The offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us. That may influence which products we write about, but it does not affect what we write about them. Here’s an explanation of how we make money and our Advertiser Disclosure. Yahoo Personal Finance· Getty Images Whether you regularly purchase cannabis edibles or dabble in tinctures, it feels like weed is everywhere now. About 75% of Americans live in a state where marijuana is legal for recreational or medical use, and 79% of Americans live in a county with at least one marijuana dispensary, according to Pew Research Center .
However, there’s a catch you should be aware of before heading to the dispensary: Depending on your state and credit card network, you likely can’t use a credit card to buy weed. The weed dilemma: Federal and state differences
Despite its prevalence and popularity, marijuana is still labeled a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). That means federal law prohibits the manufacturing, distribution, dispensing, and possession of marijuana outside of federally approved research studies.
That law may come as a surprise if dispensaries have popped up in your area. Many states violate the CSA by instituting laws permitting the legal use of marijuana for recreational or medicinal purposes. In fact, as of May 2024, 38 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have laws in place permitting medicinal marijuana.
These laws removed state penalties for growing, selling, or possessing marijuana in approved circumstances, causing dispensaries to flourish. As of 2024, there are nearly 15,000 dispensaries in operation nationwide.
However, these dispensaries face a conundrum: Credit cards are often consumers’ payment method of choice. But thanks to federal laws, financial institutions are wary of allowing weed transactions. If they permitted the purchase of cannabis, they could be subject to significant penalties and other legal consequences.
Major credit card networks like Visa and Mastercard prohibit the use of their cards to buy weed. Both companies enforce bans on pot transactions, making it impossible to use your card at a dispensary to purchase cannabis. Can you use […]
What Is Cannabis Juicing
What Is Cannabis Juicing By Sarah Johns, The Fresh Toast
