Marijuana opponents using racketeering law to fight industry's spread

A federal law crafted to fight the mob is giving marijuana opponents a new strategy to stop the expanding industry. Racketeering lawsuits in Colorado are giving pot opponents a way to shut down marijuana businesses without even going to court.

One Colorado marijuana shop closed last spring after a group opposed to legal marijuana sued not just the pot shop but also its bank, its bonding company and accountant. One by one, plaintiffs agreed to stop doing business with Medical Marijuana of the Rockies, until the mountain shop closed its doors.

A similar lawsuit is pending in southern Colorado.

The cases represent a new approach to fighting marijuana. Pot opponents say that if the government won't stop marijuana's expansion, federal racketeering lawsuits could.