Consumer Catch-up: No CA pot bank, top frequent flier programs, EpiPen shortage

Saturday, August 18, 2018
Consumer Catch-up: No CA pot bank, EpiPen shortage
California lawmakers say "no" to a banking system for marijuana. Plus, EpiPens are tough to come by as kids head back to school. The consumer news you need to know for Friday, August 17, 2018.

State says "no" to pot bank

A plan to create a state-backed banking system for recreational marijuana will not move forward.

It failed in the legislature Thursday, meaning pot will remain a cash-only industry for now.

Marijuana is illegal on a federal level, and most banks do not want to do business with growers and sellers.

Critics of the California measure argued the bill did not guarantee that banks would be protected from federal law.

Top frequent flier programs

JetBlue and Southwest Airlines again come out on top in the latest J.D. Power rankings of top frequent flier programs.

The study finds JetBlue does an especially good job of helping its customers understand how to use the program.

Still, across the industry, only about half of customers understand how to earn or redeem points or miles.

J.D. Power says JetBlue, as the top program, also ranked highly for program benefits and member communication.

Meanwhile, Frontier Airlines just rolled out its new frequent flier program, called Frontier Miles.

Frontier added new status tiers and benefits, plus an option to pool your miles with a group of up to eight people.

EpiPen shortage

Just as kids start heading back to school, families around the country are dealing with a shortage of EpiPens.

The shortage is being blamed on manufacturing issues and "local supply disruptions."

Earlier this week, the FDA announced approval of a generic version of the EpiPen.

The medical device is frequently used to treat food allergies. About six million children in the U.S. have them.

Click here for a look at more stories by Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side.

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