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- House bill would “destroy” hemp industry... | Toker's Guide
House bill would “destroy” hemp industry, GOP senator says (Newsletter: July 1, 2025) < Back House bill would “destroy” hemp industry... Jul 1, 2025 Tom Angell Marijuana Moment Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link *KY gov: medical marijuana plants “really soon”; Mike Tyson pushes Trump on cannabis; NH psilocybin; SCOTUS marijuana case; Gluten-free hemp baking* Subscribe to receive Marijuana Moment’s newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. It’s the best way to make sure you know which cannabis stories are shaping the day. Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: *Your support makes Marijuana Moment possible…* *Hold on, just one second before you read today’s news. *Have you thought about giving some financial support to Marijuana Moment? If so, today would be a great day to contribute. We’re planning our reporting for the coming months and it would really help to know what kind of support we can count on. Check us out on Patreon and sign up to give $25/month today: https://www.patreon.com/marijuanamoment */ TOP THINGS TO KNOW* Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told Marijuana Moment that a bill advancing in the House to ban hemp products with any quantifiable amount of THC would “completely destroy the American hemp industry.” - “I don’t know how you’d be able to sell CBD oil with that.” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said medical cannabis growers will be “putting seed in the ground really soon” and that he hopes patients get access by the end of the year. The New Hampshire Senate tabled a bill to lower penalties for first-time psilocybin possession that had narrowly cleared the House of Representatives. Mike Tyson delivered his marijuana reform message to President Donald Trump in a Fox News appearance—urging him to support rescheduling cannabis and saying its current classification in Schedule I alongside heroin is “ridiculous.” Doctors for Drug Policy Reform is launching a campaign to empower more physicians and healthcare professionals to join the movement to end the war on drugs—including with a new toolkit on “Transitioning from a Criminal Justice Model of Drug Use to a Health-focused Approach.” A new study on gluten-free baked goods shows that “hemp oil and hemp flour are viable ingredients for traditional cakes and desserts, notably contributing increased nutritional value through the CBD-enriched hemp oil and the beneficial profile of hemp flour.” Former U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division Deputy Assistant Attorney General James B. Mann argues in a new Marijuana Moment op-ed that a pending cannabis industry lawsuit has “precisely zero chance of being heard by the Supreme Court.” Tuesday marks four years since Connecticut’s recreational marijuana legalization law took effect, and here’s a look at how cannabis product sales trends have evolved over that time. */ FEDERAL* The Drug Enforcement Administration promoted an article about a study on marijuana edibles being appealing to teens. New Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Deputy Director Mike Davis previously served as chief medical officer for Usona Institute, which works to advance psychedelic science. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) responded to a claim that he has never authored a bill that became law by tweeting, “This is false. My industrial hemp act became law when it was incorporated by a vote of the House as part of the farm bill.” */ STATES* A Delaware representative discussed the passage of a bill to limit county restrictions on marijuana businesses. Georgia’s agriculture commissioner announced arrests of suspects in an interstate hemp oil theft case. An Alabama court is considering a lawsuit seeking to block the state’s hemp restriction law. A Maryland marijuana tax increase takes effect on Tuesday. Colorado regulators are taking the first steps toward allowing ibogaine at psychedelic healing centers. New York regulators published guidance on preempting “unreasonably impracticable” local cannabis laws. The California State Fair Cannabis Awards announced the winners of this year’s competition. Ohio regulators are urging people who use marijuana at Fourth of July celebrations to “use good judgment and ensure the safety of those around them.” *— Marijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.* *Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access. —* */ LOCAL* Denver, Colorado officials are accepting applications for psychedelic healing center licenses. */ INTERNATIONAL* Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell discussed plans to advance marijuana reform legislation. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the government will be “absolutely uncompromising toward drug crime” and “will not allow anyone to opaquely finance pro-drug campaigns in our country with external funding to encourage the consumption of marijuana, club drugs and other similar substances.” */ SCIENCE & HEALTH* A study suggested that cannabis sativa residues “may enhance meat quality and antioxidant defense in broiler chickens.” A study found that “MDMA combined with supportive therapy for PTSD is safe and effective.” */ ADVOCACY, OPINION & ANALYSIS* The Marijuana Policy Project is hiring a new executive director. */ CULTURE* Lorde spoke about how MDMA-assisted therapy “changed the game on my stage fright.” *Make sure to subscribe to get Marijuana Moment’s daily dispatch in your inbox.* Get our daily newsletter. Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human: *Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.* The post House bill would “destroy” hemp industry, GOP senator says (Newsletter: July 1, 2025) appeared first on Marijuana Moment. < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... Cherry AK-47 by Grow West - RISE Dispensary (Silver Spring, Maryland) When a strain name includes both "Cherry" and "AK-47," you can expect two things: a blast of fruity goodness and the kind of impact that... Cookies & Alt Sol "Madrina" Strain Review - Takoma Wellness Center Madrina, cultivated by Alt Sol and available at Takoma Wellness Center in Washington, DC, comes with a reputation as bold as its name. In... 1 2 3 4 5
