Headquarters of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe in Flandreau, South Dakota. Image from Google Maps
The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota anticipates $2 million in profits every month from the sale of marijuana, the Associated Press reports. The tribal council voted 5-1 in June to legalize marijuana, the first in South Dakota to do so. The resolution was accompanied by a comprehensive set of laws and policies to address the sale and use of the drug. The tribe will maintain complete ownership and operation of a 10,000 square-foot grow facility on the reservation. It will be accompanied by a 15,000 square-foot retail recreational marijuana consumption lounge that's going into an existing building adjacent to the Royal River Casino and Hotel. The tribe is working with Monarch America, a cannabis development firm, on the project. President Tony Reider said he was aware of the company's cash shortage problems before entering the deal. "Obviously, it raised a red flag," Reider told the AP. "But ... there are so many people in the industry that would be able to step in and help in the event that they were to close." The tribe plans to sell marijuana for recreational and medicinal use by the end of the year. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has warned that non-Indians will face state and federal prosecution even if they use the drug on the reservation. The Department of Justice opened the door to legal marijuana in Indian Country with the 2014 Wilkinson memo. Get the Story:
Tribe's partner in marijuana venture faces fiscal challenges (AP 7/15) Relevant Documents:
Department of Justice Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country (October 2014)
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