Marijuana Moment reports
The Red Lake Nation’s tribal council voted on Tuesday to legalize recreational marijuana and begin selling it—to both tribal and non-tribal members—on August 1.
The move could make Red Lake Nation the first entity to operate a recreational dispensary in the state, and gives the tribe a significant head start in the green rush to claim a piece of the projected $1.5 billion market.
While possessing recreational marijuana will become legal across Minnesota on August 1, retail locations aren’t expected to open for another 12 to 18 months because state officials must first establish a dispensary licensing system.
The Red Lake Nation is well-positioned to launch a tribally run cannabis dispensary. The tribe already cultivates and dispenses medicinal marijuana on the reservation, having legalized medicinal marijuana through referendum in 2020.
The tribe’s medicinal marijuana dispensary, NativeCare, will begin selling recreational marijuana, said Sam Strong, Red Lake Nation tribal secretary. Minnesotans older than 21 will be able to purchase cannabis at the store in limited amounts.
