Marijuana industry taking fight against Wall Street blockades straight to Trump

Core Viewpoint - Pot Inc. is lobbying the Trump administration, arguing that Wall Street is obstructing the implementation of the president's executive order that classifies marijuana as a medical drug [1][6]. Group 1: Executive Order and Banking Issues - The Trump executive order reclassifies marijuana from a Schedule 1 drug to a Schedule 3 drug, similar to Tylenol with codeine, but does not grant banks the authority to provide services to the marijuana industry [2][4]. - Major banks, including JPMorgan, Bank of America, and Citigroup, have expressed that they cannot support the marijuana industry until it is formally classified as a Schedule III drug and the law changes [4][5]. - The U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has yet to finalize the executive order, which is necessary for full implementation [4]. Group 2: Market Potential and Advocacy - The recreational marijuana market, which includes products like joints and gummies, is not addressed in the executive order, leading to concerns from bankers about their ability to support this segment [3][4]. - Marc Cohodes, a former hedge fund manager, argues that banks are misinterpreting the executive order and emphasizes the need for banking services in the medical marijuana sector, which is projected to be a $35 billion market [10][14]. - Pot Inc. is a $60 billion industry, and advocates believe that the reclassification will lead to significant growth opportunities for dispensaries and related businesses [14][15]. Group 3: Exchange Listings and Regulatory Challenges - Current policies of major U.S. stock exchanges, such as NYSE and Nasdaq, prevent the listing of U.S. marijuana companies, although Canadian companies are listed due to their foreign domicile [5][7]. - The inability to access banking services poses significant hurdles for marijuana companies in their expansion plans, as banking is heavily regulated at the federal level [15].