Opinion

Column: No rush on marijuana sales at Eastern Cherokee casino






The Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina. Photo from Facebook

The Answer Man tries to find out whether the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will be selling marijuana at its Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina:
Real answer: It's too soon to make a call, according to Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

"I've got the Attorney General for the tribe working on a white paper, as far as how these (rules) apply to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee," Hicks said. "So, it's under evaluation at this point. Until I get the legal aspect from our attorney, I don't have any comment."

The U.S. Justice Department recently gave Native American tribes the authority to legalize marijuana on their reservations, telling federal prosecutors the issue needs to be handled on a "government-to-government basis," according to USA Today.

Get the Story:
Answer Man: Will the Cherokee grow weed? (The Asheville Citizen-Times 12/17)

Relevant Documents:
Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country (October 2014)

Related Stories:
Opinion: DOJ marijuana policy in Indian Country raises questions (12/16)
DOJ announces new policy affecting marijuana in Indian Country (12/11)

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