- Cannabis operator Canopy Growth hit with class action lawsuit | Toker's Guide
Investors in Canopy Growth Corp. have sued the company after a poor earnings report. < Back Cannabis operator Canopy Growth hit with class action lawsuit May 9, 2025 Margaret Jackson MJ Biz Daily Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Investors in cannabis operator Canopy Growth Corp. have sued the company to recover alleged damages after a poor quarterly earnings report. Cannabis operator Canopy Growth hit with class action lawsuit is a post from: MJBizDaily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... Cherry AK-47 by Grow West - RISE Dispensary (Silver Spring, Maryland) When a strain name includes both "Cherry" and "AK-47," you can expect two things: a blast of fruity goodness and the kind of impact that... Cookies & Alt Sol "Madrina" Strain Review - Takoma Wellness Center Madrina, cultivated by Alt Sol and available at Takoma Wellness Center in Washington, DC, comes with a reputation as bold as its name. In... 1 2 3 4 5
- Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Approve Referendum Allowing Tribe to Explore Cannabis Legalization | Toker's Guide
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians approved a referendum to develop legislation for marijuana on Tribal lands. The referendum passed, allowing a study on cannabis reforms, potentially leading to cultivation and retail sales. The referendum was approved in seven jurisdictions. < Back Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Approve Referendum Allowing Tribe to Explore Cannabis Legalization Jun 12, 2025 TG Branfalt Ganjapreneur Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians on Tuesday approved a referendum allowing the Tribe to develop “legislation to decriminalize and regulate possession, production, and distribution of marijuana on Tribal lands.” Referendum no. 2025-01 passed 1,367 to 1,110, according to a Facebook post. The Band of Choctaw Indians is the only federally recognized Tribe in Mississippi and controls about 35,000 acres across 10 counties in the eastern part of the state. According to the referendum, the approval will allow the Tribe to conduct a comprehensive study on enacting both medical and adult-use cannabis reforms, which would lead to cannabis cultivation and retail cannabis sales on tribal lands. The Tribe estimates the cost of hiring a consultant to conduct the study to run about $100,000. The referendum was approved by a plurality of voters in seven of nine jurisdictions, with voters in Bogue Chitto, BC-Henning, Bogue Homa, Crystal Ridge, Pearl River, Red Water, and Tucker voting in favor, while voters in Conehatta and Standing Pine opposed. Under current tribal law, criminal penalties are removed for Mississippi medical cannabis cardholders who possess legal limits on tribal lands. The referendum notes that cannabis remains outlawed federally but that federal enforcement of cannabis laws “has been limited.” < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... Cherry AK-47 by Grow West - RISE Dispensary (Silver Spring, Maryland) When a strain name includes both "Cherry" and "AK-47," you can expect two things: a blast of fruity goodness and the kind of impact that... Cookies & Alt Sol "Madrina" Strain Review - Takoma Wellness Center Madrina, cultivated by Alt Sol and available at Takoma Wellness Center in Washington, DC, comes with a reputation as bold as its name. In... 1 2 3 4 5
- Turkish Parliament Votes to Legalize Low-THC Medical Cannabis Product Sales | Toker's Guide
Turkey has passed a law allowing the sale of low-THC medical cannabis products in pharmacies. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will oversee cultivation, while the Ministry of Health will handle processing, licensing, and sales. Medical cannabis will be available for analgesic and antidepressant effects and tracked electronically. Cannabis will also be cultivated for "health and support" and "personal care" products. Turkey is now one of 51 countries that have legalized medical cannabis. < Back Turkish Parliament Votes to Legalize Low-THC Medical Cannabis Product Sales Jul 22, 2025 TG Branfalt Ganjapreneur Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link The Turkish Parliament recently passed a law allowing low-THC medical cannabis products to be sold at pharmacies, Türkiye Today reports. Under the law, the use of medical cannabis products will be strictly limited to prescribed medical treatments. The legislation puts the cultivation and harvesting of cannabis plants under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, while the Ministry of Health will be tasked with processing, licensing, record-keeping, and pharmacy sales. Medical cannabis sales will be tracked through an electronic monitoring system. Taner Ercanli, a board member of the Turkish Pharmacists’ Association, told Türkiye Today that medical cannabis would be available for its analgesic and antidepressant effects. “We’re referring to pharmaceutical-grade products, not illicit street cannabis. These are approved and regulated by the Ministry of Health and have no place on the black market.” — Ercanli to Türkiye Today Leyla Sahin Usta, deputy group chairman for Turkey’s ruling Development and Justice Party (AK Party), indicated during a press conference last month that cannabis would also be cultivated for “health and support” and “personal care” products. Turkey joins 50 other countries in legalizing medical cannabis products or pharmaceutical medications derived from cannabis. Prior to the new law, only medical CBD products, such as Sativex, were available via prescriptions. < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... Cherry AK-47 by Grow West - RISE Dispensary (Silver Spring, Maryland) When a strain name includes both "Cherry" and "AK-47," you can expect two things: a blast of fruity goodness and the kind of impact that... Cookies & Alt Sol "Madrina" Strain Review - Takoma Wellness Center Madrina, cultivated by Alt Sol and available at Takoma Wellness Center in Washington, DC, comes with a reputation as bold as its name. In... 1 2 3 4 5
- Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate Majority Leader Throws Cold Water Marijuana Legalization Plan | Toker's Guide
A bipartisan bill to legalize recreational cannabis in Pennsylvania was introduced by Senators Dan Laughlin and Sharif Street, but it faces opposition from Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, who does not see a prevailing view for legalization within the Republican caucus as part of the current budget negotiations. The bill proposes legalizing cannabis for those 21 and over, with a 6% sales tax and 8% excise tax, and would expunge non-violent cannabis convictions. Despite broad Democratic support and calls from Gov. Josh Shapiro, similar measures have struggled to pass the GOP-controlled Senate, particularly due to a previous proposal that would have sold cannabis in state stores, which was a nonstarter for many. < Back Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate Majority Leader Throws Cold Water Marijuana Legalization Plan Jul 12, 2025 Marijuana Moment Marijuana Moment Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link *“I do not see a prevailing view for legalization of recreational marijuana within our caucus as part of the current budget.”* *By Ian Karbal, Penn Capital-Star* Another proposal that would legalize recreational cannabis in Pennsylvania was introduced at the state Capitol Thursday, this time by a bipartisan pair of senators. But the measure from Senator Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) and Democrat Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) seems unlikely to pass any time soon. The bill comes as state budget negotiations push nearly two weeks past the June 30 deadline. Republican and Democratic negotiators have struggled to agree on how to curb the state’s budget deficit while funding their parties’ priorities. Posting on Facebook after the new bill was introduced, Laughlin warned, “We’re at the point where tax increases are being discussed in Harrisburg to balance the budget.” Revenue from a tax on legal cannabis, he said, could provide an alternative solution. But the leader of his own party in the Senate, Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana), has already thrown cold water on the proposal. “Discussions surrounding the state budget continue to progress, and we remain committed to a final agreement, which will help to address the structural deficit facing our commonwealth,” Pittman said in a statement provided to the Capital-Star. “However, I do not see a prevailing view for legalization of recreational marijuana within our caucus as part of the current budget.” The latest bill would legalize cannabis use for Pennsylvanians age 21 and over, and allow possession of up to 30 grams of flower, five grams of concentrate and 1,000 milligrams of THC contained in marijuana-infused products like edibles. It would also impose a 6 percent sales tax and an 8 percent excise tax on all cannabis products. Non-violent cannabis convictions would be automatically expunged. Eligible inmates would be released from incarceration. Recreational cannabis is already legal in 24 states, including five of the six that border Pennsylvania—West Virginia being the exception. Democrats in Harrisburg have broadly supported recreational marijuana legalization for some time, and Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) has repeatedly called on lawmakers to act. But the idea has struggled to gain traction in the GOP-controlled Senate. Earlier this year, senators shot down another cannabis bill backed by Democrats that passed the House on partisan lines. Unlike Laughlin and Street’s measure, it would have seen cannabis sold in state stores, like liquor, which was a nonstarter for Republicans and some Democrats. Following the bill’s rejection, Pittman called the House’s approach “unserious” and said it “took that issue five steps back.” The state store model was staunchly opposed by the cannabis lobby, which represents many of Pennsylvania’s medical dispensaries, as well as some of the largest players in the industry nationally. *This story was first published by Penn Capital-Star.* *Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.* The post Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate Majority Leader Throws Cold Water Marijuana Legalization Plan appeared first on Marijuana Moment. < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... Cherry AK-47 by Grow West - RISE Dispensary (Silver Spring, Maryland) When a strain name includes both "Cherry" and "AK-47," you can expect two things: a blast of fruity goodness and the kind of impact that... Cookies & Alt Sol "Madrina" Strain Review - Takoma Wellness Center Madrina, cultivated by Alt Sol and available at Takoma Wellness Center in Washington, DC, comes with a reputation as bold as its name. In... 1 2 3 4 5
- Florida adult-use marijuana legalization support dips amid DeSantis’ ‘political war’ | Toker's Guide
