Update, 1056 MST: much of today's testimony for SB171 revealed gaping holes in South Dakota medical care industry. There were many stories and emotional testimony from bill supporters about chronic pain and their kids' medical complications. Former Rapid City Mayor Jerry Munson spoke passionately on behalf of the bill.
The far fewer opponents of SB171 were members of the law enforcement industry who repeatedly dove down the Colorado slippery dope slope. Most recited boilerplate about swearing to uphold the US and state constitutions.
State Rep. Leslie Heinemann (RWNJ- 8) testified that he has Multiple Sclerosis and cannabis could help him, but he's too chicken shit to legalize an effective therapy for others.
A vote on the bill has been deferred.
In New Mexico legislature news legalization for adults has taken a bold step.
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Facing a declining budget the Flandreau Santee Sioux Nation will be paying close attention to today's debate on SB171 in the South Dakota legislature.
The FSST got cold feet and reportedly destroyed its cannabis crop near their casino in November after South Dakota's attorney general put pressure on the US Attorney to raid the facility. Contract grower, Monarch America had begun descending into bankruptcy in July of 2015.
U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy believes cannabis shows medical value and supports its expanded research as medicine.
Brandon Ecoffey is editor of Lakota Country Times.
Moody County has a long history of race hatred and has become an agriculture sacrifice zone threatening watersheds.
The far fewer opponents of SB171 were members of the law enforcement industry who repeatedly dove down the Colorado slippery dope slope. Most recited boilerplate about swearing to uphold the US and state constitutions.
State Rep. Leslie Heinemann (RWNJ- 8) testified that he has Multiple Sclerosis and cannabis could help him, but he's too chicken shit to legalize an effective therapy for others.
A vote on the bill has been deferred.
In New Mexico legislature news legalization for adults has taken a bold step.
..............
Facing a declining budget the Flandreau Santee Sioux Nation will be paying close attention to today's debate on SB171 in the South Dakota legislature.
The FSST got cold feet and reportedly destroyed its cannabis crop near their casino in November after South Dakota's attorney general put pressure on the US Attorney to raid the facility. Contract grower, Monarch America had begun descending into bankruptcy in July of 2015.
If the tribe has been waiting on the legalization - at the very least - of medicinal marijuana, they may still be in luck. Since then, despite coming in a day late, lawmakers agreed to wave the rules and allow Senate Bill 171 to be introduced. SB 171 would allow the state to “permit and regulate the compassionate use of cannabis (marijuana) and provide penalties therefore.” [Moody County Enterprise]American Indian casinos are essentially small banks.
U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy believes cannabis shows medical value and supports its expanded research as medicine.
Brandon Ecoffey is editor of Lakota Country Times.
Over a year ago I had a conversation with former OST councilman Larry Eagle Bull Sr. about the possibility of legalizing marijuana on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. At that time we estimated that tribes would have approximately a 3 year window to establish its own industry before the rest of the country rapidly legalizes and big corporations take over production. Last week when the Wounded Knee district board passed a motion indicated that at least some in the district support legalization the debate picked up steam once again. The citizens of the Oglala Nation deserve to have a strong economy and legalized pot may be the quickest way to achieve it. [Ecoffey, posted at Indianz]Let’s ensure that cannabis cultivation and distribution stay out of the hands of Big Dope. It’s time to enter compacts with the tribes, let them distribute on the rez, on off-reservation properties and in Deadwood.
Moody County has a long history of race hatred and has become an agriculture sacrifice zone threatening watersheds.
7 comments:
Could you lay out your Tribal Compact idea for me so I can more clearly understand it; no interaction with SD State government sounds like a good idea until someone explains one.
In my opinion, the Oregon agreements that seem to be working seem to erode, not enhance tribal sovereignty. The hemp effort on Pine Ridge was and is a sovereignty challenge, economic development second, and not related to any desire to legalize recreational or medical marijuana or not.
It could be legal tomorrow, and nobody is going to change how they get their weed, at least at first. I don't know a single stoner in Colorado who changed his/her weed acquisition habits with the onset of legalization.
