The White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe has signed an agreement with the state to open an adult-use cannabis dispensary off of tribal land, KSTP reports. The first-of-its-kind agreement with the state allows White Earth to open eight dispensaries, the first of which is planned for Moorhead.
The tribe also plans to open dispensaries in St. Cloud and toward Saint Paul and Minneapolis, and into southern Minnesota.
In an interview with KSTP, Zach Wilson, CEO of the White Earth Nation’s cannabis business, described the deal as “historical.” Adult-use cannabis is already being sold on tribal land.
“It’s a revenue source that can get put back into the tribe, back into the community. Sales have been good over the year, they have been, we’re looking at multiple millions of dollars a year.” — Wilson to KTSP
The White Earth Nation facilities will have to pay local and state taxes, and the 10% excise tax on cannabis product sales. The tribe-run businesses can cultivate cannabis on tribal land and sell it at the dispensaries that are not on tribal land.
Officials announced earlier this month that the state’s first cannabis licensing lotteries are set for June 5. The lotteries will cover social equity and general applications for three cannabis license types: cultivators, manufacturers, and mezzobusinesses. There will also be a licensing lottery for social equity applicants vying for cannabis retailer licenses, with the general retailer license lottery following in July.
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