Menominee approve marijuana referendum

Marijuana manufacturing, distribution and possession will still be illegal until a change is made by the Menominee Tribal Legislature, but tribal leaders say the vote was meant to explore ways to diversify the tribe’s economy, create jobs and create revenue to fund health, education, social, law enforcement and other services.

The possibility of marijuana sales comes on the heels of the tribe’s unsuccessful effort to open a casino in Kenosha. “If I was representing tribes out there (in Wisconsin) I would say it might not be such a good idea”. It’s just an advisory process.

Menominee Tribe members have voted to approve both the recreational and medicinal usage of marijuana on tribal grounds, according to a tribal spokesperson. He says they can look at maximizing the benefits, and minimizing the potential consequences.

It’s something a handful of tribes across the country are considering after the U.S. Department of Justice released a memo back in December.

He said the tribe will consider legalizing the growth, sale, and use of pot on the reservation.

“The state has no criminal jurisdiction over the Menominee Reservation, and we will continue to monitor this issue going forward”, Attorney General Brad Schimel said in a written statement. Federal authorities do because when the Menominee had its tribal status restored in the 1970s, it became the state’s only non-Public Law 280 tribe.

About 13 percent of the tribe’s 9,000 members cast ballots.

The tribe now has to figure out how to proceed from a legal standpoint.

“This is all new ground we’re breaking”, Besaw said.