Swinomish will weigh new pot ruling next year

A recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Justice opening the door for marijuana production on native tribal reservations in states where it’s legal is something the Swinomish Indian Senate will talk about next year.

The memo from the Justice Department released December 11 allows native tribes to pursue the process of growing and selling marijuana but reserves the right for federal enforcement if regulations are broken.

“At the beginning of the year, there will be a discussion,” said Swinomish Tribal Chairman Brian Cladoosby. “It is on the council’s agenda, and there will be our attorney’s ruling and legal opinion … We’re still analyzing what the ruling even means.”

Meanwhile, Cladoosby said that marijuana is still illegal to possess, grow, and sell on the Swinomish Reservation.

Before the tribal government makes a decision, “We’ll have to weigh the pros and cons and hear from the attorneys. There’s no guarantee there will be growing and selling,” said Cladoosby. “Our people have the highest rates of addiction and substances abuse, and that is definitely something that will weigh heavily on the decision.”

Current Washington state laws allow for personal possession of recreational marijuana for persons older than 21 years old and strictly regulate the growing and distribution within the state.

However, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community reservation, like other tribal lands, is subject to federal law. And the federal government still considers marijuana illegal.