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No. Cannabis remains illegal under federal law.  Despite many state laws decriminalizing and legalizing cannabis, not every state has done this.  Although laws have been adopted by various states, they are not uniform and differentiate from state to state.

This decision lies with each tribe’s governing leaders, tribal membership, laws, land, and resources.  Each tribal nation is not the same and there is no “one size fits all” template or model.  Tribal laws, visions and values all differ from tribe to tribe.  Blue star can assist tribes with consultation, data, strategy, assessing impacts and feasibility, to provide the best possible options for tribal nations to enter the cannabis industry.  We are also here to assist tribes in contributing or providing capital to make these tribal cannabis developments an amazing reality.  Here are a few examples of tribal cannabis business developments:

Tribal Enterprise-Tribe owns tribal cannabis enterprise and creates revenue for the entire Tribal Nation.

Tribal Enterprise and Tribal Member-Tribal Cannabis Enterprise-generates revenues for entire Tribal Nation and Community Member Owned Cannabis Business Developments create revenues for individual tribal community members and revenues for the entire community.

Tribal Member Owned Cannabis Business Developments-generate revenues for individual tribal community members and revenues for the entire tribal community.

The model tribes choose is a decision that is ultimately made by tribal nations and their tribal membership.  Blue Star has the capacity to assist tribes with capital to bring tribal cannabis to tribal nations and communities.

Unfortunately, no.  According to Cannabis Bulletin No. 2021-7 published by the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) regarding Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and Cannabis, it states, “The NIGC recommends that tribes not use net gaming revenue as defined by IGRA and NIGC regulations to fund any aspect of their cannabis related businesses.  IGRA restricts the use of net gaming revenues to five categories, and may not be used to fund an illegal enterprise.  The cultivation, sale, and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law and, therefore, net gaming revenue should not be used to finance such an operation.”  

 Blue Star understands each tribe conducts tribal business differently and every tribal nation’s financials and revenue streams are different.  We are excited to work with tribal nations and contribute or provide the capital needed to bring your tribal nation’s cannabis business development(s) into operation and generate revenues.

The “struggle is real”.  This is often a struggle for tribal members and their tribal leaders. Do we engage in the business of healing medicines from the cannabis plant? Or do we keep the “mind set” closed to growing this medicinal plant?  

Workshops, seminars, webinars, patient testimonials, podcasts, and conferences are a really good resource for a wealth of information.  In your learning focus and listen purposely.   Do some research on the speakers or presenters, what is their involvement in the industry and do they have direct experience?  If a patient is sharing their healing experience, listen and absorb how cannabis facilitated their healing.  Patients can share valuable experiences on how they have been helped.  Healers will educate you on how they make the medicines that help your body to heal itself.  Good industry experts can share with you every aspect of the cannabis industry.  Cannabis tribal community events in your community are great ways to educate and share.  Community meetings, workshops, webinars, podcasts, social media, are all good places to start.  Invite patients to come out to your event so they may share their testimonies, schedule a tour, or visit with an owner of a cannabis establishment, attend cannabis events in your area, stay up to date on news and advances in cannabis medicines.  Education is key in everything, especially with cannabis medicines.  Cannabis will continue to be about learning in all areas in, around, and surrounding the medicinal plant.  Blue Star’s team can help with your approach to learning, sharing, and enlightening others in your tribal nation’s community.  Our team is in the industry, and we have various team members, doctors, professionals, legal, patients, and most importantly tribal professionals that can help.  

Education-For many people that don’t have an easiness with cannabis it’s still hard to even say the word marijuana.  Innovated, involved, and awareness cannabis education generates an ability to change knowledge, attitude, and behavior towards cannabis.  The more tribal leaders and members listen, educate, collaborate and discuss cannabis and it’s medicinal values they will also gain insight about other uses beyond the medicines:  sustainable (non) cannabis farming, hempcrete, fabric, paper and other textiles that are viable and friendly to the environment, biofuels, hemp crops that can clean the toxicities from the soil as well as produce healthy hemp products.  Cannabis is not just about medicine its about creating and weaving more sustainable, natural, and eco-friendly products and uses that also help heal our soils and our souls.

Collaboration and thoughtful conversation between tribal leaders and their members are organic and is relevant in developing insightful, healthy, and productive tribal cannabis business developments.

Complexity- as each state’s cannabis laws are not uniform neither are tribal cannabis laws and regulations.  Unraveling and sorting through the complexity is the necessary first step.  This will empower tribal nations to hammer out the intricacies of tribal cannabis regulations and develop healthy, proactive, sustainable, compliant, and most importantly pro sovereign tribal cannabis regulations.  Reciprocity and sovereignty empower tribes to create and collaborate “inter-tribal commerce”.  The more tribal nations pull together and sit with government organizations and industry leaders is beneficial and proactive so that everyone is on the same page and educated, this alleviates ambiguity and non- compliance issues.  The building of the bridge needs to happen so that tribal nations have the most forward thinking, healthy, sustainable, compliant, sovereign connected and empowered tribal cannabis laws and regulations.  Our team understands each tribal cannabis business development must be conducive to its tribal memberships’ values, culture, land, and people.  Sovereignty, laws, and ordinances are at the center of every tribal nation and the health, safety and welfare of tribal members are contingent upon these.  The same foundations are imperative when designing smart, sustainable, and healthy tribal cannabis regulations, and tribal cannabis business developments.

Attempt of menacing and intimidating legislature

The premier of tribal gaming was a pocketful of controversy and uncertainty caused by many attempts of legislation threatening lawsuits, legislation attempting to block tribes from tribal gaming, legislation that threatened tribes by taking away funding, and the list goes on.  This unfortunately still occurs today in areas where tribes are being successful and innovative.  This is not a threat or fight that is new to tribal nations so what do we do for the nay sayers?  Develop healthy tribal regulations and strong sovereign tribal cannabis business developments.

In general, the cannabis industry has been experiencing growth and transformation over the years.  Amazing technological advancements, transformational product offering, progressive planning in sustainable and environmental responsibility, competent and healthy regulations, advances in medical research and most importantly the federal government’s movement to change cannabis via rescheduling/legalization laws in cannabis these vital elements are the healthy soil and are cultivating seeds for permanency.  Each day more and more tribal nations, states, and countries are looking to change their laws surrounding cannabis and are working together to assure the cannabis industry is safe, compliant, and all the while continually improving processes and regulations making it possible for individuals to use cannabis medicines for healthy healing.

Tribal cannabis developments allow tribes to invest in their communities for the greater good of all tribal community members by providing needed infrastructure and improving valuable services.  These businesses are a catalyst to other economic development opportunities for tribes and their members. It brings meaningful medicines that are powerful and healing to tribes and their members. Careers and job opportunities allow for tribes and its valuable members to explore and pursue career opportunities in cannabis.   The future growth and benefit rewards for tribal communities in tribal cannabis developments is one we are passionate, proactive, and proud to be a part of.

Blue Star would love to help you discover and learn more before even discussing possibilities for your tribal nation and members.  We want to acknowledge your curiosity and resolve your reservations and empower you with cannabis information that will incite and facilitate creativity, ideas, and collaboration needed to enlighten tribal leaders and their tribal membership.  Important discussions and collaboration are not just about developing a tribal cannabis business development; it also involves strategy, proactivity, and protection of tribal sovereignty, tribal nations, and their tribal members.  Contact us, we are here for all tribal nations.  We’d love to hear from you.