Voter support for Florida cannabis legalization is declining as state officials continue their efforts to prevent adult-use cannabis from appearing on the 2026 ballot. < Back Florida adult-use marijuana legalization support dips amid DeSantis’ ‘political war’ Jan 16, 2026 Chris Roberts MJbizDaily Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Voter support for Florida cannabis legalization is declining as state officials continue efforts to thwart adult-use cannabis from appearing on 2026 ballots. Florida adult-use marijuana legalization support dips amid DeSantis’ ‘political war’ is a post from: MJBizDaily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... Cherry AK-47 by Grow West - RISE Dispensary (Silver Spring, Maryland) When a strain name includes both "Cherry" and "AK-47," you can expect two things: a blast of fruity goodness and the kind of impact that... Cookies & Alt Sol "Madrina" Strain Review - Takoma Wellness Center Madrina, cultivated by Alt Sol and available at Takoma Wellness Center in Washington, DC, comes with a reputation as bold as its name. In... 1 2 3 4 5
- Capitol Hemp closes Adams Morgan retail location amid escalating hemp enforcement | Toker's Guide
Capitol Hemp voluntarily closed its Adams Morgan retail location after over a decade, citing regulatory uncertainty and escalating enforcement impacting hemp retailers. The company stated the closure was not due to enforcement at the property, and litigation challenging the District's authority remains pending. < Back Capitol Hemp closes Adams Morgan retail location amid escalating hemp enforcement Jan 21, 2026 Editorial Staff Outlaw Report Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Capitol Hemp has voluntarily closed its Adams Morgan retail location after more than a decade, citing regulatory uncertainty and escalating enforcement affecting hemp retailers. The company emphasized the closure was not driven by enforcement at the property and said litigation challenging the District’s authority remains pending. Source < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... Cherry AK-47 by Grow West - RISE Dispensary (Silver Spring, Maryland) When a strain name includes both "Cherry" and "AK-47," you can expect two things: a blast of fruity goodness and the kind of impact that... Cookies & Alt Sol "Madrina" Strain Review - Takoma Wellness Center Madrina, cultivated by Alt Sol and available at Takoma Wellness Center in Washington, DC, comes with a reputation as bold as its name. In... 1 2 3 4 5
- Total marijuana sales in Missouri up nearly 5% from April 2024 | Toker's Guide
Sales of recreational and medical marijuana sales in Missouri reached $125.9 million in April, an increase of 4.86% year-over-year. Total marijuana sales in Missouri up nearly 5% from April 2024. < Back Total marijuana sales in Missouri up nearly 5% from April 2024 May 16, 2025 Margaret Jackson MJ Biz Daily Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Sales of recreational and medical marijuana sales in Missouri reached $125.9 million in April, an increase of 4.86% year-over-year. Total marijuana sales in Missouri up nearly 5% from April 2024 is a post from: MJBizDaily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... Cherry AK-47 by Grow West - RISE Dispensary (Silver Spring, Maryland) When a strain name includes both "Cherry" and "AK-47," you can expect two things: a blast of fruity goodness and the kind of impact that... Cookies & Alt Sol "Madrina" Strain Review - Takoma Wellness Center Madrina, cultivated by Alt Sol and available at Takoma Wellness Center in Washington, DC, comes with a reputation as bold as its name. In... 1 2 3 4 5
- Island Peži: Tribal Sovereignty and Regenerative Cannabis in Minnesota | Toker's Guide
The podcast episode features Blake Johnson, president of Prairie Island CBH, and Ben Halley, COO and founder of Honest Cannabis, discussing the development of Island Peži, a vertically integrated cannabis enterprise by the Prairie Island Indian Community in Minnesota. Key points covered include: * **Foundation:** The enterprise is built on tribal sovereignty, Indigenous values, and regenerative agriculture. * **Development:** The community invested in a 13-acre cultivation and processing campus, motivated by the state legalizing cannabis and the need for product supply. * **Cultural Importance:** The older generation initially had reservations about cannabis, but it was viewed by elders as traditional medicine, aligning with the Dakota belief that everything has a purpose. * **Economic Impact:** The business funds essential tribal services like government, healthcare, education, and public safety, as the tribe does not raise taxes. * **Regenerative Agriculture:** The operation employs biodynamic, regenerative farming practices to heal and preserve the land, aligning with the tribe's goal to protect future generations. * **Product Trends:** Flower is still the most popular product, followed by mini pre-rolls, and there has been a shift away from hemp-derived products now that true cannabis products are available. * **Staffing and Education:** Employees are sought for their humility and willingness to learn. The dispensary provides unique, mandatory training that includes both general cannabis education and an indigenous, Dakota-based perspective. * **Intertribal Collaboration and Market Strategy:** Minnesota's collaborative environment has fostered intertribal collaboration in the cannabis industry. To mitigate the impact of the broader state adult-use market, the tribe is leveraging compact licenses for off-reservation locations and focusing on distribution to other tribes and the state market. Tribes have a "first mover advantage" in the market due to their earlier operational status. < Back Island Peži: Tribal Sovereignty and Regenerative Cannabis in Minnesota Nov 12, 2025 Ganjapreneur Ganjapreneur Article Link Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link [image: Island Pezi Feature Image] In this episode of the Ganjapreneur Podcast, host TG Branfalt speaks with Blake Johnson, president of Prairie Island CBH, and Ben Halley, COO and founder of Honest Cannabis. Together, they explore how the Prairie Island Indian Community developed Island Peži, a vertically integrated cannabis enterprise in Minnesota, built on tribal sovereignty, Indigenous values, and regenerative agriculture. The conversation covers the complexities of launching cannabis programs on tribal land, the importance of community engagement, and the tribe’s decision to invest in a 13-acre cultivation and processing campus. Blake and Ben discuss the intertribal collaboration taking shape in Minnesota, product trends at Island Peži, the tribe’s education and training efforts, and how this model of values-driven development can inform the broader cannabis industry as state markets mature. ------------------------------ Listen to the episode: Ganjapreneur · Island Peži: Tribal Sovereignty and Regenerative Cannabis in Minnesota ------------------------------ Read the transcript: *Editor’s note: this transcript was auto-generated and may contain errors.