MSN
In Louisiana, cannabis is strictly regulated, available only via prescription for approved medical conditions. Yet, a potential legal loophole could soon allow Native American tribes in the state to sell marijuana, bypassing stringent state restrictions.
The precedent comes from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, where despite statewide prohibitions, the tribe is legally selling marijuana. According to News Radio 710 KEEL, doing this hinges on their status as a federally recognized, self-governing entity – a status some Louisiana tribes also hold.
Louisiana Tribes: Potential Cannabis Market Entry
With recent moves towards federal reclassification of marijuana to a Schedule III drug, the legal landscape has shifted, potentially allowing prescription use nationwide in the not-too-distant future. This change further supports the notion that federally recognized tribes could initiate legal cannabis operations, provided they manage cultivation and production on their sovereign lands.
In Louisiana, several tribes operate under charters that could feasibly include language allowing such activities, particularly those with existing gaming facilities. However, for these tribes to venture into the marijuana industry, they would need to undertake all levels of production on tribal land, from cultivation to packaging, circumventing not only state but also federal regulations that bind non-tribal entities.
