OUR OWN JULIE TSIRKIN HAS BEEN
LOOKING INTO NAVIGATING THIS
ODD ISSUE.
>> Reporter: THE LAST BEST
PLACE IS PROBABLY THE LAST
PLACE YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE
THIS, DISPENSARIES AND ROWHOUSES
DOTTING THE LANDSCAPE.
THIS IS AN RUBY RED, MONTANA,
57% OF VOTERS MOVED TO LEGALIZE
MARIJUANA.
TWO YEARS BEFORE, DONALD TRUMP
RECEIVED THAT SAME SHARE IN THE
STATE.
22 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA HAVE LEGAL ACCESS TO
CANNABIS.
THE LACK OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION
IS LEADING MULTISENSORY OWNERS WITH BIG PROBLEMS.
WITH BIG PROBLEMS.
>> WE HAVE ONE IN MONTANA.
>> WE NEED TO MOVE PAST THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT CANNABIS EXIST OR SHOULD
EXIST AND MOVE TOWARDS
REGULATED INDUSTRY THAT IT IS
NORMAL.
>> Reporter: EVEN LEGAL
CANNABIS BUSINESSES ARE
ANYTHING BUT NORMAL.
EVERY WEEK, ELLIOTTS DRIVES
HOURS AND AN UNMARKED VAN TO
DEPOSIT CASH WITH ONE OF THE
FEW BANKS WILLING TO WORK WITH
HIM AS A DISPENSARY OWNER, HE
CANNOT ACCESS MOST MAJOR
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OR TAKE
CREDIT CARDS SINCE SELLING
MARIJUANA IS STILL AGAINST
FEDERAL LAW.
>> WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE
ENOUGH TO FIND A LOCAL CREDIT
UNION.
>> Reporter: ELLIOTT IS CAREFUL
NOT TO RUIN HIS RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE LOCAL BANK THAT KEEPS
HIS BUSINESS COMPLIANT WITH THE
LAW. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE
THAT YOU AS A CANNABIS BUSINESS
OWNER HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT
OTHER BUSINESSES DON'T?
>> YEAH.
THERE IS A LOT.
THERE IS A LAUNDRY LIST.
>> Reporter: OPERATING A LEGAL
DISPENSARY IS EXPENSIVE, EVEN
AFTER PURCHASING A LICENSE.
>> I DON'T KNOW THERE IS A
WHOLE LOT OF CONSUMER-BASED
BUSINESSES WHERE YOU WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO WEAR A BADGE LIKE
THIS ONE.
>> Reporter: OWNERS COULD FACE
FINES FOR FAILING TO FOLLOW
STRICT RULES AMID UNSCHEDULED
INSPECTIONS FROM STATE
AUTHORITIES.
SINCE CANNABIS IS STILL A
SCHEDULE ONE DRUG, LEGAL
DISPENSARY OWNERS DO NOT QUALIFY FOR TAX EXEMPTIONS LIKE
QUALIFY FOR TAX EXEMPTIONS LIKE
TRADITIONAL BUSINESSES.
THE SHERIFF DAN SPRINGER BACKS
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD GIVE
MARIJUANA BUSINESSES ACCESS TO
BANKING SERVICES.
>> I WILL SAY IT IS CONFUSING
WHEN YOU HAVE A FEDERAL STATUTE
AND THEN YOU HAVE STATE LAWS
THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN FEDERAL
LAWS.
>> Reporter: THE BIGGEST
ADVOCATE IN THIS STATE SAY THEY
DO NOT SUPPORT LEGALIZING
MARIJUANA BUT NOW THAT VOTERS
CHOSE TO DO IT, THEY SAY IT IS
A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE NOT TO
TAKE ACTION.
THAT INCLUDES MONTANA'S
REPUBLICAN SENATOR. NOW,
LEADING THE CHARGE IN
WASHINGTON ON THE BILL.
>> WE WANT TO HELP LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO MAKE THINGS
SAFER BY ALLOWING THESE
BUSINESSES ACCESS TO BANKS.
>> Reporter: WORKING WITH THE
TOP DEMOCRATS WITH THE BIGGEST
BILL THAT COULD PASS THIS YEAR.
>> IF WE HAVE BUSINESSES DOING
THIS WE MUST TREAT THEM AS
BUSINESSES AND NOT AS DRUGS.
>> I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR
YOU.
ONE, A SMALL POLITICS QUESTION.
BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS, BUT
WHILE THEY ARE SEEKING TO PASS,
IS IT CREATING A WORKER AROUND
THE ISSUE OF MARIJUANA BEING A
SCHEDULE ONE DRUG OR ARE THEY
GOING TO RESCHEDULE IT HUMOR
>> Reporter: THIS HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH RESCHEDULING THE
DRUG.
THAT IS ONE OF THE ISSUES FROM
HAMSTRING IN CONGRESS TO GO
EVEN FURTHER.
SAFE BANKING IS JUST A PUBLIC
SAFETY BELT.
IT IS ONE THAT WOULD REMOVE ANY
PENALTIES OR RED TAPE AROUND
BIG BANKS FROM WORKING WITH
CANNABIS BUSINESSES.
IT MAKES THAT PROCESS MORE
STREAMLINED.
>> IN POLITICS, WHO GETS CREDIT
FOR A BILL MATTERS AND WHETHER
HE GETS PASSED.
I HAVE UNDERSTOOD THERE IS A
LITTLE BIT OF A RALLY BETWEEN
DANES AND KEPT HER ABOUT WHO
WOULD GET CREDIT FOR THIS.
IT WOULD BLOW THE DEAL UP.
>> Reporter: THAT IS
INTERESTING.
THIS WEEK, TOTALLY UNRELATED,
BUT THE SENATE FAILED TO PASS A
RESEARCH BILL THAT WAS
SPONSORED BY -- THAT WOULD
DIRECT THE VA TO PROVIDE
RESEARCH ON CANNABIS AND
WHETHER THAT WOULD AFFECT
VETERANS POSITIVELY IN TERMS OF
PTSD AND OTHER ISSUES.
THAT BILL FAILED.
SENDER DANES VOTED AGAINST IT.
THAT WAS VIEWED AS A MAJOR
SETBACK ON THE MARIJUANA
ADVOCATE IN THAT INDUSTRY AND
WHAT COULD PASS IN THE FUTURE.
SUPER INTERESTING