* TG Branfalt: Hey there, I’m your host, TG Branfalt and this is the Ganjapreneur.com podcast where we try to bring you actionable information and normalized cannabis through the stories of entrepreneurs, activists, and industry stakeholders. Today I’m joined by Blake Johnson, president of Prairie Island, CBH Inc, the tribal entity that oversees the Island Pegi Cannabis dispensary, and Ben Halley, COO and Founder of Honest Cannabis, a consulting company that works with Native American tribes on cannabis programs. How are you doing this afternoon, fellas? Blake Johnson: Doing great, how are you? TG Branfalt: Well, well, this is a topic I’ve really wanted to discuss for a long time because I think that maybe a lot of people don’t understand how these programs work and just sort of demystify this a little bit for people who may not even know about the sort of tribal agreements and cannabis and that sort of thing. But before we get into that, tell me about yourself, guys. What’s your background and how’d you end up with the cannabis space? Blake Johnson: Yeah, so Blake Johnson, Prairie Island Sea, Inc. President that oversees all of our cannabis operations for the tribe for Prairie Island Indian community. I am a tribal member. I grew up on the reservation. I ended up working for Prairie Island, been our lobbyist at the Minnesota State Capitol for 13 years now, and been super involved throughout the whole process of the state legalizing cannabis. And so got involved on the business side for our community. TG Branfalt: And briefly, as your role as a lobbyist, what did you do in the legislature? Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think I lobby on behalf of our community’s interests, being able to make sure that our voice is heard and have thoughts and opinions on a variety of different matters when it relates to tribes and travel issues. Being able to be there to be that voice, to be able to be a seat at the table is important for our community to be able to have things that not only help and support our community, but other tribes in the state as a whole. TG Branfalt: And Ben, what about you? What’s your background and how’d you end up in the cannabis space? Ben Halley: Thank you, Ben Halley, honest Cannabis. I come to cannabis from hospitality and restaurants, so I spent 20 years, I worked in Vegas, France, Germany, Lebanon, Cyprus as a chef, food beverage director. And then I had a consulting company that would guide private investors, tribes, casinos, et cetera, kind of on their progress of development redevelopment. And seven years ago I repositioned in cannabis and had the great fortune of working with a friend who’s now my business partner. He’s a CPA in the cannabis space. And my first project I ever worked on was with a tribe, and I’ve stayed inside that space and I’ve become somewhat of an authority on safely landing cannabis with tribes and the oddity of a federally illegal substance being sold in a federal entity. So find myself now working with Prairie Island Indian Community for the past few years, helping them conceptualize, build and launch their cannabis enterprise. TG Branfalt: And briefly, can you tell me how your experience outside of the cannabis space in sort of hospitality industry, how you brought some of those skills into your work now, your roles now? Ben Halley: Yeah, absolutely. I think cannabis spent a lot of time trying to reinvent the wheel on the front end. And my business partners and my ideology is certainly rooted in, there are some preexisting industries where there’s a lot of lines of parallel and you see an enormous amount of hospitality staff transition into cannabis. So the language, the dialogue, the course of action, the day-to-day activities, running a business that lives on razor thin margins, there’s a lot of tenure and understanding how and why that is. And at the end of the day, it’s a guest facing retail. People walk through the door with expectations. It’s our job to exceed those and make sure they come back. So the similarities and lines of parallel you can draw between restaurant ideology and cannabis ideology are fairly profound. And then it creates a lot of comfortability as well in tribal cannabis where often opening in advance. So there’s a lack of preexisting cannabis staff, so inoculating your ideology with restaurant theory, it creates a lot of comfortability when you hire people in and people start to see things that they register with and identify with. It creates comfort in the practical application of the job, and we’re able to get ’em to focus on the specific things, regulations, compliance, et cetera. TG Branfalt: Awesome, man. Thank you. So why don’t you guys tell me about the just sort of history of legal cannabis in the Prairie Island Indian community? Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think as it relates to our existence in this business, it leads back to when Minnesota started discussing and having conversations and started to pass legalizing cannabis in Minnesota. Our travel council brought it to our community members to see if there’s any interest and if there was where we’d want to be in this market. And so it started there, having community meeting, getting community feedback on where we’d want to see this, and developed into an opportunity to be able to look at opening up our own cannabis dispensary, which is Island Pagey. And then from there it has built out to being vertically integrated into a 13 acre cannabis campus where we do our own cultivation, we have partners in cultivation, we have manufacturing production, and then our distribution company. As we looked at it and started to bill out our dispensary, we realized that the product, having enough product to even be open was a problem to be one of the first in the state for tribes. We had the ability to adopt our regulations and adopt our ordinances for our community to be able to be in a place where we can start to develop this business. And from that point is just seeing the growth and the opportunity that this brings to our community. And that’s very important is the structural piece. We really took advantage of having the expertise on the regulation side of gaming and bringing that to the forefront of cultivation and cannabis and making sure that we have high regulations and that’s in there for a purpose and that it’s to serve and protect our community, our staff, everybody involved, all the way up to the guests that walked through our doors. TG Branfalt: And briefly, what did the conversation with the community members look like? Was there a lot of discussion had or was everyone pretty excited about it? Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think the younger generation, there was a ton of excitement. And I think what we did see is our older generation is that persona of what cannabis really was to them and how they were told it was and not really understanding it. But I think from the cultural side and the Native American side here is that a long time ago, our elders used to use this as medicine. There was a purpose as we look at how we view everything on this earth, is that our creator created everything to be here for a purpose, and cannabis is one of them. TG Branfalt: And so can you guys get into what is the potential economic impact of the cannabis industry for the tribe? Blake Johnson: Yeah. Yeah. I think as we look at for a lot of tribes including ourselves, is that we don’t raise taxes. So as we look at business opportunity and running businesses, that provides for essential work funds to fund our government and to also be able to supply funds for our healthcare, our education, public safety. So all those things relies on our businesses. And so this impact only also, this also contributes to those opportunities for our people and to be able to fully fund and have opportunity and having essential things that could be important for our community members. TG Branfalt: You had mentioned recent, this complex that is relatively new, right? Blake Johnson: Yes. Yeah. So this 13 acre cannabis campus broke ground last April, TG Branfalt: And you said it’s vertically integrated and you expect that this can supply how much of the community’s operations or your operations as it were? Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think as we look at a full buildup, we’re still continuing to build and expand on our campus. We have tremendous growth over the last year of on the campus and building indoor facility that not only holds three grow rooms, but also has a huge drying area. And then on the other side of that building is our production manufacturing side for the finished product goods, but we also have two and a half acre outdoor grow, and then we have eight greenhouses that are almost completed. So we are continuing to look and evaluate at what opportunities there are, but it is a way to look at a business and making sure we have supply for ourselves. So as we look at the state market is opening up, Minnesota just gave all licenses, they’re going to be looking for product. We may not have enough product to sell out to a lot of people, but we have opportunity to look at what is our initial needs as a dispensary and making sure we have some supply for us. But we have had opportunity of being able to reach out to other tribes that are operational now with their dispensaries and have been able to sell some goods their way. TG Branfalt: So Ben, I do want to ask you, in your role as as a consultant, what does that process for you look like when you’re trying to sort of direct or work with a state, especially in emerging market like Minnesota, when you start working with tribes, Ben Halley: It’s a complex process and I think at the base level is what is the relationship between tribes and that state government? Each one’s different. Minnesota, we have the great benefit that there’s a fairly collaborative process between the tribes and between the state government. There was a willingness to support it from Governor Waltz. I mean, he and Peggy Flanagan spent a whole day touring Prairie Island, the site, the facility really on the states, and they wanted to understand what we were doing versus telling us what to do, which was a really incredible, I have the great fortune to work in a couple of different states, and each one is different as it pertains to the relationship with the state. Nevada and Washington have cannabis compacts, which is a relationship on the specifics of the business between the state and the tribe. And each one affords them separate opportunities, much like a gaming compact, an agreement on how we choose to manage our gaming and how we regulate that gaming. So meeting with the state, you are a state as a tribe. So when Blake spoke to the decriminalization of cannabis, then that happens at Prairie Island and then there’s an ordinance and there’s a regulation and there’s a regulatory body. So my process is to make sure that the cannabis businesses that I deliver meet with the preexisting and kind of cultural guidelines that Blake and his community identify, and then making sure that our business doesn’t behave in abstinence to what the community, or excuse me, the state is going to ask for it, which can