South Dakota Tribes and Cannabis

First South Dakota medical marijuana dispensary opened by Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe July 7, 2021 - The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe opened a medical cannabis retail dispensary on July 1, 2021 in Flandreau, South Dakota about 45 miles north of ... Read more

News Headlines

USDA approves hemp plans for three more tribes April 3, 2020 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved hemp regulatory plans for the Oglala Sioux, Seneca Nation and Turtle Mountain Band ... Read more

South Dakota tribe approves medical, recreational marijuana March 16, 2020 - Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe voted this week to legalize medical marijuana (82% approved) and recreational marijuana (74% approved) in hopes of economic opportunities. ... Read more

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is first to grow hemp January 22, 2020 - Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe has been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to self-govern the cultivation of industrial hemp on reservation land. This authority overrides state reg ... Read more Headlines continued...

South Dakota's Federally-Recognized Tribes

There are eight federally-recognized tribes in South Dakota. The DOJ marijuana policy on tribal reservations applies to these South Dakota tribes. Each is federally recognized as sovereign by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the U.S. Interior Department.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, SD
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of the Crow Creek Reservation, SD
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation, SD
Oglala Sioux Tribe
Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, SD
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation, SD
Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota

For a complete list of South Dakota tribes and their locations, see our page about South Dakota Tribes.

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South Dakota tribes recognize the challenges and business opportunities of the cannabis industry, and a few are actively pursuing these opportunities.

Hemp

Hemp is a variety of Cannabis plant grown for industrial use.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will allow tribes to self-administer hemp production on their reservations if they submit an acceptable plan. See U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program.

USDA-Approved Hemp Plans - SOUTH DAKOTA

Cheyenne River Sioux Flandreau Santee Sioux Oglala Sioux Tribe Rosebud Sioux Tribe Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Standing Rock Sioux Tribe	Approved Plan Approved Plan Approved Plan Approved Plan Approved Plan Approved Plan
State of South Dakota	Drafting Plan

News Articles

First South Dakota medical marijuana dispensary opened by Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe

July 7, 2021

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe opened a medical cannabis retail dispensary on July 1, 2021 in Flandreau, South Dakota about 45 miles north of Sioux Falls. The opening follows voter approval of a medical marijuana measure in last November's election.

The dispensary is named Native Nations Cannabis and owned by the tribe under the corporation FSST Pharms, LLC.

NATIVE NATIONS CANNABIS
603 W. Broad Avenue
Flandreau, SD 57028
nativenationscannabis.com

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1st South Dakota medical marijuana dispensary to open - Courtesy of KCAU-TV Sioux City, Jun 28, 2021. Available from YouTube

Native Nations Cannabis sells bath & body, capsules, edibles, oils, pets, smokeables and vape oils.

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South Dakota tribe approves medical, recreational marijuana

March 16, 2020

Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe voted this week to legalize medical and recreational marijuana in hopes of developing new economic opportunities.

82% approved medical marijuana
74% approved recreational marijuana

The Tribal Council will meet March 30 to proceed with laws to legalize and regulate marijuana on the reservation. Pine Ridge Reservation will be the only one in the country with legalized recreational marijuana in a state where it is illegal.

The initial plan is to issue licenses to tribal members to grow and sell marijuana products. The licensees would pay taxes to the tribe.

South Dakota will vote in November on whether to legalize medical and recreational marijuana. If approved, it will boost the tribe's marijuana market. If it fails, the tribe will set up a pot resort at the Prairie Wind Casino & Hotel.

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is first to grow hemp

January 22, 2020

The federal government legalized industrial hemp as an agricultural commodity with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. The new law allows states and tribes to submit plans for local regulation of hemp cultivation.

The USDA approved the plan submitted by the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and granted the tribe governance over growing industrial hemp on 1,000 acres of reservation land.

South Dakata Introduces Legislation to Legalize Hemp

February 7, 2019

Hemp is illegal under South Dakota law even though the federal government legalized it in the latest U.S. Farm Bill passed in December.

A South Dakota House committee has taken an important step towards changing the state's law. House Bill 1191 would legalize the growth, production and processing of hemp in South Dakota. The bill was voted on today by the House Agriculture and Natural Resources committee and was passed with a unanimous vote of 13-0.

The bill is supported by the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, local farmers and others.

Under the bill the state would issue licenses to farmers wanting to grow hemp. The state would charge an application of $350 and conduct a federal background check. Any applicant with a felony drug offense during the past ten years would be not be licensed.

Hemp must contain less than 0.3 percent THC. THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis

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Hemp grown on Pine Ridge Reservation

September 15, 2018

There is a possibility that in the future farms could begin growing hemp across the nation.

Last year a company from Colorado made a deal with one Native American farmer from the Pine Ridge Reservation to buy his hemp crop. He also sold them his crop from this year.

In 2002 the man tried to grow hemp on the reservation. However, it was seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration. He made another attempt in 2002. That attempt also failed when he was court ordered prohibited from farming hemp without permission from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Both marijuana and hemp are part of the cannabis plant family. One of the main differences between hemp and marijuana is in the consumption. Hemp does not contain high levels of THC. The component that gives the user a high sensation.

Hemp also uses less water than other crops. For some Native American tribes that are farming hemp, this can work well since it can grow in semi-arid land found on many reservations.

In 1970 the federal government passed a law that prevented all growing of hemp. Then many decades later, in 2014, a bill was introduced to help reintroduce the hemp industry. The farm bill was passed that year by congress. It gave permission to farm hemp as long as there was a partnership with a university on the research of the plant and products that could be made from it.

The bill helped to move the hemp industry forward. Regulations began to lessen. However, not in South Dakota where the Pine Ridge reservation is located. Currently there are 10 states that still have bans on growing hemp.

Products made from hemp vary. Some of the products are fabrics, biofuel, food, lotion, and paper. One product that has been getting a lot of news coverage is cannabidiol oil. The supplement can be taken either in pill form or by medicine dropper. The oil has been scientifically researched and can help people that suffer from different medical conditions. This includes sleep, focus, anxiety, and inflammation. In 2017 a law was approved in South Dakota that legalized CBD in Food and Drug Administration approved uses. Epidiolex was the first drug approved by the FDA that uses the oil and can help ease the symptoms of seizures and some forms of severe epilepsy.

There is still some legal confusion over the growing of hemp. The DEA still classifies hemp as an illegal substance. It is against the federal law to grow, cultivate, sell, or consume any type of cannabis.

There is a new farm bill that will soon go under review by congress to determine the further legalization of hemp farming.

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Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Stops Plan for Marijuana Resort and Stops Cultivation

Nov 7, 2015

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe announced it has temporarily suspended plans for a marijuana resort and is seeking legal clarification from the federal government. The tribe has also stopped growing marijuana and has destroyed its entire crop.

There has been no further public announcements.