WALKER — The third tribal nation in Minnesota recently opened its own cannabis dispensary in Walker.
The Leech Lake Cannabis Co.’s Sweetest Grass dispensary opened to the general public Thursday, June 6, after a soft launch for band members earlier that week.
The Leech Lake Cannabis Co. is a venture established by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, which, according to a news release, “aims to promote economic growth and self-sufficiency for the Band while offering a safe, welcoming and educational environment for all customers.”
Red Lake and White Earth opened tribal dispensaries last August, when recreational cannabis use for adults was officially legal in Minnesota. Those two tribal nations already had medical cannabis facilities in place ahead of recreational legalization, unlike Leech Lake.
The Leech Lake Tribal Council adopted a new ordinance last August to establish a regulatory framework for cannabis sales and consumption, which will eventually allow individual band members to also explore business opportunities in the cannabis industry.