So the compassion bill is good for those who can't get medical marijuana, while recreational users will continue to puff and observe regardless.
Especially on Pine Ridge, the Black Market represents about 80% of the local economy. For whatever reasons, possibly tradition more than anything, ties are maintained with Chicano/Latino resources in Denver, and a great portion of Pine Ridge smokes very low quality Mexican Brick Weed, which has disappeared from most white circles in South Dakota. My point is, there never has, and probably never will be much of a locally produced tribal marijuana enterprise in SD, be it illegal or completely sanctioned, because the strong Black Market will always be there ready to fill the need with the cheapest available. You can lead a horse to water...
That leads to essentially white people condoning other white people (contractors) to grow grass for white people on indian land so they can live with the guilt? I don't get it.
I agree there won't be industrial hemp on or off reservations in SD, but I will also say there won't be legal cannabis in general, or much of a splash in cannabis tourism (on West River Reservations) if something is sanctioned. I'm saying in five years there will be six cars outside the Weed Cafe like there are six cars outside the Casino right now.
Meanwhile, I could name hundreds of people from around the globe smoking it up in the sticks at various spots, and those in the know seek out the fair weather hot spots for the imported hippie wares, free or otherwise.
To legislate for the street, you have to know the street. I think white people in South Dakota have a misconception that indians notice or give a fuck about anything white people say, do, or legislate.
South Dakota's legislature can write a bill that would adopt legislation similar to Minnesota's medical cannabis law but worthy of Federal Drug Administration scrutiny where real medicine could be sold by pharmacies. Legalize for adults then allow Deadwood and the tribes to grow under California organic standards then distribute on reservation and off-reservation properties under a compact putting the gaming commission as the administrative body to tax and regulate.
In my view edibles should only be available to patients suffering from debilitating diseases, disorders or conditions and be dispensed by pharmacists and taxed like other prescriptions.
Home growing for personal enjoyment should look like South Dakota's beer home brewing and wine making laws.
Sounds like you want to put white people in charge of overseeing white people growing and processing marijuana on reservations to sell to white people living off rez. Meticulousness about organic standards while indian kids run around barefoot in February eating dry Ramen bricks?
Where are the tribal economic development aspects of this? I remain open to ideas.
You are an astute political analyst, but it's not even remotely possible to even try to approach the tribes with any of this.
What is most likely to happen is nothing at all; you will see a re-wilded T-Rex in SD before you see state/intertribal cooperation to manage medical marijuana.
The psychological nature of the SD/indian relationship is that of aggressive abuser and victim, and all these ideas of compacts and cooperation are like that beating husband scratching at a still locked door, begging to be let in one last time.
Here is the kicker- this time, this wasicun is waiting on the other side, and will swing it wide open, and then kick South Dakota right in it's crooked inbred teeth, slit it's throat, bleed it out, set it on fire, then take a diarrhea shit on the ashes.
After 15 years of volunteerism on Pine Ridge, that's where I'm at with Pierre and white SD.
A gaming compact already exists between tribes and the state just like in other states. The revenue should be shared: how hard is that to understand?
If my family ever makes a buck growing hemp on PR, which at this point the enterprise is a strong six figures in the hole, I'm not sharing any revenue with Pierre, if that is what you mean. if it is, why?
Let's not get too deep because we already agree it ain't happening on or off rez.
It's 420 all day and all night on PR already if you want to, but I again I don't see an organized and sanctioned recreational thing where is there is the big money all the outsiders want. Our clan is intermarried to the current administration, and John Steele is pro hemp/anti-dope.
It's technically already tribally legal in Wounded Knee district where we are; a district ordinance for itself stands the same as tribal law until the council says no, and they haven't.
Cooperation with (highjacking of) tribal hemp/weed enterprise is so not happening.
Without a compact expect continued federal interdiction. Thanks for your feedback.
Next post here.
BTW, i agree that Verchio's hemp bill is a fucking joke: it's just more colonialist power over tribal nations, in my view.
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