Oneida Indian Nation establishes New York Cannabis Enterprise

The Oneida Indian Nation announced Monday that it is forming a new cannabis company in central New York, with plans to begin construction of a 50,000-square-foot facility next month to house operations. The seed-to-sale venture will include cultivation and production of cannabis at the new facility in Verona, New York, which will be operated entirely by the Oneida Indian Nation. Cannabis retail stores, to be announced at a later date and located solely on tribal lands, are expected to open in late 2023.

Ray Halbritter, a Oneida Indian Nation representative and CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises, said that the Oneida Indian Nation is beginning operations in the cannabis industry to take advantage of the new economic opportunities created by the legalization of marijuana in and around New York Area.

“As more states across the country enter the cannabis business, including neighboring states and other tribal nations, it is important that the Oneida people are not prevented from taking advantage of this economic opportunity,” Halbritter said in a statement from the Oneida Nation- native american “We are excited about this new venture and are confident that, based on our expertise and proven track record in other highly regulated industries, we will be able to set the standard for the development of a safe and successful adult recreational cannabis business in the country of Oneida Indian Nation.”

Weed is now legal in New York

New York legalized recreational marijuana last year with the passage of the Marijuana Taxation and Regulation Act, which went into effect March 31, 2021. Regulators are currently in the process of developing the regulatory system to govern the cannabis industry, with the first retail adult cannabis dispensaries expected to open by the end of the year.

Officials in New York have recognized that sovereign Native American nations are free to participate in the state’s legal cannabis market. The Cayuga Nation has established a cannabis cultivation and processing facility in Seneca County and a retail facility in Cayuga County. The Akwesasne Mohawk Nation has cannabis retail stores on its land in upstate New York, while the Seneca Nation has approximately 20 retailers on its territory in the western part of the state.

For its newly announced cannabis business, the Oneida Indian Nation has issued cannabis statutes and regulations to govern the cannabis business and maintain it to standards comparable to New York State cannabis laws and regulations, including comparable age restrictions and purchase quantity restrictions, Employee Licenses Requirements and assurances of product safety and quality.

The Oneida Indian Nation will own and operate all of the companies associated with the cannabis company, rather than licensing out to independent operators. The nation has discussed the tribe’s plans for the cannabis company with the New York City Bureau of Cannabis Management and is open to further discussions, according to Joel Barkin, the nation’s vice president of communications.

The Oneida Indian Nation has entered into discussions with the New York State Office of Cannabis Management to create a joint inspection partnership for their cannabis products. The nation will apply the same tax rate to marijuana sales as the state to “avoid competition issues,” Barkin said. All tax revenue is used to support the tribe and its municipal government services on state territory. These include health care, education, public safety and cultural preservation.

The Oneida Indian Nation is a federally recognized Native American nation in central New York consisting of approximately 1,000 enrolled tribal members. Oneida Indian Nation businesses, which employ more than 4,500 people, include hotels, casinos, retail stores, an RV park and three boat marinas. Proceeds from these businesses are used to develop the tribe’s economic base and provide basic services to its members, including housing, health care, and educational incentives and programs.