Defining Cannabis’ Legal Industry

In this video, cannabis attorney Rod Kight shares how he became a cannabis business lawyer and discusses the emergence of the legal cannabis industry in the United States.

Rod explains that while he personally believed cannabis should be lawful, his focus was not criminal defense work. Instead, he recognized that the rapidly growing cannabis business sector needed legal guidance as companies began operating openly in states such as California and Colorado.

The discussion highlights how dispensaries are only one visible part of a much larger cannabis ecosystem that includes cultivation, production, compliance, taxation, distribution, and regulatory oversight. Rod also reflects on the early challenges of practicing cannabis law, noting the lack of established legal resources, case law, and professional guidance available at the time.

To help address this gap, Rod compiled existing regulations, legal developments, and industry knowledge into his 2015 book, Cannabis Business Law: What You Need to Know, with the goal of helping legal professionals and businesses better understand the evolving cannabis landscape.

Key topics covered include:

• The early development of cannabis business law
• Legal challenges facing the emerging cannabis industry
• The broader cannabis business ecosystem beyond dispensaries
• The lack of established legal resources in the early industry
• The creation of Cannabis Business Law: What You Need to Know