The New York-based Saint Regis tribe grants the first license to the cannabis industry and a household name comes first

The Saint Regis tribe, based in upstate New York near the Canadian border, officially opened its regulated cannabis industry on Tuesday and issued three conditional cultivation licenses. The tribe is the first to issue licenses under its plan, approved in June. The US state of New York has yet to publish the rules and regulations of the industry.

It began with the issuance of three cultivation permits to build its own recreational, tribal cannabis industry.

WWTI TV-50, New York, mentioned that the licenses were issued to Tru Bloom, owned by Vance Thompson, Bank Side Flowering Co., owned by Noah Mitchell, and First Americans, owned by Rick Hamelin. This move sets the tribe on the path to becoming the state’s first adult marijuana dealer.

The tribe said they had given “preliminary permits” to several other applicants, but they are not yet allowed to seriously start cultivating; Instead, they can start building plants, buying equipment, and hiring workers.

Two years ago, the Saint Regis tribe began implementing the industry rules for adult use officially legalized in July, and began collecting license applications in September.

The company’s application for a tribal license was made after agreeing to the terms, which were approved in June. Nevada-based multistate operator Audacious said it has signed a letter of intent with First Americans LLC of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe to form a partnership that will begin growing, processing, manufacturing and retailing on tribal land.

The spirited CEO Terry Booth reportedly said in a press release: “This deal makes sales easier for adults in New York State.”

WWTI reported that the state Cannabis Compliance Office said it is reviewing retail applications and expects to issue those permits “early 2022”.

In reference to the latest addition to Tribe’s groundbreaking achievement, Cannabis Control Board chairman Allyson Mitchell claimed that “public health and safety are at the fore of all Tribe discussions in the industry.” Additionally, she stated that the tribal programs and services “will impose fees that will be used to endorse community-based programs and services in the same way that the Tobacco and Convenience Store Association has been doing for decades.”

In another press release from Mitchell, she mentioned that each of these companies had filed extensive applications and worked closely with our cannabis compliance office to meet regulatory requirements. Conditional licenses allow cultivation to begin, and a full license is pending before cannabis leaves the premises. One of the three cultivation license winners, Hamelin, said that “Working with the Audacious team brings critical experiences in the cannabis industry that we believe will give us very significant competitive advantages in this market.

Issue Road to Saint Regis Tribal License

The Saint Regis tribe continue to make positive strides in building a legal cannabis industry under the tribe’s jurisdiction. The applications for the tribal cannabis cultivation licenses were made available to the interested public on Friday, July 16.

In compliance with state requirements regarding cannabis products, the tribe had to wait for New York State to legalize adult cannabis use before passing the Tribal Law, which took place on March 31, 2021. Since then, a number of public meetings have been held to discuss and connect with community members before the adult cannabis regulation is officially passed on June 28, 2021.

This adult cannabis use ordinance marks the first adult cannabis use law passed by a tribe in New York State and was the first in the country to license tribal-owned businesses. Unlike other tribal areas, the Saint Regis Tribe Ordinance contributes to eligible tribal entrepreneurs who intend to contribute to the development of the cannabis industry. Tribal members interested in applying for a license to grow, process, or retail cannabis can still submit a pre-approval form for adult cannabis use to Compliance.

New York Cannabis Act

Effective March 31, 2021, adults 21 and over may legally own up to 3 ounces of cannabis for personal use in New York. With a few exceptions, adults are allowed to smoke or vape cannabis wherever smoking tobacco is permitted under smoke-free air laws.

Cannabis use is prohibited in motor vehicles (even if they are parked) or in outdoor restaurants. Smoking and vaping in prohibited areas can result in summons and fines (penalties). People under the age of 21 are still legally prohibited from possessing, selling or consuming any amount of cannabis. In addition, no one may legally own more than three ounces of cannabis, sell any amount without a license, or drive a car while under the influence or impairment of cannabis. After the start of legal sales (by the end of 2022 at the latest):

• Adults are allowed to pile up to five pounds of cannabis in their homes.

• Adults are allowed to grow three cannabis plants at home. More than one adult in a household is allowed to grow six plants (three mature and three immature plants).

• On-site consumption areas in cities and towns where individuals can use cannabis may be provided

Medical cannabis in New York

Medical cannabis is available to individuals who have been certified for specific medical conditions from, in particular, licensed medical care providers. The new law expands the suitability of medical cannabis, increases the number of licensed nurses per patient, allows prescriptions for up to 60 days, and allows smokable cannabis to be purchased from medical marijuana dispensaries.

Bottom line

This latest license insurance paved the way for the appropriate cultivation and subsequent distribution of cannabis through New York State. Plus, it gives potential tribal members and interested industries the optimism that they are influencing the cannabis industry with this development. This is a breakthrough achievement which, hopefully, will be followed by better policies.

The Tribal Council followed advice from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, which continues to advise state and tribal governments to put in place robust regulations that are in line with federal guidelines. Other New York tribes will follow the Saint Regis tribe’s blueprint once they are ready to issue operating licenses.

TRIBAL LANDS AND DISPENSARE, READ MORE …

Dispensares on TRIBAL LANDS, THE ROLE OF TRIBAL LAWS IN THE USA