The Cannabist: Why is there a need for an Indian-specific trade group for the marijuana space?

Allyson Doctor: We’ve seen a need in Indian country, and to be able to act as a resource in a space that didn’t have anybody there just yet — that’s big. This is a huge opportunity, and we really wanted to make sure tribes had access to educational resources in this space. If they choose to go down this road, we want to make sure that they’re successful.

Cannabist: What are tribes curious about right now?

Doctor: There are a lot of unknowns, a lot of questions about regulation and policy and how tribes will work with their district attorneys and how they’ll be able to leverage this opportunity because it’s not the kind of opportunity that comes about very often.

Cannabist: What makes you and your partners the right people for this job?

Doctor: Our partners started in this industry a little over a year ago. We have a state license in Nevada, and at the end of last year the Department of Justice came out with a memorandum that opened discussion to tribes talking about the regulation of cannabis on sovereign land. Before that this wasn’t being discussed. Since that time there’s been a spike in interest in cannabis cultivation on Indian country. In this market we felt that we had the opportunity to be a part of this discussion.