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President Obama Sees the Political Advantages of Cannabis

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medical marijuana payment processingPresident Barack Obama has recently been opening up on the topic of cannabis and its benefits. Many are viewing this move as political. At the beginning of April 2015, Obama traveled to Jamaica for a conference of Caribbean nations before heading to a summit in Panama.

Jamaica is known as a pot-friendly culture, even though marijuana possession and use was illegal up until this past February. The new law allows possession of up to 2 ounces, legalizes it for religious use and the cultivation of a small number of plants. The general feeling is that this new law will make way for even more rules to be implemented for the medical use of marijuana.

For decades, the Jamaican parliament has wanted to begin an effort in the United Nations to begin a study of amending international treaties that would ultimately lead to a drug reclassification of the substance. However, no move has ever been made to do so out of fear that the United States would halt any attempts.

With the general view on marijuana changing in the United States, Jamaican officials are beginning to show interest in returning to this effort. Americans have become more and more accepting of marijuana for both medical purposes as well as recreational.

According to “Bloomberg Politics” writer, Margaret Talev,  “The Gallup Poll found that tipping point in October 2013, when 58 percent of Americans said they favor legalization, up from 50 percent in 2011, 31 percent in 2001 and just 12 percent in 1969”.

Americans’ view on marijuana is not the only thing that is changing. The change in attitude is also allowing the U.S. an opportunity to feel comfortable enough to re-examine certain laws. These changes, coupled with the fact that President Obama has commuted 22 drug offenders and a life sentence for conspiracy to grow and distribute thousands of marijuana plants this month, has begun to set the political stage for the 2016 elections.

Nearly half of the states have legalized medical marijuana, with four states and the nation’s capital going as far as legalizing recreational use for adults. Nine or more states have adult use on the ballot for 2016, and Republican presidential hopeful, Senator Rand Paul, is backing bipartisan legislation that would remove the threat of federal prosecution of medical marijuana in the states that have already legalized the substance.

Regardless of these changes, traditional lending sources remain hesitant to offer their services to those involved in this industry since marijuana is still illegal on the federal level. For now, businesses are continuing to seek medical marijuana payment processing. Fortunately, these providers specialize in working with “high risk” industries – like the marijuana industry – and have no scruples with continuing to offer their services.

To accept other payments than cash at your dispensary, contact MMA today!

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Majority of Voters in Swing States Are in Favor of Legalization

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Marijuana American FlagRecently, attention has been on the swing states, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. It was not anticipated that these states would be the next to campaign for the legalization of marijuana, but voters have revealed in a recent poll that they do indeed support it. In fact, the majority of voters in these three states support permitting adults to possess marijuana legally.

According to survey data published by Quinnipiac University on April 6, 2015, 55% to 42% of Florida voters support allowing adults to possess marijuana in small quantities for the purpose of personal use. In addition, 52% to 44% supported this legalization in Ohio. In Pennsylvania, 51% of voters revealed that they supported this legalization while 45% oppose it.

Voters in the swing states did not just reveal their sentiment in favor of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. Voters also seem to favor making marijuana available for therapeutic purposes, allowing doctors the ability to recommend cannabis therapy.

According to the poll, 84% to 14% of voters in Florida are in favor of making the plant’s availability for therapeutic purpose legal. In addition, the vote in favor was 84% to 15% in Ohio and 88% to 10% in Pennsylvania.

Despite these votes in favor of both the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana, lawmakers have yet to hold any hearings on either the legislation seeking to regulate marijuana use and retail sale or the legislation to permit regulatory access to medical cannabis. Both pieces of legislation are pending in Florida and Pennsylvania.

For businesses in this industry, the legalization of marijuana couldn’t come fast enough. Those in the industry operating in states where it has been legalized are still encountering issues with securing funding. Why? Regardless of the legalization in some states, marijuana is still illegal at the federal level.

Because of this, traditional lending sources are reluctant to provide their services. This hole has been filled thanks to alternative funding options. Marijuana payment solutions has become the option of choice for many marijuana business owners. Marijuana-merchant-account.com, for example, has been helping medical marijuana dispensaries with payment processing for almost ten years.

If this has been a problem for your business or you are considering starting a business, take time to consider what marijuana payment solutions could offer your business or startup. The application process is simple, fast and hassle-free. And unlike traditional lending sources, you will not experience a pile of endless paperwork and a long wait period to receive your funds.

Need Marijuana Payment Solutions, contact us today!

