The federal government could legalize marijuana in the [next five years](https://cheddar.com/videos/bill-weld-dominoes-are-falling-to-legalize-weed), said the former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld. Though, he said states should be able to decide the issue for themselves.
"Once you can do research on it, the arguments against it are going to be increasingly slim," said Weld on Thursday in an interview with Cheddar.
There are 29 states that allow medicinal use of cannabis, and nine states that have legalized recreational use of marijuana.
"We'd like to see cannabis descheduled as a Class I narcotic in Washington so that states would be free to do what they want," said Weld. "Right now there's a rub between federal and state law enforcement."
Weld and the former House Speaker John Boehner joined the board of the cannabis producer Acreage Holdings last week.
Boehner had long been an opponent of legal marijuana, but Weld said his new colleague changed his mind because the public's perception of the drug had changed.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/bill-weld-joins-acreage-board).
Stocks opened slightly higher after Monday's opening bell after several weeks of gains as the year closes out.
Big Business This Week is a guided tour through the biggest market stories of the week, from winning stocks to brutal dips to the facts and forecasts generating buzz on Wall Street.
Citi told most of its employees that they could work from home at the end of the month, according to CNBC.
Chobani paid $900 million to purchase ready-to-drink coffee maker La Colombe.
Kerri Quigley, founder of The Fashion Class, spoke with Cheddar News on how to make an ugly sweater on a budget.
With Christmas only 10 days away, some kids may notice that there's a lot of spending going on this holiday season. Dr. Regine Muradian, licensed clinical psychologist, joined Cheddar News to provide tips on how to teach kids the value of gifts and money.
It appears that people are cutting back on tipping with gratuity requests spreading far beyond bars and restaurants.
New data is showing rent prices are on the decline.
If you qualify for the student loan interest deduction, you can deduct up to $2500 a year in interest paid on education debt.
The U.S. labor agency is trying to force Starbucks to reopen 23 stores that it closed allegedly to discourage a nationwide union campaign
