U.S. Territory Could Make History in Legal Marijuana Industry

Posted on October 29, 2018 by admin

hawaii-marijuana It isn’t just U.S. states that are ready to jump on board – if they haven’t already – with legalizing marijuana. Legislators in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a U.S. territory, recently approved a bill to legalize marijuana.

By a margin of 18-1, with just one abstention, the CNMI House of Representatives passed the legislation. This piece of legislation seeks to end cannabis prohibition for adults over 21 and creates a system of taxed and regulated sales. It would also welcome medical marijuana and industrial hemp.

This is not the first time that the territory pushed for legalization. In May, the Senate approved a similar marijuana legalization bill. The proposal initially cleared a committee in the House, but its advancement was later halted in response to procedural concerns. It was said that revenue-generating legislation must originate in the House.

As a result, House lawmakers made a few changes to the Senate bill and filed a new proposal of their own. This piece of legislation then won approval by the full chamber.

“The people of the CNMI recognize that the prohibition of marijuana has been terribly misguided and harmful, and our leaders are in touch with the public’s sentiment on this issue,” Lawrence Duponcheel of Sensible CNMI said in a statement.

“Today, members of the CNMI House of Representatives showed their commitment to honoring the will of the people.”

If this bill is successfully enacted, CNMI will become the first U.S. jurisdiction to go directly from outlawing marijuana across the board to allowing recreational use. This is very unique, considering that the territory has no existing medical cannabis program; this is something that has been a precursor to broader legalization in a growing number of states.

It will also be an important milestone because it would make CNMI the first to legalize a system of regulated cannabis production and sales through an act of lawmakers, rather than a ballot measure. (Vermont passed a law earlier this year to legalize marijuana possession and home cultivation, however, the policy does not allow for any form of cannabis commerce.)

Justin Strekal, political director for NORML, commented on marijuana reform’s growing popularity with voters in an interview, saying that “The lawmakers and people of CNMI are on track to make history, and more U.S. policymakers would be wise to take notice before the upcoming midterm elections.”

The next step? The CNMI Senate is now expected to take on the House-passed marijuana legalization bill. These changes have the potential to open up enormous opportunity. Are you hoping to expand your operation or launch your business venture? Consider working with the team at Marijuana Merchant Account and jump in on the expansion of the marijuana industry.

Trump Hints at Supporting New Marijuana Bill

Posted on June 25, 2018 by admin

Indoor Marijuana Grow Room with Plants in Soil Under Lights Early this month, President Donald Trump shared that he was leaning towards supporting new bipartisan marijuana legislation – delivering a blow to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been an outspoken opponent of marijuana. He lifted an Obama administration policy and freed federal prosecution to more aggressively pursue cases in states where marijuana has been legalized.

When addressing the media at the White House just before departing for the G-7 summit, the president said he would “probably end up supporting” the recent bill being circulated through the Senate by Gardner and Warren.

“I really do. I support Senator Garner,” Trump said. “I know exactly what he’s doing, we’re looking at it. But I probably will end up supporting that, yes.”

While this piece of legislation would not legalize marijuana, it would ease the federal ban on marijuana. At the moment, the marijuana industry is struggling to grow under a two-tiered enforcement system at the state and federal levels. If this proposal is successful, it would leave it up to each individual state to decide what the best approach to marijuana is within their state.

Don Murphy, conservative outreach director of the Marijuana Policy Projected, has called the bill the “most significant piece of marijuana-related legislation ever introduced in Congress.”

For consumers and merchants, this legislation would protect the individuals who choose to use or sell cannabis (as long as they are following state local laws). For example, the bill would amend portions of the Controlled Substances Act, ensuring that buying or selling cannabis would not be considered drug trafficking. Even so, some federal restrictions will remain (e.g. sales of non-medical marijuana to individuals under 21).

