Tribes are also weighing the pros and cons of cannabis legalization; like the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. While some view legalization as an incredible opportunity to exercise Tribal sovereignty and give their economy a much needed shot in the arm, others worry about substance abuse issues, crime, and the possibility that their homelands could become a drug haven.

During a recent trip to northern California, where medicinal use of marijuana is legal, I decided to investigate into how legalization has affected Native communities there.

I stayed at a reservation that was sandwiched between two other reservations. In California, reservations are called rancherias. The landscape was lush and green, full of ancient redwood trees perched on rolling hills. Some areas where marijuana is being cultivated are readily visible, and the smell of cannabis was apparent, even from the road.

I spoke with two Tribal members who are marijuana growers. They wished to remain anonymous.

The first individual had been growing marijuana for decades. As a result he was able to offer me a comparison of what it’s like to grow, use and sell marijuana before and after legalization.

As a user, he praised the use of medicinal cannabis. He said he was a recovering alcoholic and meth addict, and smoking marijuana kept him from relapsing. He also said that the process of growing marijuana himself was therapeutic. He took pride in the fact that the plants he grew were 100% organic.