cannabis debt

Cannabis companies of all sizes have likely come across the issue of having to pursue badly behaved accounts receivable. What was once a time of prosperity has now turned into a business climate of pessimism and regret where the extension of terms and promises to pay have been more than abused by retailers and distributors, alike. What should cannabis companies do when their initial reach outs for payment on the sale of cannabis goods or on the backs of their distribution and sales agreements go unanswered? This post is dedicated to those steps necessary for cannabis companies to try to make good on their bad deals and collection efforts.

Dealing with creditors is never a fun experience. However, some creditors are more severe than others, especially in the cannabis industry. One of those is the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA), which administers California’s sales and use, fuel, tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis taxes, as well as a variety of other taxes and fees that fund specific state programs. It’s no secret that CDTFA cannabis taxes are crippling the California cannabis industry. For example, I recently recorded a Cannabis Law Now podcast episode with Anthony Almaz, general counsel for Catalyst. Catalyst is challenging various emergency rules promulgated and adopted by CDTFA that would further expand taxable items in California’s cannabis industry. This post though is about the CDTFA cannabis creditor relationship and the myths and truths around it.