{"id":3019,"date":"2021-08-04T20:59:28","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T20:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-cornell-law-review.pantheonsite.io\/?p=3019"},"modified":"2021-08-04T20:59:28","modified_gmt":"2021-08-04T20:59:28","slug":"patenting-pot-the-hazy-uncertainty-surrounding-cannabis-patents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/2021\/08\/04\/patenting-pot-the-hazy-uncertainty-surrounding-cannabis-patents\/","title":{"rendered":"Patenting Pot: The Hazy Uncertainty Surrounding Cannabis Patents"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The last decade witnessed a dramatic increase in state-based legalization of recreational and medical cannabis use.<sup class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_3019_1('footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_3019_1('footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">1<\/sup><\/a><cite class=\"footnote_tooltip\"><span class=\"footnote-inner\">1. See Steve Brachmann, U.S. Cannabis Inventions on the Rise as Legal Marijuana Market Grows, IPWATCHDOG (Feb. 19, 2019), https:\/\/www.ipwatchdog.&nbsp;&#x2026; <span class=\"footnote_tooltip_continue\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_3019_1('footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_1');\">Continue reading<\/span><\/span><\/cite><\/sup><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3019_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script> As states changed cannabis\u2019s legality, inventors moved to establish a claim on the new marketplace by seeking intellectual property protection.<sup class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_3019_1('footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_2');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_3019_1('footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_2');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">2<\/sup><\/a><cite class=\"footnote_tooltip\"><span class=\"footnote-inner\">2. <em>See id.<\/em><\/span><\/cite><\/sup><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3019_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script> Correspondingly, the number of cannabis-related patents filed at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) increased tremendously.<sup class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_3019_1('footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_3');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_3019_1('footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_3');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">3<\/sup><\/a><cite class=\"footnote_tooltip\"><span class=\"footnote-inner\">3. <em>See id.<\/em><\/span><\/cite><\/sup><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3019_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This Note explains the problems that surround cannabis patents. Part I provides an overview of patent law and discusses cannabis\u2019s regulatory history. Part II expands on the topics discussed in Part I and explains how the lack of prior art within the cannabis space promulgates uncertainty for cannabis inventors. Part III argues for stronger claim requirements in cannabis patents and advocates for greater flexibility when factfinders evaluate cannabis patents. Further, Part III suggests alternative approaches to claim construction for challenged cannabis patents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To read this Note, click here: <a href=\"https:\/\/live-cornell-law-review.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/CLR-106.4-Kingsbury-Note.pdf\"><em>Patenting Pot: The Hazy Uncertainty Surrounding Cannabis Patents<\/em><\/a>. <\/p>\n<div class=\"speaker-mute footnotes_reference_container\"> <div class=\"footnote_container_prepare\"><p><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_label pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_3019_1();\">References<\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button\" style=\"display: none;\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_3019_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_3019_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_3019_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\">References<\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_3019_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_1');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_1\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">See Steve Brachmann, U.S. Cannabis Inventions on the Rise as Legal Marijuana Market Grows, IPWATCHDOG (Feb. 19, 2019), <span class=\"footnote_url_wrap\">https:\/\/www.ipwatchdog.<\/span> com\/2019\/02\/19\/us-cannabis-inventions-on-rise-legal-market-grows\/ id=106499\/ [<span class=\"footnote_url_wrap\">https:\/\/perma.cc\/P8R4-6HYY].<\/span><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi\" ><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_2\" class=\"footnote_backlink\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_3019_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_2');\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>2,<\/a> <a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_3019_1_3\" class=\"footnote_backlink\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_3019_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_3019_1_3');\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>3<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\"><em>See id.<\/em><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_3019_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_3019_1').show(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_3019_1').text('\u2212'); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container_3019_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_3019_1').hide(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_3019_1').text('+'); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_3019_1() { if (jQuery('#footnote_references_container_3019_1').is(':hidden')) { footnote_expand_reference_container_3019_1(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container_3019_1(); } } function footnote_moveToReference_3019_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_3019_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor_3019_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_3019_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } }<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This Note explains the problems that surround cannabis patents. Part I provides an overview of patent law and discusses cannabis\u2019s regulatory history. Part II expands on the topics discussed in Part I and explains how the lack of prior art within the cannabis space promulgates uncertainty for cannabis inventors. Part III argues for stronger claim requirements in cannabis patents and advocates for greater flexibility when factfinders evaluate cannabis patents. Further, Part III suggests alternative approaches to claim construction for challenged cannabis patents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,86,46,48,52],"tags":[165,502],"class_list":["post-3019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-clr-print-vol","category-issue-4-print-volume-106","category-notes","category-print","category-print-volume-106","tag-cannabis","tag-patents"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3019"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3019\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/publications.lawschool.cornell.edu\/lawreview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}