A vote on a referendum calling for legalization on the reservation is set for later this week. The referendum is advisory, but if the Menominee ultimately approve legal cannabis, the plan is to sell it to raise revenue for one of the poorest tribes in the country.
A University of Wisconsin cannabis law expert told CBS 58 that the Menominee are in a unique position to do that.
“The state has criminal jurisdiction over ten of the tribes,” says Richard Monette, “but not over Menominee, so Menominee can do this and the other tribes arguably can’t.”
Monette also noted that the state can slow the process down by going to court. The Menominee tribe says it’s interested in cannabis to, “explore all opportunities to diversify the tribe’s economy, create jobs and provide revenue….to fund health, education, social, law enforcement, AODA and other important services.”