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Posts published in “Dispensing Freedom”

A tribe in northern Wisconsin is pursuing retail cannabis. Here’s why many tribes see the potential industry as a way to diversify revenue.

Some tribal officials are seeking a medical marijuana compact similar to the gaming compact the state has with the tribes. From Green Bay Press Gazette by Frank Vaisvilas March 27, 2023 ODANAH – The Bad River Ojibwe Tribe in northern Wisconsin this month posted a job application for a legal consultant to…

Long Island Cannabis Conversations: Part II

Exploring the island’s Indigenous roots and futures From Long Island Weekly by Janet Burns March 24 2023 Our last installment left off in the island’s East End, where European colonists who grew hemp for sails and rigging left their mark behind with the name ‘Hamptons.’ For this installment, we return to Eastern…

Fighting for sovereign Micmac rights in Ugpi’ganjig

Chris, Kyle and Cody Caplin are brothers who live at Ugpi'ganjig and who have been on the front lines of the Micmac fight for economic sovereignty for years. Like hundreds of other Indigenous entrepreneurs, when Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, Chris and Cody Caplin opened a sovereign trading post to sell cannabis on reserve. With wide ranging support for the use of cannabis as a medicine in the community, five other cannabis shops followed the lead of the Medicine Cabinet, and have helped to build a thriving cannabis economy in the community.  

Why this Mississaugas of the Credit-owned cannabis shop operates without an Ontario license

Mississaugas of the Credit Medicine Wheel rejects “centuries of economic genocide” From The Varsity by Georgia Kelly January 29 2023 At the College and Spadina intersection just off the UTSG campus, a Mississaugas of the Credit (MC) Medicine Wheel cannabis dispensary proudly operates without an Ontario license.  The 289 College Street store…

Cape Breton municipal police trample on Mi’kmaq rights in Membertou First Nation raids

In December of last year, the Cape Breton Regional Police Service carried out multiple raids in Membertou First Nation in violation of the constitutionally protected Aboriginal and Treaty Rights of several Mi’kmaq men. On December 13th, 2022 the municipal police force entered into federal “lands reserved for Indians” and raided the premises of Sully's Trading Post and Belly Busters Pizza & Donair to enforce provincial laws. 

INDIGENOUS UNLICENSED CANNABIS STORES

From Cannabis Life Network by Caleb McMillan December 23 2022 A second Indigenous unlicensed cannabis retail store has opened in London, Ontario. Sewatohwat Cannabis recently opened without approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the province’s cannabis regulator. “The store is operated by sovereign people on sovereign land,” says a sign on the…

OPP cannabis enforcement unit ‘looking into’ unlicensed Indigenous store in London

The owner of Spirit River Cannabis says he is simply upholding his constitutional rights From CBC by Colin Butler December 15 2022 The Ontario Provincial Police unit responsible for cannabis enforcement says it is currently “looking into” an Indigenous-owned cannabis retail store operating without a licence in London, Ont. “[The…