Another bank terminates account of Florida agriculture candidate who supports pot

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida's Democratic candidate for agriculture commissioner says a second bank has terminated her campaign account because she supports medical marijuana.

Nikki Fried's campaign manager, Alicia Stallworth, told the Miami Herald that BB&T called the campaign Aug. 29 to tell them that their bank account had to be closed within 30 days. Stallworth says the bank sent them an email last Friday saying the account had to be closed by Wednesday.

Fried's campaign had previously used Wells Fargo until that financial institution closed her accounts last month, just weeks before the Aug. 28 primary, which Fried won.

Fried is a Fort Lauderdale-based lawyer and medical marijuana lobbyist.

Florida voters legalized medical marijuana in 2016, but some banks are reluctant to do business with an industry that remains illegal under federal law. BB&T released a statement saying it's complying with federal law.