The Impact of New Legislation on Marijuana Merchants

Besides the ease in federal restrictions, how will President Trump’s support impact marijuana businesses? At the moment, marijuana companies are forced to operate in cash-only. They struggle to secure loans and merchant accounts from banks. The changes this bill would lead to would allow banks and financial institutions – currently fearful of federal prosecution – to freely work with any marijuana merchant adhering to state laws.

In the meantime, the marijuana industry continues to rely on high-risk providers like Marijuana Merchant Account. Your cannabis company can take advantage of a full suite of payment solutions that work for your business. These merchant services allow you to accept all card types for a convenient customer experience and utilize recurring payments for discount payments and memberships. ECheck processing also allows you to accept electronic checks over the phone or internet.

If you need secure payment processing, consider the many benefits of working with Marijuana Merchant Account. Your account can be setup in as little as 24 hours.

What Does Pot Legalization Do To Drug Cartels?

Posted on April 18, 2017 by admin

unnamed Up until a few years ago the only way to get recreational marijuana was illegally. This benefitted mostly the drug cartels – and honestly, who wants to do that? With the rise of states offering legalized recreational marijuana, the cartels are likely to take a hit – but how much? And will this help eradicate marijuana cartels?

Probably not, since some states will never legalize recreational marijuana. But Arizona has strong beliefs in how to tame the cartels. Law enforcement leaders say the change will strengthen cartels, allowing them to infiltrate the legal pot market and driving them to sell more hard drugs. Advocates of legalization say it will undercut the cartels by eliminating a key segment of their business. Also, they could easily move into another drug, such as cocaine or heroin – the latter of which is gaining popularity in the states thanks to its pricing. Customs officers confiscated more than 4,100 pounds of meth and 863 pounds of heroin at Tucson sector border crossings last fiscal year. That’s a 46 percent increase in meth and a 77 percent increase in heroin over the last two years. The amount of meth seized so far this fiscal year has already surpassed last year’s.

Now that the cartels have competition with product that is regulate and more pure, they may panic. Even so, the border patrol seized more than 800,000 pounds of pot last year coming into the United States. If recreational marijuana is legalized in California, these numbers could drop – but they could find other ways to sell their product to states that do not have legalized pot. The Southeastern US is less likely to legalize pot than northern or western states, so this is a possibility.

What do we do? Well, there’s nothing much that we can do – except vote. And urge our lawmakers to help pass laws to legalize marijuana in some form. For some states it will be tougher, thanks to their I&R laws, but it isn’t impossible. This helps eradicate some of the cartels, and it helps keep everyone safe, thanks to the regulation of legalized marijuana.

States That May Never Legalize Pot

Posted on April 7, 2017 by admin

Marijuana Leaves on Top of Plants With the ever-growing support for legalized medical and recreational marijuana, it is hard to fathom that some states may never legalize one or the other (or both). But, there are 14 states that may never do so. It isn’t the money, per se, but it has a lot to do with politics.

The fourteen states are: Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. States that tend to lean Republican are less likely to legalize recreational marijuana – and these states historically vote Republican. Conversely, the Republican Party tends to take a more conservative approach to the legalization of marijuana, meaning they’re more likely to side with the federal government’s stance of the drug being illegal. This isn’t to say that red states don’t legalize marijuana at all; but there tends to be a pretty clear dichotomy between legal states (which are mostly blue) and non-legal states (which are mostly red).

So, if you are in a Republican-leaning state does this mean that you will never have legalized recreational marijuana? No – but there is a much less chance than if you lived in a Democratic state. But this isn’t the only reason that these states will not legalize marijuana. The lack of I&R laws (Initiative & Referendum) is also a major reason. The I&R process refers to the method of allowing residents within a state to vote on a piece of legislation to approve it or reject it. An initiative allows citizens within a state to propose or initiate a statute or constitutional amendment, whereas a referendum allows citizens to refer a statute passed by a state’s legislature to the ballot so voters can enact or repeal the measure. Within the U.S., 26 states allow for the I&R process, while the remaining 24 states lack the right to I&R. Of the 24 states that lack the I&R right, 10 have approved medical marijuana, leaving the 14 states you see above to make up the remainder.

