Chief Says that Congressman’s interference in Cherokee Tribe’s Marijuana Legalization vote could help referendum pass

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ (EBCI) head, who is scheduled to vote Thursday on a referendum legalizing cannabis for adults , believes that efforts by a North Carolina GOP Congressman anti-marijuana to interfere in the tribe’s internal affairs may ultimately lead to more tribe members supporting the measure.

In an interview with Marijuana Moment this week, EBCI Chief Richard G. Sneed stated that it was a ‘big mistake’ for U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards to publish an op ed in Cherokee One Feather. The congressman wrote, “Legalization on tribal land would be irresponsible and I intend stop it .”

“His op-ed being published in the newspaper probably encourages more people vote for it,” Sneed said. He, as well as EBCI’s Vice Chief and members of tribal council also face an election this coming week. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens on Thursday.”

Last week, Edwards took action on his threat and introduced in Congress the Stop Pot Act. This would reduce federal funding for transportation by 10 percent from all tribal governments as well as U.S. States with legal recreational marijuana.

Chief said that he understood Edwards’ motivations for introducing the Stop Pot Act and that he believed the congressman had every right to do so in the United States. He said that meddling with EBCI’s vote on its own sovereign land was too much.

He told Marijuana Moment that “the worst thing a non-Indian official can do is to tell a federally recognized Indian tribe how they should handle their business.” “That’s a huge mistake.”

Richard French, the chair of EBCI’s tribal council, explained that the referendum wouldn’t immediately legalize marijuana. He said that the council would follow the voters’ directions when deciding on how to proceed. French said NBC News that they would follow the voters’ decision if it is rejected.

Sneed’s position on the referendum is complex, he said. He said, “On one hand, I’m in favor of adult use.” “On the contrary, I believe we are putting the cart in front of the horse once again.”

EBCI’s Qualla Boundary is the only tribal land within North Carolina where medical marijuana is allowed. The Tribal Council approved regulations for the System by 2021 and opened registration to North Carolina residents in June. To date, however, delays in transportation, banking, and lab testing have prevented any actual sales despite the tribe’s millions of dollars worth of product.

The chief stated that the project was probably six months behind schedule. This is a problem for me.

One of the reasons for delays is that cannabis in any form remains illegal in North Carolina. Swain County officials say that EBCI has a production process which involves the transport of medical marijuana on a short stretch state-owned road. Sheriff Curtis Cochran said to a local media outlet that, until North Carolina changes its law, it’s still illegal to transport or possess marijuana on the road.

Sneed told Marijuana Moment many of the problems could have been avoided. He said that the problem he has with this whole situation is really with the vendor we are working with. They didn’t have a plan for how to move product from tribal land to state land and then back to tribal land. “If the production was on adjacent tribal land, you could just drop the Sheriff Cochran matter.”

The lack of lab testing for medical marijuana has also caused delays. By law, it must be tested prior to sale. Sneed pointed out that it had taken six to seven months or even longer to get a third party lab on the site. We approved this, he said. “Still, no lab.”

He continued, “There is all this production going on and no testing.” “And there’s this product that’s sitting around, which is just, you’ll know, degrading with time… You cannot just leave product lying around for six months, eight months, or ten.”

A medical marijuana bill passed by the North Carolina Senate this session was stalled at the House due to an informal rule requiring that bills have the support of a majority of the Republican caucus to be brought to the floor. The legislation may still be considered next year.

John Bell, the House Majority leader (R), said that there was passion on both sides. “We have some members in our caucus who are 100 percent for it, and others that are 100% against it,” said House Majority Leader John Bell (R) in July.

Sneed said that many state legislators have shown interest in EBCI’s marijuana operation, and even toured the location. These include the North Carolina House majority leaders and Senate representatives as well as House Representatives of both political parties. He noted that North Carolina had toyed with a medical marijuana bill during the past two sessions. “We thought it would pass.”

Sneed emphasized, despite the public controversy between EBCI’s critics and the outside world regarding the referendum, that cannabis was only one part of the relationship the tribe has with local and state officials. From his vantage point, cannabis represents “very little” in the overall picture.

It’s a minor issue on the radar, despite the fact that it appears to be an important topic in the media. He said: “This doesn’t really come up in our discussions.” Then he added, “Maybe this is the elephant in the living room. I don’t even know.”

Sneed said that the tribe has had long-standing relationships with officials from surrounding jurisdictions such as Swain, Jackson, and Haywood counties. Our service personnel regularly work with those of the counties around us. We have mutual aid agreements. We are all in Western North Carolina so we must work together.

Sneed complimented both Rep. Edwards, and Sheriff Cochran. He said he had good relationships with them.

“I like Rep. Edwards. He is a nice man. “He’s conservative and I understand his viewpoint, but I don’t share it,” he stated. He’s known Cochran for “25 years or more.”

Sneed stated, “I understand that we will disagree on certain issues as humans, but that does not mean the relationship has ended.” “We still need to work together, as I told Rep. Edwards. And that’s also what I told Sheriff Cochran.”

The chief stated that Rep. Edwards could “take whatever actions he wants to take on the federal level” in regards to the federal Stop Pot Act.

“But I can assure you that in D.C., right now, such a bill would not pass.”

As more states legalize marijuana, tribal governments have stepped in to the market. Notably, in Minnesota, where state lawmakers passed an adult-use marijuana program earlier this year, tribes are leading the way.

White Earth Nation, which also began sales in August, recently announced plans to launch a mobile marijuana retailer. And the Red Lake Nation, which also began sales in August, recently announced plans to launch a mobile marijuana retailer–effectively a cannabis “food truck” that can travel and do business on tribal land throughout the state. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is another tribe in the state that’s also moving towards legalization.

Minnesota’s marijuana law allows the governor to enter into agreements with tribal governments that allow them to operate in non-tribal areas of the state. This option has been seen as a means to sell legal cannabis before the state license, which is expected in 2025. Last month, cannabis regulators reported that so far, “several tribes” have expressed an interest in the arrangement.

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