A Promising Future in Hemp Cultivation For Native Americans

During the 1980’s, the casino industry brought billions of dollars in revenues in the tribal economies, thus diminishing the number of people living in poverty. According to the National Indian Gaming Commission, the casino industry provided an estimated $30 billion of revenues last year. Experts hope that developing industrial hemp can also generate the same revenue for the Native American tribes.

Hemp is from the family of plants that produce marijuana. Cultivating hemp needs a permit from the US Drug Enforcement Administration since it can only be produced strictly for research. Nevertheless, in 2014, the Department of Justice gave leniency for hemp cultivation. This, with the provision that the tribes will set cannabis-related laws just like the states are able to do.

The largest federally recognized tribe, the Navajo Nation and the Native American-owned CannaNative LLC arranged final negotiations on developing industrial hemp.

The ‘gray area’ of hemp

Hemp contains less than 1 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. The federal law classifies hemp and other cannabis varieties as a dangerous drug with no positive medicinal importance. Nonetheless, it is widely used in the variety of products from food to construction materials.

A Very Hemp Business

The United States solely depends on hemp imports because there is no “large-scale commercial” hemp market in the country.

Based on the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) calculations, in the year 2013 alone, the entire US retail value of the product was at $581 million. However, Congressional Research Service disputed the report saying the numbers are “under-reported”. This is due to the report excluding the sales of L’Oreal SA’s The Body Shop and Whole Foods Market Inc. These are the two leading retailers of hemp-based products.

CannaNative and Medical Marijuana Inc., signed an agreement to produce the first hemp oil products for the at least 560 Native American tribes. Medical Marijuana Inc., is the leading cannabis products maker. The two companies discuss the deal with the Navajo Nation to initiate cultivating hemp in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico.

Al Henderson, the senior Navajo economic adviser said, “The industrial hemp project could probably overtake Indian gaming, not only in terms of employment but also in terms of revenue to the Navajo”. He pointed out the 360,000 constituents of the tribe had an unemployment rate of 40% to 50%.

The ‘other way’ around

Anthony Rivera, the CannaNative CEO justified that cultivating industrial hemp will help the aging Native American residents. They can treasure their culture by growing plant-based medicine and decrease the necessity in relying on the American taxpayer’s money.

He said in an interview with Reuters, “We can’t wait for the federal government … so we are working with tribes to pass their own laws in consultation with federal authorities to demonstrate that we are doing this legally and responsibly,

According to Chief Executive of Medical Marijuana Inc (MMI) Stu Titus, the affiliation with the Navajo Nation will help hemp cultivation in the country. Further, it will also lessen the cost up to 25%. He said, “Our goal is to plant our initial pilot program test crop in the spring of 2017 in the Navajo Nation”.

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Report says Sacramento Could Earn Billions From Legalized Pot

A study released on Monday showed that California’s state capital region could generate $4.2 billion in business. Moreover, it could bring in 20,000 jobs if it becomes a center for legalized marijuana industry. Researchers released the study weeks before voters agreed whether to permit recreational use of the drug.

Truth Enterprises, a cannabis investment company, commissioned the study from the University of the Pacific in Stockton. The company is one of several businesses relying on voters to legalize pot next month.

“The Sacramento region should be to cannabis what Detroit is to automobiles in terms of both a center for innovation as well as production,” said Truth Enterprises’ managing partner Daniel Conway. “This region has the ability to be to cannabis what Napa and Sonoma are to wine.”

If local leaders decide to restrict the type and number of marijuana businesses, legalization would bring as few as 1,600 jobs, the study showed. It would also generate about $322 million in profits, wages and other economic effects.

Polls suggest voters in the most populous US state are likely to legalize marijuana on November 8. This would immediately create a huge marketplace, making California the fifth state to allow recreational pot use.

Sacramento’s proximity to farmlands and agricultural processing facilities make it a good choice for focusing some of the business in the area. Moreover, tourist destinations like Lake Tahoe and Napa Valley as well as population hubs such as the San Francisco Bay Area are nearby.

Political and local business leaders for a long time have sought for ways to revive the slightly faded feel of the Sacramento area. You can still find empty storefronts tarnish numerous shopping centers and deserted houses with boarded-up windows regardless of almost a decade of slow recovery from the Great Recession.

