In this case, there was a pretty flagrant disregard for the law.
Max Nesterak, Minnesota Reformer
On Wednesday night, law enforcement raided the White Earth Reservation tobacco store for selling marijuana without a permit in violation of tribal and state laws.
Asema Tobacco and Pipe is owned by a member of the White Earth tribe. It advertised on Facebook its cannabis inventory beginning August 1, when was legalized in all of Minnesota. Last Friday, the White Earth Nation tribal council voted in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana.
White Earth tribal police, Mahnomen County deputies and Paul Bunyan Task Force members conducted the raid. Task Force Commander Dave Hart said that although cannabis was seized, no arrests were made. Hart said that the Mahnomen County Attorney will determine whether charges are filed.
Hart said that the police received complaints regarding the marijuana store.
Hart stated that marijuana is not something they target. “We’re already busy with heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl,” Hart added. In this case, there was a blatant disregard for the law.
Asema Tobacco & Pipe did not return calls.
White Earth issued a statement in which it said that they were cooperating with law enforcement and reminded the residents of the reservation that cannabis cannot be sold or produced without a permit from the tribal cannabis control commission.
The Band is committed in supporting cannabis businesses and products. All applicable laws will be followed to investigate any illegal sales of cannabis. “The Band urges everyone to exercise common sense when dealing with cannabis,” said the statement.
White Earth Nation’s tribally-run dispensary opened on Thursday with little fanfare.
The tribe’s Mahnomen grow operation has a dispensary called “Waabigwan Mashkiki”, which means flower medicine in Ojibwe.
The second marijuana dispensary opened on the Red Lake Nation reservation after NativeCare started recreational sales. The tribe’s tribal council approved the legalization of recreational cannabis in October.
Minnesota officials have not yet established a licensing program. While adults older than 21 can legally possess marijuana, it is still illegal to sell the drug. This is expected to take between a year and 18 months.
The 11 tribes of Minnesota are able to set their own laws for the sale and use of cannabis in their borders.
The original publication of this story was by Minnesota Reformer.
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The article Minnesota Police raid unlicensed marijuana dispensary on tribal land first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
