination of class participation (20%) and quality of final paper (80%).

The American Bar Association accreditation standards require students to regularly attend the courses in which they are registered. Lewis & Clark expects students to attend classes regularly and to prepare for classes conscientiously. Specific attendance requirements may vary from course to course. Any attendance guidelines for a given class must be provided to students in a syllabus or other written document at the start of the semester. Sanctions (e.g., required withdrawal from the course, grade adjustment, and/or a failing grade) will be imposed for poor attendance.