From left to right: Tex Hall, former U.S. Congressman Rick Berg, former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Sen. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) during an April 2012 visit to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation in North Dakota. Photo by Tami A. Heilemann / Department of the Interior

Tex Hall, a former chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation in North Dakota and a former president of the National Congress of American Indians, has joined the marijuana industry.

Hall's company, Red Tipped Arrow, partnered with Wright Family Organics, a marijuana firm, to launch Native American Organics. The new venture will help tribes explore legal medicinal and recreational uses for the drug.

“Throughout my career, I have fought for advancement and sovereignty of Indian tribes. And a lot of that time was focused on economic development because that that is what our people need and deserve," Hall said in a press release. "As the legal and practical questions surrounding the participation of Indian tribes in the market continue to be settled, there is no doubt in my mind that tribes have a competitive advantage when it comes to cannabis production, processing, and sale."

The company plans to work with tribes in states where marijuana has been legalized. Hall said the drug can bring benefits to veterans in Indian Country.

“What really made an impact on me was the potential that cannabis has for healing and easing the pain of our people who suffer from PTSD across Indian Country," Hall said. "Not least among those who suffer are our veterans. American Indians have always fought fiercely to defend this country. American Indians serve in the military in higher rates than any other group in the U.S. Unfortunately, the Department of Veteran Affairs estimates the rates of PTSD among American Indian veterans at up to 25%.”

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law. But a new Department of Justice policy could open the door to tribes that want to legalize the drug.

Get the Story:
Former tribal chairman joins marijuana company (The Bismarck Tribune 5/29)

Relevant Documents:
Department of Justice Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country (October 2014)

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