The St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin have adopted a “comprehensive control program” for hemp-derived CBD and announced plans to open businesses selling CBD products in states where it is allowed.
Elmer J. Emery, a member of the St. Croix Tribal Council said the tribe plans on producing and distributing CBD products on its tribal lands in northwestern Wisconsin which will create “jobs and industry in a county with one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.”
“As the 2003 patent for cannabinoids held by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services affirms, cannabinoids are naturally occurring antioxidants and neuroprotectants found in hemp with recognized therapeutic and medicinal value and usage,” Emery said in a press release. “Any cannabidiol produced by the Tribe will not be used for recreational purposes or to get high. Because all of our products will be produced from hemp, there is no psychoactive effect.”
In April, Gov. Scott Walker signed legislation legalizing the use of CBD oil for any medical condition so long as the patient is certified by a physician.
Jeff Cormell, an attorney for the tribe, said the program adopted by the council indicated tribal leaders have “gone to great lengths to enact strict regulatory programs” similar to those used in other cannabis-legal states to ensure the program complies with Department of Justice policies.
According to documents outlining the program, the tribe will grow six acres of hemp within a 200,000-square-foot decommissioned fish hatchery.