In laymen’s terms, unless a lawmaker introduces a bill to legalize it, there is little chance of it getting on a ballot.

Vermont Governor Moves to Legalize Marijuana

Posted on February 2, 2016 by admin

Vermont Governor, Peter Shumlin, called for the state to legalize marijuana through the legislative process, and not the ballot box. In his State address, the governor said that over 80,000 Vermonters reported using marijuana in 2015. This he claims is only making illegal drug dealers money that the state would use for the citizens. Gov. Shumlin suggested a move to begin step by step marijuana legislation to harness marijuana dollars.

It is easy to see why the Vermont governor wants to legalize marijuana. Advocates across the nation have said that regulation and taxation of marijuana will supply dry state budgets with a new source of income. This prediction may be true. Since November, the state of Illinois has made over $801,000 in medical cannabis sales. Cannabis is currently running for $14 to $15 per gram. Plus the state has earned approximately $57,000 from taxing the drug.

Critics of legalizing marijuana claim it will make it more accessible to children, or serve as a gateway drug to harder drug. Shumlin proposes that legislation include a legal structure to keep the drugs from minors. In addition, he wants to ban the sale of edible marijuana, and add a tax law strong enough to destroy the black market. The potential revenue generated from Shumlin’s legislation is unknown, but the governor claims that monies would go towards addiction prevention, and education for both police and citizens on marijuana use.

The pro-legalization Drug Policy Alliance praised Shumlin’s announcement and said other governors should follow suit.

Even with the success of marijuana sales in states like Illinois, many marijuana merchants can’t find dependable merchant processing. That’s because large financial institutions like banks, still shoulder too much responsibly if marijuana merchant accounts are not in compliance with Federal guidelines. If a bank has a marijuana merchant account that is non-compliant, the bank can be charged a stiff penalty. As a result, most banks decide to forgo these types of accounts all together.

Marijuana Merchant Account (MMA) offers a variety of marijuana payment solutions and loan opportunities. If your state permits recreational or medical marijuana growth and distribution, contact us to get your MMJ merchant account started. You don’t need to ask big banks for loans, when MMA has the right loans at the right price for you.

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The Police Have Spoken: Pot is the Least of Their Drug Worries

Posted on December 9, 2015 by admin

Cannabis leaf scattered on the dollars. Seamless image While some in the media – and well-paid lobbyist – want to convince you that pot is evil, our police have a different take on the drug. The DEA released its annual survey of law enforcement officers from around the USA, and found that marijuana is the least of their drug worries. Literally, the least, as it came in last with only 6% of the surveyors saying that it was. While marijuana has never been at the top of the list, it was in the middle in the early to mid-2000s. While consumers have a relaxed view on pot, it’s interesting to see that it isn’t the biggest worry for police, and this could have an overwhelming effect on the government and its stance on the drug.

It should not be a surprise that heroin was named the most worrisome drug, with 38% of the vote, followed by meth with 33%. With its measly 6% of the vote, marijuana either is typically in the news for its legalization in states, or attempts to keep it illegal. Ohio just struck down a vote to legalize medicinal and recreational marijuana, though most states who have offered the vote to its citizens have faced a different outcome. The tax revenue the drug brings in (it is currently taxed at 10% in Denver, Colorado) helps tremendously, as does marijuana tourism. Even so, it is still a federally-illegal drug. This complicates things for those who wish to travel outside a certain area with the drug, and those who wish to fly home with it are liable to be arrested. But this change in law enforcement’s eyes could lead to a change in the Fed’s way of looking at pot.

