December 20, 2023 is the fifth anniversary of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp in the United States. It is an important date for cannabusiness trademark owners that wish to maintain and enhance these critical assets and for those looking to establish new trademarks.
Customers distinguish your cannabusiness by using your unique brand names, logos and trademarks to identify you as their desired source of high-quality goods and services. The federal illegality of cannabis flower, extracts, and derivative goods has caused many businesses to undervalue their vital trademarks, primarily because it is widely believed that such assets are not registrable or enforceable. Rest assured, however, that federal trademark registrations can be obtained for eligible marks that are used with non-cannabis goods and services associated with the industry as long as they do not conflict with earlier similar trademark uses by your competitors.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issues registrations for trademarks used with the following: apparel, batteries, retail, consulting, and education services, grinders, grow systems, lighting, packaging, pipes, rolling papers, topical skin products, vape pens, watering, and much …