Colville Tribes to sell marijuana

The Colville Tribes have entered into an agreement with the state of Washington to sell marijuana, according to an April 8 press release from the tribes.

“We are pleased to sign this agreement and look forward to the economic development opportunities it provides,” Colville Business Council Chairman Rodney Cawston is quoted as saying in the press release. “The [agreement] includes appropriate regulation of tribal businesses which sell marijuana, as well as effective enforcement procedures to assure all applicable laws are followed.”

A new tribal corporation will be created for the sale of marijuana, the press release states, and the tribes adopted a new section into their Tribal Code.

“Taxes generated from the retail marijuana sales will support essential Tribal government services,” the press release says.

“Retail marijuana sales across Washington have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the state,” Cawston is quoted as saying in the press release. “We now have the ability to collect our own revenue from Tribal sales, and anticipate that this new funding source will help us continue to expand important government services for our membership.”

“The compact was negotiated with the state Liquor and Cannabis Control Board (LCB) over several months by CBC members Jack Ferguson and Joel Boyd, the Tribes’ Office of the Reservation Attorney, and its Administration staff,” the press release states.

“Colville’s compact is the 11th marijuana agreement to be signed by Tribes and Governor Jay Inslee. Other compacts are with the Suquamish, Squaxin Island, Muckleshoot, Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam, Puyallup, Samish, Stillaguamish, Swinomish, and Tulalip Tribes. Other Tribes are currently in negotiation with the LCB for their own marijuana compacts.”