Whether you realize it or not, this has been another historic year for the marijuana industry (even if the year-to-date performance of pot stocks doesn't reflect it). In September, the House voted on and passed the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, representing the first time cannabis reform legislation had made it to the congressional floor for vote. If the SAFE Banking Act were to become law, it would remove the potential for criminal or financial penalties for banks and credit unions that are providing basic financial services to cannabis businesses in legalized states.
Then, less than two months later, the House Judiciary Committee voted 24-10 in favor of the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act, although it remains to be seen if the MORE Act will receive a full vote on the House floor. The MORE Act would completely decriminalize marijuana in the U.S., and further represents the shifting sentiment among the public toward legalization.
Image source: Getty Images.