Downtown starts an enormous makeover as plans for several new shops and restaurants are around a new arena for the NBA Kings are acted on. Further, the restaurant scene is growing and the city is close to winning a major league soccer franchise.

Job opportunities too many to disregard

Chief executive officer of the Sacramento Region Business Association Joshua Woods said that the entire Sacramento business community is looking at it with different eyes today. With this many jobs at stake, you can’t ignore it, he added.

Woods said that the University of the Pacific study presents the first hard look at the possible economic impact of the marijuana business on the Sacramento region. However, that does not mean his group or other political and business leaders are prepared to make the area a hub.

For that to happen, policymakers would need to be convinced that an active marijuana growing and processing industry would not also be an attraction for addiction, crime and other problems.

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Find Out Which Generation Favors Marijuana Legalization in the US the Most

More than half of Americans showed massive support in legalizing Marijuana in the US, although views of the legalization remain divided by age and ideology.

According to Pew Research Survey done between late August and September, 57% of the US population favor the legal use of Marijuana, 37% are opposed while 5% were undecided. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

Over the past decade, the public has expressed their opinion more favorably towards the long-term legalization of marijuana, Pew Found.

Pew Research Survey data.

53% of adults surveyed in the last 18 months were in favor of legalizing Marijuana. A decade ago, it was only 36%.

Back in October 1969, only 12% of adults surveyed were in favor of legalizing Marijuana.

The number of citizens supporting the legal use of Marijuana came from the younger generations. Millennial’s support for legal use increased to 71% from 34% a decade ago.

Generation X {ages 36 to 51} and Baby Boomers {ages 52 to 70} shares 57% and 56% supporting the legal use of Marijuana.

Members of the Silent Generation {71 to 88} showing 33% in the survey were opposing it to be legal.

The research also came out with political demographics on each of the party’s outlook on the marijuana legalization issue:

By more than two-to-one, Democrats favor legalizing marijuana over having it be illegal (66% vs. 30%). Most Republicans (55%) oppose marijuana legalization, while 41% favor it.

Republicans are internally divided over marijuana legalization. By a wide margin (63% to 35%), moderate and liberal Republicans favor legalizing the use of marijuana. By contrast, 62% of conservative Republicans oppose legalizing marijuana use, while just 33% favor it.

The differences among Democrats are more modest. Liberal Democrats are 23 percentage points more likely than conservative and moderate Democrats to favor legalization (78% vs. 55%).

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Ex-Reporter Supporting Marijuana Legalization Faces 54 years Jailtime

Charlo Green faces 54 years in prison for her advocacy in legalization of marijuana. Moreover, she allegedly ran an illegal marijuana shop. Green is the former Alaskan reporter who became an internet sensation in 2014 for quitting her job on air.

She was on air in September at KTVA network reporting about Alaska Cannabis Club. After her report, she said. “Everything you’ve heard is why I, the actual owner of the Alaska Cannabis Club, will be dedicating all my energy toward fighting for freedom and for fairness, which begins with legalizing marijuana here in Alaska.”

Authorites charged Green with 14 offenses for operating without license for the Alaska Cannabis Club, The Guardian reported on Thursday. The charges include “misconduct involving a controlled substance” for possessing illegal marijuana.

In 2015, Alaska legalized the production, sale and possession of marijuana. However the state failed to provide Green the proper certifications for the shop to sell the drug.

Alaska Cannabis Club operates on consumer membership where customers give “donations” in exchange for marijuana. Hence, authorities in Alaska commenced a series of raid on her club which provides them evidence to charge Greene.

In an interview with The Guardian, Greene said, “It’s almost dizzying when you try to make sense of it. It could literally cost me the rest of my adult life.”

On the court documents filed, Green was not present during police undercover transactions. Nevertheless, police charged her because she registered the shop under her name.

They couldn’t wait for legalization

According to The Guardian, two other people who started operations without license are also facing penalties.

The Director of the state’s alcohol and marijuana control office, Cynthia Franklin told the Guardian. “These people got ahead and said, ‘We’re not going to wait,’”.
Tama Todd, the Director of the office of legal affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance added,

“This is a substance that we’ve decided can be safely consumed by adults”.
In contrast with the court’s decision, supporters believed Green ought to have received only a fine or a citation.

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