Cornell Law Review

Note

Patenting Pot: The Hazy Uncertainty Surrounding Cannabis Patents

Andrew Kingsbury, Arizona State University, B.S., Health Sciences, 2018; Cornell Law School, J.D., 2021

This Note explains the problems that surround cannabis patents. Part I provides an overview of patent law and discusses cannabis’s 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.

Aug 2021