Coincidence or not, Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders from Vermont introduced legislation to decriminalize pot federally. This, plus the DEA’s survey findings, could lead to a change. However, the recent turn-down of legalized pot in Ohio may prove fatal, as elected officials are careful not to bite the hand that feeds when it comes to voting for things that their constituents are against. Regardless, legalized marijuana is expanding in various states every few months. In October, it was Oregon. In January, it will be Alaska. This leads to new and exciting business ventures. Marijuana merchants know that this is a very lucrative – but troublesome – industry. The main trouble comes from the banks that process payments, as they are controlled by the Feds. Merchants need to look for an ACH check processing source, like marijuana-merchant-account.com, that is experienced with legalized marijuana sales, to help keep their new business account operating smoothly.

Contact MMA for Marijuana Payment Solutions today!

Democratic Presidential Candidate Sanders Presses Senate to Legalize Marijuana

Posted on December 9, 2015 by admin

Bernie_Sanders_portrait_1 Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont is pushing his fellow senators to legalize marijuana nationwide. While this isn’t a shock due to Senator Sanders views, it does show that the American people may be ready for a change. Sanders is rising in the polls in many states, and his message is coming across loud and clear. While the bill seems promising, there is a catch involved.

Senator Sanders bill looks to federally legalize the drug, but allow states to decide if it will be legal in a medicinal or recreational fashion. According to Senator Sanders, “In my view, the time is long overdue for us to remove the federal prohibition on marijuana. In my view, states should have the right to regulate marijuana the same way that state and local laws now govern the sale of alcohol and tobacco.” Oregon is the most recent state to decriminalize the drug, when sales started back on October 1^st. While many argue that pot is harmless, others argue that it is a gateway drug. Doctors, users, an scientists have argued for years – and will continue their arguments – in support or opposition. The fact is simply this: More and more states and legalizing the drug in some form, and it is lucrative. In this country, money talks, and when the tax revenues go up, more states may take notice and look to legalize the drug.

Sanders bill would have a huge effect not only for those looking to buy legal pot, but also for those who are selling legal pot. Marijuana merchant account services would have an easier time accepting payments if his bill passes and is signed into law. Currently, card companies are processed through banks, and banks are controlled by the government. Since marijuana is currently a federally illegal substance, these companies have issues processing check, credit, and debit card payments. This leaves many with “Cash Only” businesses which are hazardous and typically do not bring in as much business as those who do accept checks and plastic card payments. Merchants need to make sure that their merchant accounts are housed by a company that is experienced with legalized marijuana sales, like marijuana-merchant-account.com. This is a hard industry to contend in, and your best shot at succeeding in its ever-changing world is to make sure that your marijuana merchant account provider is the working to educate you to these changes, and supports you along the way.

Contact MMA for Marijuana Payment Solutions today!

Legalize Marijuana? Former DEA Agent Now Says Yes

Posted on May 20, 2015 by admin

Proponents of the mixed debate to have recreational marijuana legalized in the US state of Arizona have got a shot in the arm from an unlikely source. A former special agent of the state’s Drug Enforcement Administration who spent six years of his career convicting felons of the act of using marijuana now says the use of the drug should be recognized.

The officer who served as the DEA’s New Mexico and Miami Marijuana Coordinator has now gone vocal in favor of a legislation that would orchestrate a complete free program of recreational marijuana in the state of Arizona.

From his several years spent fighting the use of illegal drugs including marijuana, the former law enforcement officer has had a change of thought arguing that he had time enough to see injustice in the system. He has faulted the law against marijuana saying that it has destroyed the lives of many young and brilliant persons.

The agent who is currently a member of a movement known as Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) has argued that as an officer he was bound to do things he did not personally agree with. In his position he had to enforce the law as that is what his job demanded. So he had to put up with some hard times in the job. His about-face is seemingly his way of righting the wrongs he might have unwillingly stood for. The strict marijuana laws, according to him, have ruined lives and so need to change.

The use of marijuana is widespread in the United States among teenagers and the youth or young adults. Annual surveys in the country concerned with the drug use have indicated a rising trend in the use of this drug despite the very strict rules against the cannabis sativa.

