State AG Pulse | Is SAFER Banking Finally Coming To The Cannabis Industry?
Evolving State Supervision: Issues Arising from State Qualification Standards and 'SAFE' Act Licensing, and Coordination with the CFPB
The cannabis industry has undergone massive and rapid change, but federal regulations governing the sale and purchase of cannabis have failed to keep pace with either social change or moves to legalize across the nation,...more
Advocates of the SAFE Banking Act – who by now must be feeling a little like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football – were dealt another setback last week. The beleaguered proposal finds itself simmering in committee just...more
SAFE Banking Updates - The latest iteration of the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act was reintroduced in Congress on April 26, 2023, and received a hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on May...more
2023 is just getting started, and already there have been important developments in Ohio involving cannabis with the promise of much more to come. Secretary of State Frank LaRose got things started on January 3 when he...more
If you give me an opportunity to quote George Harrison, I’m going to do it. In “Taxman,” he wrote: Should five percent appear too small Be thankful I don’t take it all ‘Cause I’m the taxman - I suspect “The Quiet One”...more
I’m not proud of it, but I’m the resident cynic amongst the editorial staff here at Budding Trends when it comes to federal marijuana reform. And after all, someone has to temper the frivolous whims of others. But we’re...more
Over 50 years ago President Nixon declared a “War on Drugs,” leaving housewives over the country proclaiming marijuana to be the devil’s lettuce and urging sweet Billy to steer clear of the gateway drug...more
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (MMCREA) became law last Friday. The bipartisan legislation will roll back federal restrictions on medical marijuana research and the cultivation of research-grade...more
One of the largest headwinds facing the cannabis industry is the lack of access to banking services. Many financial institutions refuse to serve the multibillion-dollar cannabis industry given the regulatory uncertainty...more
As Congress continues to debate the SAFE Banking Act, cannabis business and financial institutions should pay close attention to the bill’s potential to transform the accessibility of banking and payment processing solutions...more
When we last examined marijuana reform at the federal level earlier this year, we warned that perfect can be the enemy of good. Our point was that we should not forego meaningful federal cannabis reform by holding out for...more
Attorney General Merrick Garland has reiterated that the Department of Justice will not prioritize prosecuting marijuana use, a position that Garland expressed during his confirmation hearings. In remarks in front of a Senate...more
Hope soared with the possibility of federal cannabis reform in 2021. And for good reason – the induction of a new, more liberal administration, rapid state-level legalization, broad support by Americans, and growing...more
2021 has been a big year for the cannabis industry. We have seen several states pass legislation either permitting adult use, or permitting or expanding a medical marijuana program. Some states have introduced new license...more
On Wednesday, July 14, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (NY), Senator Cory Booker (NJ), and Senator Ron Wyden (OR) introduced a draft bill to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level. The draft discussion of the...more
It’s been an eventful week for the marijuana industry. After years of false starts, New York legalized the use of recreational marijuana on March 31 - just hours later, New Mexico legislators passed a bill to do the same....more
It is relatively easy for investors to make investments in cannabis companies. Given the risks, however, they would be well-advised to have an exit plan in the event their investment does not live up to their expectations....more
On September 25, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives approved historic legislation to provide legalized marijuana businesses access to banking services. H.R. 1595, the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019 or...more
On July 23, 2019, the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (the “Committee”) held a public hearing on the cannabis industry and its inability to access the nation’s financial services market....more
Marijuana is estimated to be a $10 billion industry and rapidly growing. Almost all of it is conducted in cash. Although legal in thirty three states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam, marijuana remains illegal at...more