A sign at the Pleasant Point Reservation in Maine. Photo from Facebook
Three tribes in Maine are considering joining the marijuana industry, The Portland Press Herald reports. The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point,and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs have discussed legal marijuana at council sessions, the paper said. The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians is also actively studying the issue. “We are looking from a health perspective as well as an economic perspective into the potential. We are gathering information about it,” state Rep. Henry John Bear, who represents the Houlton Band in the Maine Legislature, told the paper. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law but a new Department of Justice policy could open the door for tribes to grow the drug. The situation, though, could be complicated in Maine due to land claim settlements that place certain reservations under state law. The Penobscot Nation said it is not interested in marijuana, Chief Kirk Francis told the paper. The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township has not discussed the issue, the tribe's lawmaker said. Get the Story:
Three Maine tribes weighing legalization of pot on their lands (The Portland Press Herald 3/16) Relevant Documents:
Department of Justice Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country (October 2014)
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