McClatchy DC published a photo of Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe President Tony Reider inside a medical marijuana grow facility in Arizona. The photo was provided by Reider.
The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota plans to be the first in Indian Country to sell marijuana. But President Tony Reider isn't worried about charting new ground. He told McClatchy DC that federal authorities haven't expressed opposition to the tribe's new business. “The Department of Justice gave us the go-ahead, similar to what they did with the states, so we’re comfortable going with it," Reider told McClatchy. The Department of Justice opened the door to legal marijuana in Indian Country with the 2014 Wilkinson memo. The tribal council voted 5-1 in June to legalize marijuana and approved a comprehensive set of laws and policies to address the sale and use of the drug. “When we started looking into it, it’s comical at first, but then you realize it’s an amazing business,” Reider told McClatchy. “It’s highly regulated, and we’re used to the regulation from operating our casino. We’ve got security and surveillance.” The drug will be sold by the end of the year at 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. Marijuana can be used for medicinal and recreational purposes under tribal law. Get the Story:
Indian tribes set to begin marijuana sales (McClatchy DC 7/29) Relevant Documents:
Department of Justice Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country (October 2014)
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