WALKER, Minn. – Tribal reservations in the north dominate Minnesota’s burgeoning recreational marijuana industry. Three pharmacies are now operational in the region, with the most recent welcoming customers at a grand opening Thursday.
The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is the first tribe to open a dispensary this year, but more are in the pipeline. Two tribes paved the way for recreational marijuana sales last year: NativeCare on the Red Lake Nation and Waabigwan Mashkiki (medicine flower in Ojibwe) followed in Mahnomen on the White Earth Nation. Both tribes previously sold medical cannabis before recreational use.
But in Walker, Leech Lake Cannabis Company’s Sweetest Grass Dispensary is completely new to the community.
“Everyone says ‘we can’t believe we’re buying marijuana in Walker, Minnesota!’” said business consultant Madison Marzario. Originally from Prior Lake, she spent ten years in Colorado becoming an expert in the cannabis industry before bringing that expertise home to work at Sweetest Grass.
The pharmacy is located steps from the Northern Lights Casino, on the busy corridor of highways 371 and 200. It is a well-located pit stop for those visiting Walker, home to the third largest lake in the state with more than 600 miles of shoreline and a population of 1,000 that mushrooms during the touristy summer months.
“We know the amount of traffic here in the summer is incredible and we just want to capture some of that traffic coming from the south as we are the closest pharmacy to Minneapolis right now,” said Michael Michaud, Leech Lake board chairman . Cannabis Company who is also CEO of Leech Lake Gaming.
Michaud said Leech Lake has set its own rules to be a licensed dispensary and cannabis supplier. They are not growing a pot yet, but plan to do so later. For now, they are working with White Earth Band of Chippewa, which has a growing operation.
“This is a great opportunity for the reservations in the state of Minnesota because the state really put the guidelines into their regulations that allowed us to pretty much do whatever we wanted…within the boundaries of a reservation,” he said.
White Earth recently purchased a former bar in Moorhead in hopes of opening another dispensary.
“There are still ways to obtain legal permission, but cannabis is certainly a potential use for this property if the law changes to allow it,” the White Earth Nation Reservation business council said in a statement to the Star Tribune.
Recreational cannabis sales on non-native land remain limited as the state launches a licensing system through the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management next year. Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize cannabis use for people 21 and older on August 1, 2023, also marking the decriminalization of possession or cultivation of the plant.
Tribes follow state guidelines when it comes to what consumers can legally purchase, 2 ounces, and there are transportation restrictions. Adults are allowed to carry up to 60 grams of cannabis flower, up to 8 grams of cannabis concentrates and edibles containing up to 800 milligrams of THC, the ingredient in marijuana that causes a high.
However, these products cannot be opened and it remains illegal to consume marijuana in a vehicle or drive while high.
Eddie Thomas drove the 45 minutes to Walker from Menahga and arrived bright and early that morning, before the 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the doors to the public.
“I like it. I like my environment. I’m going to be here a lot,” he said with a big smile.
Thomas, 49, who works in flooring and had Thursday off, said Sweetest Grass is closer and has a wider variety of products than the other two dispensaries. He could smell every scent at the counter as customers lined up behind him. He said the prices are reasonable. He bought a pre-rolled joint (ranging in price from $14 to $30) and two different types of flowers, including soap grown by White Earth.
“I just took a few to try out, but I’m sure I’ll be back,” said Paul Smith Jr., 32, the first customer to walk out with goods Thursday. He lives in Park Rapids and works next door at the casino. “I’m pretty sure it will work out well for business for both of them,” he said of the pharmacy and nearby casino.
Sweetest Grass welcomed tribal members to a soft opening on Monday, followed by a grand opening to the general public on Thursday.
Tribal leaders all noted during the grand opening ceremony with drums and songs that the Sweetest Grass “does things the right way,” a native expression about honoring tradition and spirit. Michaud said many customers will use products recreationally, but many will use it ceremonially and medically.
Band president Faron Jackson talked about a Leech Lake elder and Vietnam veteran who used cannabis to treat his PTSD. The eldest told Jackson before he passed away last year that cannabis was beneficial and healing.
“That made me feel good to hear that from him. I’ve always thought it’s a good thing, you know, the medical things that can benefit from being used in a good way,” Jackson said.
The pharmacy is in the heart of Cass Lake, Jackson said, and he couldn’t be more excited.
“This store here is for everyone in our community.”
Members of the Prairie Island Indian Community attended the grand opening Thursday to congratulate Leech Lake on the new venture.
At the end of June, Prairie Island will open the state’s fourth cannabis dispensary, near Treasure Island Resort and Casino.
