Welcome back to Higher Law, our weekly briefing on all things cannabis. I'm Cheryl Miller, reporting for Law.com from Sacramento. Happy new year seems like the wrong greeting given what we witnessed at the U.S. Capitol yesterday. So I will simply wish you a peaceful 2021. It can only get better from here, right?

This week we're looking at: The state of insurance in the cannabis industry • AG nominee Merrick Garland's (short) track record on marijuana • Dentons and Foley Hoag's role in an acquisition deal • Research marijuana: It's not just for the University of Mississippi anymore.

Thank you as always for reading. Please keep your feedback and story ideas coming in 2021. Drop me at [email protected]. You can call me, too, at 916.448.2935. Follow me on Twitter @capitalaccounts.