Tribal Cannabis Today

Native American Cannabis Today

At Tall Bear Consulting, we celebrate the leadership of Native American tribes in shaping the cannabis industry. Leveraging sovereignty, tribes across the United States are driving economic growth and diversification through innovative cannabis ventures. Here’s a snapshot of tribal cannabis today:

Minnesota : - White Earth Nation : Operates a dispensary near Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, selling recreational cannabis since 2023. Recently signed a compact with Governor Tim Walz to open eight off-reservation stores, starting in Moorhead.

Red Lake Nation : Launched NativeCare, Minnesota’s first recreational dispensary in 2023, about an hour from Mahnomen, with ongoing cultivation efforts. -

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe : Building a 50,000-square-foot cultivation facility near their Onamia casino, set to open fall 2025, with no retail plans yet. -

Prairie Island Indian Community : Opened Island Peži dispensary in June 2024 near Treasure Island Resort, with a 13-acre cultivation campus producing over 10,000 pounds annually. -

Lower Sioux Indian Community : Runs a dispensary and has a USDA-approved hemp plan, expanding into cannabis ventures.

South Dakota :

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe : Opened Native Nations Cannabis dispensary in 2021 in Flandreau, the state’s first medical cannabis retailer, and is expanding cultivation by 20,000 square feet on-reservation.

Oglala Sioux Tribe : Legalized medical and recreational cannabis in 2020 on Pine Ridge Reservation, with their Cannabis Commission licensing tribal members for retail and cultivation.

Michigan :

Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe : Operates Skymint-branded dispensaries on tribal land in Mount Pleasant, offering medical and recreational cannabis, leveraging sovereignty to bypass some state regulations.

Bay Mills Indian Community : Runs Northern Light Cannabis Co., a dispensary near their casino in Brimley, with cultivation and retail licenses, focusing on economic diversification.

Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians : Opened Odawa Cannabis Co. in 2022 in Petoskey, providing medical and recreational products, with a focus on community job creation.

Hannahville Indian Community : Operates Firekeeper’s Club 420 dispensary in Harris, integrating cannabis with their gaming operations for revenue growth.

Nevada :

Ely Shoshone Tribe and Yerington Paiute Tribe : Signed cannabis compacts in 2017 with the state, enabling self-regulated cultivation and retail.

Las Vegas Paiute Tribe : Operates NuWu Cannabis Marketplace, a 15,500-square-foot dispensary in Las Vegas, and NuWu North near their golf resort.

Lovelock Paiute, Winnemucca, and Walker River Paiute : Established dispensaries and cultivation facilities, contributing to an estimated $7.5 billion in economic activity over seven years.

New York :

Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe : Launched the first regulated adult-use cannabis market in 2022 in Akwesasne, with dozens of tribally licensed dispensaries overseen by their Cannabis Control Board.

Cayuga Nation : Runs cannabis sales from gas stations in the Finger Lakes and plans a 15,000-square-foot greenhouse opening soon.

Shinnecock Indian Nation : Broke ground in 2019 for a 3,600-square-foot medical dispensary on Long Island, awaiting state licensing for cultivation and retail.

Seneca Nation : Operates multiple dispensaries in Western New York for medical and recreational cannabis, though some face regulatory disputes.

Oneida Indian Nation : Set to launch regulated cannabis operations by late 2025, managed by their Cannabis Commission.

California:

Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel: Opened Mountain Source Dispensary in 2019 in their former casino, focusing on medical cannabis.

Tule River Tribe: Building a 4,000-square-foot dispensary, with revenues supporting housing initiatives.

Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation: Partnered with state-licensed operators to sell medical and recreational cannabis on tribal land near San Diego, integrating with gaming enterprises since 2021.

Barona Band of Mission Indians: Launched a retail cannabis operation in 2022 near their casino in Lakeside, focusing on recreational sales with tribal regulatory oversight.

La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians: Operates a dispensary and small-scale cultivation site since 2020, emphasizing medical cannabis for tribal members and local markets.

With over a dozen tribal cannabis ventures in California, tribes are pioneering retail, cultivation, and manufacturing, creating jobs and building sustainable economies.

Washington:

Squaxin Island Tribe: Opened Elevation in 2015, the first tribal-controlled cannabis store in the U.S., near Little Creek Casino in Shelton, and started outdoor cultivation in 2017 on a five-acre site.

Puyallup Tribe: Operates Commencement Bay Cannabis in Fife and Tacoma since 2017, with cultivation on-reservation and testing at Medicine Creek Analytics, the first Washington tribe licensed for cannabis operations.

With nearly sixty tribal-owned retailers across nine states and a 25% growth in retail since 2023, tribes are pioneering cultivation, retail, and manufacturing, creating jobs and diversifying economies.

Tall Bear Consulting