Feds Move To Fix Pot Shops' Banking Problems

WASHINGTON -- The federal government issued guidelines on Friday that officials said were intended to increase the financial services available to marijuana businesses that are legal under state laws.

Guidelines announced by the Treasury Department and a memo from a top Justice Department official were intended to ease concerns that the federal government would target banks working with marijuana-related businesses that are legal and regulated on the state level. Expanded banking access will enable them to function like traditional businesses, and implementing a reporting structure will allow the federal government to take a close look at how they operate.

Under the Treasury Department's plan, banks would file a "suspicious activity report," or SAR, for a wide range of financial transactions by any marijuana-related business, but they would specify that they did not believe illegal activity beyond simply dealing in the marijuana trade was taking place.

The Justice Department memo falls...

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URL: 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/14/marijuana-banking_n_4789893.html