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Jordan Brown, a beloved gifted artist, worked at a Tacoma cannabis dispensary, and was tragically killed a year ago in a robbery. Cannabis store robberies have become increasingly frequent due in large part to the large amount of cash on hand. These stores are not allowed to engage in traditional banking and credit card transactions. Photo: KOMO News
Along with our state, the majority of US states allow medical cannabis sales, and a growing number also allow recreational sales. But the US banking systems and credit card companies will not support these businesses, as cannabis sales still conflict with federal laws. On 4/20 a year ago, US Senator Patty Murray responded to a season of particularly deadly cannabis retail store crimes in our area by emailing the Associated Press “It makes absolutely no sense that legal businesses are being forced to operate entirely in cash, and it’s dangerous — and sometimes even fatal — for employees behind the register.” Polls show that a clear majority of voters and lawmakers support allowing marijuana businesses to engage in commercial banking.
The US House of Representatives has approved bills over a half a dozen times allowing banks to do business with pot shops, but it has stalled in the US senate. Patty Murray tried to help push a senate bill through last year that had support of a majority of senators including at least 9 republicans, but it got blocked at different times by BOTH democrat and republican senate leaders.
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