I find it interesting to watch Washington State set up, from scratch, a legal cannabis market. It is reminiscent of the hassles setting up Indian gaming, which took decades. This one must be up done by the end of the year.
The state is going for indoor grows only, the Seattle City Council is wrestling with zoning issues for these operations. They can’t prohibit them, they’re leaning on the side of a Safeway-sized limit for the factories.
The biggest glitch so far is banking. The producers, processors, retailers, and the state will need banking services so they can pay each other and the their taxes. By federal law, banks engaged in illegal activities are subject to sanction. Without banks, this will become a cash-only enterprise. The state is considering setting up a bank for these enterprises just so they have half a chance at collecting their due taxes.
It’s fun watching this.