Students in their early grades are found to be addicted to the drug. Those who are caught face the full arm of the law and get their lives at crossroads. These are some of the concerns that have been dominating the debating platforms where contenders are pushing for the legalization of the drug in the country.

Some strong arguments for the legalization of marijuana are supported by the medical side of the weed. These people wonder why the state would spend so much cash on medicinal drugs every fiscal year yet a powerful drug like marijuana whose health benefits are well known remains prohibited.

Now it remains to be seen if the proponents of the legalization of the recreational marijuana will have their way. If this happens, the impact of the legalization is likely to be felt in the nation’s economy and dealers will have to contribute taxes through their marijuana payment processing systems. At the end the nation’s economy will directly benefit from the drug.

If your dispensary needs Marijuana Payment Processing, contact us today.

Legal Marijuana Industry Sheds Light on Its Long Illegality

Posted on May 20, 2015 by admin

Millions are locked up every year for drugs in the United States, and a big percentage of those are for marijuana possession, usage, or manufacturing. The rush of states to legalize pot have made many wonder what happens to those who were locked up before its legality. The green brings pleasure to many and cash to some, and while the Feds still outlaw it, the rapid legalization of states may soon turn the tide on what once was a promising war on drugs.

Legal or not, there will always be pot smokers. The states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use (such as Colorado), and the states that have turned possession into a simple ticket (New York) are setting the stage for the rest of the United States to bring leniency to the users to the drug. What separates marijuana from drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin, is that marijuana is grown and dried, with the majority of the time no additives. No processing other than sunlight, and no kitchen chemicals. While the new legality in many places should affect the prison sentences of pot dealers, traffickers, and users, it more than likely will not. In the early 2000s, Congress passed laws to bring leniency to crack cocaine prison terms. This change did nothing to tens of thousands who were already incarcerated for the crime, and the same will probably happen with marijuana.

However, these new legalization’s make it a great time for a merchant to hop onto the medical marijuana bandwagon. Twenty-three states, plus Washington DC, have legalized medical marijuana, and others, such as Colorado and Georgia has legalized medicinal cannabis oils for certain chronic and terminal conditions. This is a rewarding industry, and it can be lucrative, as well. While rewarding and lucrative, it can be a pain in the neck to file a reputable medical marijuana payment processing account. Luckily, it can be done if you do your research. One of the top-rated over the last 10 years is MMA. Ten years is a long time in any business, and the knowledge of MMA’s staff can help you get the right foot in the door with the local governments to ensure your medical marijuana business is not only following the laws, but also following payment processing mandates, as well.

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Politicians are Finally Discussing Marijuana in the Open

Posted on October 8, 2014 by admin

Much to the delight of constituents, many politicians are now discussing the legalization of medical marijuana in public. Now, this way be because elections are coming up in a few weeks, but regardless, it gets the issue out there. Many are hoping that nation-wide legalization is coming, and there are a few things you need to know before taking the jump into selling medical marijuana.

While states and consumers may welcome the legalization of medical marijuana, any banks and merchant account providers do not. This is because it can considered to be “high risk”, meaning that it is at a higher risk of incurring fraudulent charges and activity. It is not just medical marijuana merchants that are labeled as this; in fact, many mainstream companies such as dating websites, car dealerships, and credit repair companies also are labeled as “high risk”. While it may seem like a big task to locate a merchant account provider who deals with high risk companies, it is not. However, you must be careful and vet companies. You should ask questions, ask their rates, and ask them the last time their terminal security was updated. You need the very best for your medical marijuana company.

Marijuana-Merchant-Account deals not only with legalized recreational marijuana, but also with medical marijuana merchant accounts. We have years of business, and thousands of satisfied merchants to vouch for our services. While others may trump you fees due to the “fad” hype over your business, we do not. We charge industry-standard rates for medical marijuana merchants, which is hard to come by in the United States. We also offer up to date security systems for our credit card processing terminals, which is a must in today’s society filled with hackers. It not only helps protect your customers’ information, but also your reputation.

For more information, contact us today!

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