Pharmacies on tribal land? – Where are the opportunities for Native Americans in the marijuana industry today?

Indigenous nations and tribes within America have different views on cannabis-related issues. Some have accepted the medicinal and recreational uses of the drug while many others are against being part of the room. While some are turning their backs on cannabis, some of these tribes are partnering with other brands to become part of the cannabis supply chain.

Each tribe has their reasons for joining and not.

The legalization of cannabis, while widely accepted, is still opposed by some. Many of them are the indigenous nations that are scattered all over the country. The views of these groups on the legalization and enforcement of cannabis laws are contrary to the views of the host state. Of the 574 indigenous tribes in the United States, only a few dozen have accepted and introduced the use of medicinal or recreational pots.

The way Native Tribes laws are drawn up still have to relate to and deal with state and federal regulatory agency regulations. Most of the time, the multilayered state and federal laws clash with tribal laws, and this creates constant confusion. This is because these sovereign tribes have to survive on their resources but still have to obey the laws of the state and the land without receiving government assistance in return.

Put simply, indigenous nations have the short end of the stick when it comes to regulatory issues.

Many indigenous tribes have never had problems with cannabis plants, nor was it considered illegal in their tribal laws. But because of the stance of the state and the federal government making cannabis illegal many years ago, many of these strains have had to adapt.

For them, cannabis has always been a source of income to boost their economy and create jobs. The majority of these tribes used cannabis to alleviate their illnesses. The only thing is that these communities had to market their products outside of the legal cannabis industry within the states. You are trading on indigenous land that is in no way close to the state-owned companies. Some have worked around the status quo and are actively looking for opportunities for their communities.

Like any other community, Indian tribes have different views on cannabis. According to Shannae Bullock, general manager of Little Beach Harvest in the New York area and the (yet to be opened) Shinnecock Nation Pharmacy, tribes’ views and uses of cannabis plants vary.

Shannae added that her tribe has a long history with cannabis plants. Their story includes the plant’s use to make medicine and rope. The tribe’s soon-to-be-opened pharmacy could become one of the premium cannabis destinations in the Southampton area of ​​the New York area.

All cannabis companies within the Shinnecock tribe are wholly owned by the tribe. They operate entirely on their land and partner with TILT Holdings Inc., a cannabis technology and infrastructure company. Over the years, the prohibition laws and subsequent decriminalization laws for marijuana have created confusion and disagreement in some communities.

Shannae said that due to the forced colonization of the cannabis plants and accompanying laws inconsistent with the culture of some tribes, it is expected that individual tribes’ views about the plant will differ. Everyone has their understanding of the plant.

Indigenous communities, despite their status as independent communities, are bound by federal and state laws. It is not uncommon for these tribes to find themselves in controversial situations with local, state, and even federal authorities.

Complex policies like gambling and cannabis are usually the main source of controversy between the tribes and the government. Oregon, Washington and Nevada have a permanent arrangement with the indigenous nations within their borders on critical pacts that contain different rules on cannabis problems. Tribes outside of these regions are still debating whether or not to start due to the different state and national laws on cannabis policy.

Bullock added that tribes with good relations with the state government have an advantage over others. She explained that a good relationship helps circumvent the laws in force in the colonized states.

In California, tribes cannot enter the legal market despite the jurisdiction of state law. A former chairwoman of the Uta Uta Gwaitu Paiute Tribe in the Benton, California area, Tina Braithwaite, expressed displeasure with the current state of affairs. According to her, the California state views the tribes as pure corporations rather than individual governments.

Experts have said the only way to work around this situation is for these nations to pass laws similar to those of the legal state cannabis industry around them.

On the flip side, tribes in Washington are allowed to work with state agencies without being under their control. These strains have no qualms about being overridden by state government on their land, nor do they need state regulation before they can enter the state’s legalized cannabis market.

One of the first steps required to close this huge gap between lawmakers and tribes is to educate US lawmakers about the laws of every indigenous nation.

Rita Montoya, a member of the Opata tribe and a Baltimore-based attorney, claims it is wrong for tribal leaders and chiefs to meet and talk to staff members rather than the lawmakers themselves. Most of the time, news is mixed either or discarded on the way. The state could try to hire more indigenous experts to fill the inclusion gaps.

The legalized cannabis industry needs a certain level of cultural literacy to ensure that all groups are included. In order to close the cultural and educational gaps in the industry, it would be best if the state hired experts.

Indigenous nations should not be held back if there are cannabis problems on their land. To gain a foothold, they should be given the credit they deserve and access to vital resources.

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