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The U.S. Legalization of Marijuana Proves to be Affecting Mexican Cartel

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??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Much has been said about the battle for legalization of marijuana in the states, but how is this legalization process affecting the illegal scene? According to recent reports, the U.S. legalization of marijuana has really begun to cut into the Mexican Cartels’ smuggling of the substance. U.S. Border Patrol Agents stationed along the 2,000 mile-U.S. border have not seen nearly the amount of marijuana that has been confiscated in previous years, though the smuggling of other kinds of drugs is increasing.

The quantities of marijuana confiscated by the U.S. Border Patrol continues to steadily fall. In 2011, 2.5 million pounds of the drug were seized. In 2014, this amount decreased to 1.9 million. While agents are working hard to keep the border safe, the drop in seizures seems to be from more than just law enforcements’ efforts.

The wave of U.S. marijuana legalization seems to be the big reason for the hit to the Mexican Cartels’ trade. In 2012, both Colorado and Washington State legalized marijuana. Alaska, Oregon and D.C. followed shortly. The U.S. growers have begun to build a budding industry. These gourmet products have even been given exotic names; such as, White Widow, Oaktown Crippler and Golden Goat.

Drug policy reformers have used this as support, saying that the care taken by American dispensaries in labeling their drugs based on how strong they are plus the market shift away from Mexican gangsters demonstrates that people are willing to buy the product from a legal tax-paying business.

As the marijuana industry continues to grow at a pace that has made it the fastest growing sector of the U.S. economy, analysts are trying to determine what the long-term effect on the Mexican cartel finances and violence will be. It will hopefully mean less cash for the cartel to buy weapons and bribe police. In addition, there will hopefully be a continued decline in murders in Mexico.

Even with the industry booming in the U.S. where it has been legalized, the fact that marijuana is still illegal on the federal level means securing business funding from traditional lending sources will continue to be difficult, if not impossible. When some marijuana businesses have encountered this issue, they have turned to alternative funding. Marijuana payment processing has become a great option for business that need a provider willing to work with their “high risk” categorization while also providing them with a fast, simple and hassle-free experience.

For Marijuana Payment Processing, apply today!

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How the CARERS Act can Protect the Needs of Medical Marijuana Patients

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imagesDespite the continued legalization of medical marijuana on the state level, the substance is still very much illegal on the federal level. This is not only making it difficult for entrepreneurs who wish to open dispensaries, but it also makes it difficult if not impossible for those who need it for a medical condition(s). Many with medical needs are left with two choices: move to another state where medical marijuana is legal or obtain the substance illegally and face being arrested.

On the federal level, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance. According to the DEA, there are five distinct categories or schedules used to classify a drug, substance and certain chemicals depending on its acceptability for medical use and its potential for abuse and dependency. Schedule I drugs are considered to be the most dangerous, with a high potential for abuse and severe psychological and/or abuse potential.

Marijuana has been listed as a Schedule I drug along with heroin, LSD and ecstasy, to name a few; thus, it has been listed as a drug with the highest potential for abuse and no acceptable medical use. For many people with medical conditions, this is a big disappointment and a daily struggle.

Kate Hintz, a writer for change.org, recently shared the story of four-year-old Morgan. Morgan suffers from Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that causes her to have dangerous seizures. The longest she has gone without suffering from one of these seizures is four weeks. The long list of medications she takes have given her kidney stones, ulcerative colitis and compromised her respiratory system.

Research and advice from doctors has persuaded Morgan’s family that cannabidiol oil – a form of medical marijuana – might be her best option. And it would mean fewer side effects for the little girl. It would not make her “high”, and she would not have to smoke it. However, the family cannot legally obtain medical marijuana at this time because of where they live and because the substance is still illegal on the federal level.

For now, the family is supporting the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act. This bipartisan bill would allow states to legalize medical marijuana without federal interference. In addition, it would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug; thus, affirming that marijuana does indeed have medical benefits.

For those involved in medical marijuana from a business standpoint, the federal classification of the drug means that finding funding is difficult if not impossible. Fortunately, there are alternative funding options out there that specialize in offering services to this industry. Marijuana payment processing, for example, may be the safe and efficient option your business has been looking for.

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Medical Marijuana Dispensaries find themselves Caught between Conflicting Laws

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Marijuana Business FundingHundreds of individuals have found themselves in the middle of legal conflicts over medical marijuana, even though they completed all of the required legal steps to open a dispensary. It would seem that the concerns over the differences in state versus federal law are beginning to materialize.

The main source of this conflict is coming from a little-publicized amendment to the 2015 appropriations bill. Referred to as a “buried land mine”, Congress barred the Justice Department from spending any money to prevent states from implementing their own state laws that either authorize the possession, use, cultivation or distribution of medical marijuana.

