Washington Pot Shops Can Use Certain Cashless Options, Officials Say
WASHINGTON — State regulators sent a message to licensed marijuana sellers this week, clarifying state rules for payments, which can allow for shops to implement limited non-cash options. The announcement follows a public meeting among retailers, lawmakers and members of the state Liquor and Cannabis Board in March, citing a "massive public safety crisis."
In just the first three months of the year, law enforcement agencies reported more than 70 robberies at pot shops across the state, a figure up significantly from fewer than 50 reported in all of 2021.
Many of the recent incidents have involved weapons and some turned deadly. Three people were killed during robberies over just four days in March.
Cannabis retailers have become an outsized target for thieves, due in part to the drug's Schedule I federal classification, which limits how shops can utilize banks and results in a large amount of cash transactions. Pot shop owners and state lawmakers have renewed calls for the Senate to pass the SAFE Banking Act, which would allow banks to do business with licensed marijuana stores without incurring federal penalties.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/washington-pot-shops-can-use-certain-cashless-options-officials-say/ar-AAWqtYC
