The legislation is a stride. A small stride but a hopeful one. Granted, the fact that it got whittled down is a testament to the clout Big Marijuana wields over ruling legislative Democrats. But the fact that the pending legislation was introduced at all — and would impose a bit more responsibility on marijuana sales — suggests the Democrats are starting to get it.
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The Marijuana Lobby Spends Big on Bills Americans Don't Want→
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There has been a big push to commercialize and legalize marijuana lately. And while advocates insist this push derives from a desire to increase racial equality and social justice, the real reason is far more cynical: the almighty dollar.
Read MoreMike Crapo wisely puts children before cannabis profits→
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The Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act has prompted a green rush in the halls of Congress.
In the first nine months of 2019, the marijuana industry spent more than $3.8 million lobbying Congress, according to OpenSecrets — employing a total of 80 lobbyists. That put the industry on track to spend far more on lobbyists in 2019 than in the previous two years combined.
Read MoreFor sale in the pot industry: political influence→
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This should be no surprise; it would be a surprise, in fact, if the influence business had taken a pass on the lucrative potential of pot. But the flood of former government officials coming into the pot business — including former governor and current presidential candidate William F. Weld, former state House speaker Thomas M. Finneran, former state senator Andrea F. Nuciforo Jr., former Boston city councilor Michael P. Ross and even former Boston police superintendent-in-chief Daniel Linskey — is striking.
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