The Justice Department, however, is adamant that the amendment does not undercut its power to enforce federal drug law. On the federal level, marijuana is still listed as a Schedule 1 substance along with Heroin, LSD, Ecstasy and Bath Salts, to name a few.

In addition, The Justice Department claims that the amendment only bars federal agencies from interfering with state efforts to carry out medical marijuana laws. They have also claimed that it does not preclude criminal prosecutions for violations of the Controlled Substances Act.

This “wild card” has led to many surprises in several cases in both California and Washington State. All of this contradiction and conflict has led to new challenges in the journey of legalizing medical marijuana. It also leaves federal judges with no choice but to have to give their opinion – and soon.

As things continue to heat up over state vs. federal input on legalized marijuana, the need to have every “I” dotted and every “T” crossed will be even more important. This is especially true considering that the defendants in these cases made sure to have all of the legal steps required by their state to be taken care of, but still ended up in hot water with federal law.

When searching for means of funding, for example, traditional lending sources are going to be more reluctant than ever to provide their services to anyone involved in this industry. Fortunately, alternative funding options like securing marijuana business funding with marijuana-merchant-account.com means that you will not only have a safe and efficient solution, but you will also be working with a provider that specializes in offering solutions to the medical marijuana industry.

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Legalized Marijuana Businesses Pull in Millions in Cash

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Gold_MarijuanaIn our past history people in general had a distrust in banks. They didn’t want other people knowing their business. So they hid cash in their mattresses, buried it in coffee cans and found cubby holes in the attic to save for a rainy day. If you are in marijuana sales and real in hundreds of thousands of dollars in a day or week, where can you stash your cash?

It goes without saying that marijuana merchants run a business that is ripe for robbery. It is flat-out dangerous. Not only do you have criminals chomping at the bits to rob the store, all employees are placed in a high risk area. Illegal drug users have found a money tree they can shake to score their next fix.

Some store owners have become more in turn with their environments. They hire specially trained armored cars and agents to pick up bag after bag of smaller bills. At this time the national armored chains won’t touch the assignment. Some owners hire people to take small amounts hour after hour and deposit it at ATM’s.

From the state’s view, these cash-only businesses are a conundrum. They generate millions of dollars in sales, but the sales are not transparent. Is there anyone skimming from the top? Is the state receiving all the tax money it deserves? At the Federal level there is a chance of money laundering, so the business is constantly being watched.

A business selling marijuana could avoid the danger of being on an all-cash basis with a marijuana merchant account. Finding a card processor that would open an account can be a daunting challenge. But not if your do business with MMA. They have been helping medical marijuana dispensaries with payment processing for almost 10 years. They are seasoned and know all the rule, requirements and ways to make your business thrive legally.

A marijuana-merchant-account.com customer has chosen MMA because there are no processing fees, discount rates, or Interchange fees. There is a low – if no – risk for the merchant. There are no chargebacks or chargeback fees. The merchant operates legally and within Visa, MasterCard and the association guidelines.

If you are a licensed marijuana business and you have run out of places to stash your cash, call the Marijuana Merchant Account for a marijuana merchant account today. Your business can only grow from here.

Contact us today.

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The Marijuana Industry is Hot, but the MMJ Processing Industry is Still Warm

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Marijuana Business FundingThe legalized marijuana industry is hot, and it keeps getting hotter. This fantastic for local and state economies, as well as for the customers who relish the product. However, even though the business is making a significant amount of money, the processing industry is not catching on. Sadly, the legalized marijuana industry is stigmatized by the mainstream – and often “high risk” – merchant account providers. It can be tough to find a marijuana processor, or even marijuana business funding. While tough, it is possible. You just need to know where to look.

MMA is one of the few in the processing industry that caters to legalized and medicinal marijuana sales and funding. One of the reasons that processors are reluctant to deal with marijuana business funding is that marijuana is still illegal in the federal government laws. However, it is legal in certain states, and as long as rules are followed in the various states, counties, and cities, it is legal. Whether you are an existing marijuana merchant, or a newbie, you need to check out MMA.

One of the best things about MMA is that you can obtain a marijuana business funding account even with a not-so-great credit score. This is rare for any business type, let alone a business type that is so taboo in the industry. We at MMA also offer wireless payment processing services, which allow for mobile or delivery dispensaries to use our PIN-based program for plastic card payments. We also provide traditional terminals for in-store dispensaries. Both types are legal, as they operate under the Visa/Mastercard guidelines. Regardless of your business set-up, we have a processing solution for you.

Whether you are new to the business, or are struggling to maintain your legalized marijuana business, we at MMA have a solution for you. From business funding to mobile processing, we are at the top of the industry in service, security, and technology. If you have not stopped to check out your options, do so.

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