Wyoming Tribe Moves Toward Hemp and Medical Cannabis Legalization

Wyoming’s Eastern Shoshone Tribe is considering hemp and medical cannabis to help diversify the Wind River Reservation economy and offer alternative options to treat medical conditions, the Casper Star Tribune reports. The plan is being pushed by several Eastern Shoshone community members, part of a new group calling itself So-go-Beah Naht-Su’ in Shoshone, or “Mother Earth and Medicine” in English.

In September, the tribe’s general council voted on allowing hemp and medical cannabis legalization but said they had no interest in legalizing or producing cannabis for recreational use.

So-go-Beah Naht-Su’ member Bobbi Shongutsie said the group “obviously” has a vision to get hemp and medical cannabis legalized and called the vote by the council the “very first step.” The next step is to propose an action plan to the council, which is expected next month, the report says.

“Some of the benefits we thought of together were to create more jobs and to heal our people. We’re trying to transition hemp and medical cannabis into Wyoming so our tribe can get financially stable.” – Shongutsie, to the Star Tribune

Group member Alexis Eagle said they are hoping to give the younger generations “something to look forward to” and that the group’s members are talking to tribal youth about the potential industry “every chance” they get.

Medical cannabis and hemp are both legal in Wyoming and the federal government has said tribes would be treated like states with respect to cannabis policy.