Healthcare & Pharmaceutics

Vermont poised to be first to legalize marijuana through state legislature

Just hours after Attorney General Jeff Sessions ended the Obama-era policy against enforcement of federal marijuana law in states that legalized the drug, Vermont’s House of Representatives passed a bill legalizing personal possession of pot, WCAX reports. The legislation passed Thursday by a 81-63 vote had been reworked to assuage…

Jan 8, 2018 8:00 AM CST

Another lawsuit makes racketeering claims against state-legal marijuana business

Another lawsuit has been filed alleging Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act claims against a marijuana business, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

Dec 15, 2017 8:00 AM CST

Colorado’s marijuana business is a criminal conspiracy to the feds

Under federal law, the decriminalized marijuana industry is in a slightly precarious position. Congress has prevented the Department of Justice from interfering with state-legal medical marijuana, but it left the DOJ free to enforce federal law against state-legal recreational marijuana businesses.

Nov 1, 2017 1:40 AM CDT

Oregon county sues drugmakers for $250 million over opioids

Multnomah County, Oregon has filed a $250 million lawsuit against several pharmaceutical companies for allegedly persuading physicians to overprescribe opioids and causing widespread addiction, The Oregonian reports.

Aug 9, 2017 4:10 PM CDT

Two pharma companies file to stop Arkansas from using their drugs to execute seven inmates

Arkansas’ plan to execute seven inmates in less than two weeks has drawn the ire of two pharmaceutical companies who are trying to stop the state from using their drugs as part of the lethal injection procedure. Fresenius Kabi USA and West-Ward Pharmaceuticals Corp. filed an amicus brief (PDF) in…

Apr 14, 2017 6:04 PM CDT

When is someone too stoned to drive? The question is trickier than you’d think for courts to answer

There is no clear scientific consensus when it comes to smoking pot and driving. And few of the tools police officers have long relied on to determine whether a driver is too drunk to drive, such as the Breathalyzer, exist for marijuana.

Apr 1, 2017 3:10 AM CDT

Did antidepressant or job stress cause BigLaw partner’s suicide? Jury to decide

Stewart Dolin may have had anxiety about his law practice when he threw himself in front of a Chicago Transit Authority train, or the Reed Smith partner may have had a bad reaction to a generic version of Paxil, an antidepressant that the corporate and securities lawyer was taking at…

Mar 21, 2017 6:30 AM CDT

Retired NFL players allege team doctors broke prescription laws, pushed painkillers

A new complaint in litigation from retired professional football players alleges that teams pushed them to play through pain by overusing prescription painkillers, sometimes in violation of federal prescription drug laws. Law360 (sub. req.), the Washington Post and Deadspin reported on documents filed in Northern California federal court, in a…

Mar 13, 2017 2:32 PM CDT

Defense lawyers may obtain lethal drugs on their own for clients, Arizona execution protocol says

Defense lawyers who object to Arizona’s execution drugs may obtain drugs on their own to execute their clients, according to an execution protocol announced last month. That kind of “do-it-yourself execution” appears to be unique in the United States, the Arizona Republic reports. The new protocol, which authorizes the use…

Feb 14, 2017 8:00 AM CST

Drugmaker’s claim that Prevagen boosts memory is fraudulent, FTC lawsuit says

The Federal Trade Commission and the New York State Attorney General have filed suit against dietary supplement makers Quincy Bioscience over its popular supplement, Prevagen. On Monday, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and the Federal Trade Commission announced that they had jointly filed a complaint (PDF) with the Manhattan…

Jan 10, 2017 4:05 PM CST

Lawyers advising clients on marijuana laws may run afoul of ethics rules

A key question is whether a lawyer advising a client on the cultivation, sale or use of marijuana under state law runs afoul of professional conduct rules given that such activities are illegal under federal law.

Jan 1, 2017 2:10 AM CST

Ballot initiative roundup: Marijuana, gun control and minimum wage measures pass

Proponents for legalized marijuana, increased minimum wage and stricter gun control provisions had a good Election Night. On Tuesday, voters in seven states approved various marijuana-related ballot initiatives. According to the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.), California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada will now allow recreational use of marijuana. Arkansas, Florida…

Nov 9, 2016 3:44 PM CST

Prohibiting firearm possession for medical marijuana users is reasonable, says 9th Circuit

Individuals with state-issued medical marijuana cards may have debilitating illnesses and be less likely to commit violent crimes, yet Congress reasonably concluded that they should not have access to guns because the use of illegal drugs can lead to irrational or unpredictable behavior, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals…

Sep 2, 2016 2:00 PM CDT

Should ABA take on a greater role in fighting international sports corruption?

The 2016 Olympic Games open Friday in Rio de Janeiro amid concerns about the Zika virus, pollution along the city’s famous beaches, and the city’s readiness to accommodate hordes of visitors. But the deeper problem in international sports goes beyond the immediate issues facing the Rio Games. Widespread corruption threatens…

Aug 5, 2016 11:04 AM CDT

‘Preventative law’ practice aims to stem the tide of heroin addiction

America's heroin problem is hardly a secret anymore. Broached in the New Hampshire presidential primary, heroin addiction has been a subject for newspapers, magazine articles, television shows and books.

Jul 1, 2016 2:10 AM CDT