Indopedia All Things Marijuana
All across the United States, the budding cannabis industry has become a boon for entrepreneurs and social advocates. But many feel that the country’s underserved communities are getting the short end of the stick, especially when you consider the grave impact that federal pot prohibition has had on minority groups. A growing number of Native American tribes believe that marijuana is the key to eliminating poverty on economically depressed reservations.
Due to the tax advantages that indigenous tribes are given, the Native American community stands to profit more than anyone else off of cannabis. These tribes don’t have to pay income tax on earnings gained on reservations, creating an exceptionally lucrative opportunity. However, federal laws has are still a large thorn in the side of these native people, forcing them to tread carefully.
Back in 2013, the Department of Justice issued a guidance memo to tribes that would enable cannabis cultivation alongside certain restrictions. Still, one of the constraints stated in the memorandum was that marijuana grow operations were not allowed on public land. The policy statement has left Native American tribes in a…
