The issue is that because banks operate on an interstate level they won't risk getting their hands dirty with weed money until congress legalizes it full stop.

The issue is that because banks operate on an interstate level they won't risk getting their hands dirty with weed money until congress legalizes it full stop. This creates a situation that all these businesses need to operate in cash like 1980's drug dealers or find some credit union that solely operates in the state. During my visit of Portland the cashier of one the dispensaries described to me all the additional security measures they had to take including building a bank vault in the store. During tax season they have to hire private security and armed guards with armored vehicles to transfer duffel bags full of cash to the department of revenue who then penalizes them an additional fee for paying in large sums of cash. This is ironic because the department of state then has to go on a hiring spree and needs to purchase equipment to count out this massive amount of cash (probably millions once add up all the dispensaries). Its a big waste of money since all the hires and equipment are unnecessary once you realize that 99% of all other businesses just pay via wire or check. I also can't imagine how much money is spent by the business trying to keep track of all the loose cash.