Over 100 Tribes Considering Growing Marijuana

Over 100 Native American tribes have contacted FoxBarry Farms, a management firm building the nation’s first marijuana cultivation facility on tribal land, expressing interest in the marijuana industry.

There has been a huge surge of interest since the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) announcement in 2014 stating that tribes are free to cultivate and sell marijuana on their lands as long as they adhere to certain guidelines.

“Tribes want what any government wants for its people, and that’s financial independence,” stated an industry insider. “They want to earn their own money, provide education, health care and housing. This new industry allows them to be more economically independent.”

Two companies recently signed a contract to build a large medical marijuana cultivation center on the Pinoleville Pomo Nation’s ranch in Northern California. The $10 million, 2.5-acre facility is said to include spaces for cultivating, processing and selling products under the name United Cannabis. The operation create 50 to 100 jobs, and provide preference to tribe members.

Many Native American tribes throughout the U.S. are expected to implement marijuana cultivation and distribution ventures. Many western states – Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington – that already have marijuana industries as well as large Native American tribal lands will likely see Native American marijuana industries popping up.