Partner Barak Cohen and the firm were highlighted in “Hemp Industry Battles Consumer Perception, Legal Confusion,” an article in Food Business News, regarding the consumer confusion hemp-related products face in the market.

“The federal government needs to take a consistent regulatory approach on products in the cannabis category,” Barak said. “Currently, the government is not being clear or forthcoming in producing regulations.”

“That’s generally bad for consumers as well as businesses that want to understand what the guardrails are for providing products to consumers,” Barak said. “It’s a very confusing marketplace right now from a regulatory perspective.”

“All these products are regulated essentially in 51 different ways,” Barak said. “You’ve got the federal government, and you’ve got the 50 states. Even though hemp seed is recognized as safe by the FDA as a food additive, the states all have very, very different positions on how products should be handled, especially because they are associated with the cannabis plant.”