As of April 10, 2015, MBank has announced that they unfortunately have to close their banking services program for those in the cannabis industry, but this not a story of failure, it’s one of admirable progress. Jef Baker, CEO of MBank (OTC:MBNC), is not turning his back on the industry. He’s continuing his mission, he’s pursuing his goals, and he’s not giving up.

Travelers who like to toke a little on their adventures may be driving up interest in states that have recently made recreational marijuana legal, including Oregon.

According to the travel website Hotels.com, the legalization of marijuana has helped fire up the number of hotel searches that legal states have seen.

In Colorado in 2014, for example, Denver saw a 73 percent year-over-year increase in hotel searches for check-ins during the weekend of April 20 versus 2013. Hotels.com reported that searches for the same weekend this year were up 60 percent over last year.

In “Weed the People,” Bainbridge Island author Bruce Barcott delivers a thorough and entertaining survey of the burgeoning legalization of marijuana in the U.S. Barcott appears April 15 at Seattle’s Elliott Bay Book Co.

‘Weed the People: The Future of Legal Marijuana in America’ by Bruce Barcott Time, Inc., 400 pp., $22.95

The OLCC may have reached too far in seeking to create a new class of police: Pot Cops

Just when you thought it was safe to smoke marijuana in Oregon, along comes a new breed of law enforcement officer: the pot cop.

The pot cop can bust retailers for selling buds to people under 21—or even letting them inside a store. He runs stings on growers who aren’t paying taxes. 

And if you’re growing too many plants in your house, some fear the pot cop could seize your marijuana and take you to jail.

The pot cop doesn’t exist yet—but the Oregon Liquor Control Commission has asked to greatly extend its power beyond what voters gave the agency in November when they approved legalized recreational marijuana.

SALEM-A proposal by the Senate's top Republican to begin recreational sales in Oregon on July 1 has attracted a lot of interest, but there appears to be daunting issues that would prevent it from becoming reality.

"The concept is good," said Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, co-chair of the Legislature's marijuana committee, "but practically speaking there are obvious issues."

Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, earlier this week proposed that recreational sales start in medical marijuana dispensaries when possession becomes legal on July 1.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon is racing the clock when it comes to setting the rules for retail pot sales.

Now, some lawmakers are considering letting medical marijuana dispensaries sell recreational weed starting July 1, 2015 when Measure 91 goes into effect.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission this week signed an agreement with a Kansas-based company to build the online application process for recreational marijuana business licenses.

NIC USA, Inc., will design an online application for commercial growers, processors, wholesalers and retailers. The state must begin accepting applications by January 2016.

The system will be used to apply for a new license or renew an existing one, pay license fees by credit card and pay marijuana taxes, as well as update license information.

The agency's agreement with the company has an annual subscription fee of $80,000 and no up-front costs.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission plans to announce the makeup of its marijuana rules advisory committee by the end of April.

The agency initially planned to have the committee's membership finalized by mid-March, but was swamped with applicants, said spokesman Tom Towslee. Towslee said an estimated 500 people expressed interest in serving on the panel, which will help shape the rules for the regulated recreational marijuana industry.

SALEM -- Defiant medical marijuana supporters urged lawmakers Monday not to set new limits on their growing operations when the recreational pot market opens this summer.

Patients and growers flocked to the Capitol for a meeting of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Implementing Measure 91, arguing that proposed restrictions would do little to stem the flow of pot to the black market, as lawmakers contend.

Instead, they said, the limits would create statewide shortages and make it more difficult for legitimate patients to get their medicine.

People ambled through the Oregon Hemp Convention on Friday, casually inspecting colorful glass bongs and trying samples of rice crispy treats and chocolates, chatting with vendors about growing marijuana plants at home and extracting cannabis oil safely.

Our more relaxed attitude toward marijuana is nothing new, but this was all still a bit surreal.

But as Oregon eases into recreational marijuana, bigger festivals and conventions like this weekend's event should become the norm, popping up throughout the year at venues in and around Portland.