be difficult because we’re often in advance of the state. One of the strategies that we’re able to deploy as a tribe is the opportunity to look at what everyone else has done, the wins and the losses, and shape that ordinance and those regulations to best reflect, not necessarily how can we bend the rule, but how we can continue to create safety and then create an ROI for the community. And that’s one of the curiosities about investment in this space. The tribes, it is an investment in an economy. So the goal that’s certainly the base level. So the economy interacts with the state, we have to make sure that we’re compliant with the state and they have a healthy understanding of what we’re doing, making sure that we regulate it, it’s safe, and that allows us to operate with a lot of efficiencies. TG Branfalt: So does each state these compacts, are they different for each industry? There’s not a blanket compact that covers gaming, covers tobacco covers, cannabis that you can sort of Ben Halley: No. They’re all individual relationships between the specific tribe and the government. And then there are opportunities where you can, as a tribe that maybe doesn’t have one view the other compacts and shape your own. But yes, they are an individual relationship between each indigenous community and the state in which they find themselves TG Branfalt: Interesting. And again, a lot of people don’t understand really how these things sort of work. And you do get a lot of questions when the dispensaries open at the aqua near where I live, people were asking, well, how is that legal? Right? And so part of why I really wanted to have this conversation is to sort of demystify that, as I said at the top. So one of the things about this complex that I found quite interesting is that you guys are employing regenerative agricultural practices in the operation. And Blake had sort of said, mentioned the sort of spiritual element of cannabis for Native American communities. So how important is that sort of element of having that regenerative agricultural practices for this complex? Ben Halley: I’ll jump in and grab that if you don’t mind. So on the onset, part of my job is to identify what’s important to the tribe. Prairie land restoration is big to prairie Island Indian community. It’s why the buffalo herd exists, the acquisition of land, the need to return and heal farmland, turn it back into what it once was. So in the strategy of building out that complex was to align the tribe with partners that shared that same ideology. So the process of healing that land a massive exercise to remove the whole top layer of soil that’s been contaminated, years of industrialized farming, soy and corn predominantly. And then to build back that soil healthy biochar, wild rice holes from the northern tribes, but to first heal the land and then to build upon it, right? That’s still the premise. We can still observe that ideology, be we building on top of it, right? The land has been healed. So the outdoor portion of the farm is really the magical part. Biodynamic, regen, companion plants, nothing leaves or comes back, right? Everything that was sourced for that soil regeneration is within 300 miles of the tribe’s location. So cannabis is often looking for a story, looking for an identity, looking for a purpose that’s greater than the product. That’s where tribes have this unique opportunity to stand behind their own internal messaging with their cannabis products and have that ring true. And in cannabis where artificial stories are quickly upended and pointed out, there’s a layer of integrity, process and identity and cannabis products that come from tribes that is different from the regulated industry. And Prairie Island was able to capture that with their preexisting kind of spirited court. Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think just to add on to what Ben is saying, as we look at how can we get back to preserving in which is mother and being able to look at the next seven generations as Dakota people, we want to be able to protect the next seven generations and give opportunity for our future generations. And preserving and trying to maintain the lands that we are using for the time being is the approach that we go down in. I think it’s important for us to showcase how we can be better stewards of the land, how we can put it in a better place than it first started. And so from that perspective, and our partners that partnered with us on the cultivation side, they’ve really took this initiative and have really went with it. And it’s been very successful to this point to where I think it’s something that we can showcase and teach people. TG Branfalt: It’s really beautiful. I mean, the sentiment is just something you don’t really hear a whole lot with people who are entering industry no matter what that industry is. So I do want to switch gears a little bit and talk to you about the products that you guys are selling and what, is flour still king for you guys? Or have you seen a shift to other products? What’s been most popular, most exciting? Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think it is been just in general been exciting to see first be open and having a dispensary open, but seeing what products our guests are attracted to and what they want to have and what they want to see in the future here. And so with that, obviously flower is still king. A lot of people are coming in for the flower, but I think right behind that is our 10 pack of mini pre-rolls. There have been a hot item lately. And being able to offer other products like gummies and carts and things like that, we’ve finally been able to hit that phase. And we’re starting to see that side of the product line start to jump a little bit. Now that we have the true cannabis products available and not the hemp derived products, we have seen that shift and people are excited to see those products online. TG Branfalt: So you did actually, when you were selling the sort of hemp derived stuff, you’ve seen an uptick since you went to the stuff, I don’t want to say cannabis, cannabis stuff, but the same thing essentially, but you know what I mean. Blake Johnson: Yeah, yeah. We definitely have, we put it out there on our marketing to showcase that we have these products lines available. And since that point, nobody’s really buying the hemp derived products anymore. They have shifted over to the cannabis products that we’ve been able to create. TG Branfalt: Do either one of you have any insight as to why that might be the case? Blake Johnson: I just personally think it’s the stigma around hemp derived that people have. I don’t think they truly fully grasp that it’s, it is still like the same plant. It just takes a lot more of that plant to produce that product. So I think it seems like it is a little bit harder to change people’s minds when it comes to things like that. But now that we have these products online, it’s been really going really well. TG Branfalt: And are you seeing, as far as the edibles go, are you seeing people gearing towards the lower THC products or the higher THC product? Blake Johnson: I think it’s a mix of both, because we do see a variety of age groups coming through all the way from 21 up to the eighties, 80 year olds. And I think it’s pretty neat to see when people come in that they’re looking for certain things, different effects, right? Certain needs that they have. And our bud tenders and our employees do a really great job at asking and seeing what they are looking for, and they’re able to help them find exactly what would benefit them the most. TG Branfalt: And as far as employees go, I like to ask this, people who own dispensaries operate dispensaries, what do you look for in an employee, whether it be somebody on the bud tender level or a manager level, what are you guys looking for? Ben Halley: Humility and a willingness to learn. There’s so much cannabis education available out there that’s very subjective. So particularly for Prairie Island, being a year ahead of the rest of the community, we were early onset employers of just the general public. There are way markers in your community, individuals who control people, touch points, people who have spent a lot of time momentarily creating impact with someone, grocery store clerk, gas station, someone who may work at Home Depot or Maynards. Cannabis always has an early onset rush of interest and due to the cost of hiring an employee and then the added layer of Blake’s community needing to understand the tribal component as well, there’s a massive investment on making sure that that team member is successful and obviously an interest in us retaining that team member. So making sure that you’re hiring people that are genuinely curious, but also there for the long haul. I think throughout my experience, California and Nevada, Mississippi, a bunch of different states, I’ve been able to see who has staying power and then understanding within your community, as Blake mentioned, 21 to 80 shops there. And you need to have your community reflected in your staff. There’s a level of comfortability in shopping with someone that looks and feels like yourself. So there is a staged set, so to speak, inside and making sure that there’s a healthy mix of all those age groups and a healthy mix of attitude. I mean, there’s people that come in that are very enthusiastic about cannabis and they want to dive really, really deep. And then there’s other people that would like to not be bothered. And so identifying that if you are an enthusiast, not everyone is a bud tender, not everyone is going to share that enthusiasm. And so finding someone that’s able to read in a very short moment, we have about 10 minutes with these people. We have about five at the counter, so how can you access that person? So it’s really about, I’ll say it bluntly, every dispensary sells the same thing. So you’re price point and your location are clearly important, but it’s the quality of the human experience that brings people back. And so focusing on having just great people that are willing to learn that have the humility to maybe set down in a preexisting cannabis education and recognize the education that Blake’s community puts forth because it is through a different lens. It’s certainly cannabis, but it’s cannabis with an indigenous community. TG Branfalt: Do you guys look at people who may have taken some of those courses? They are offered at sort of certificate level in a lot of states run by these private education companies. Do you look at applicants who may have taken those courses in a different way than you might somebody who has not? Does that matter as much? Ben Halley: Go ahead, Blake. Blake Johnson: Well, I think people that do take those courses, it’s nice to see that they are making that effort to want to learn to have that capability. But I think what one thing we do that’s unique that I think that would be different than most cannabis businesses is that we create an education program. We develop not only just the basic education on cannabis and the terpenes and all the different things that relate to it and the education so that when they’re speaking with the guests, they know what they’re talking about. But we also created a program that is indigenous based, Dakota based. So it also teaches our employees the perspective from our lens as native people and what we perceive it to be. And so they have to take those two courses before they can be even on the floor. And I think a number of our employees that are native or non-tribal members, we’re very excited to learn from that perspective. And so we have that different lens of looking at cannabis, like I mentioned earlier, what it means to come from Inika and how we used to use every piece of living thing on this earth and be able to showcase that to our staff. TG Branfalt: I was actually going to ask whether or not you had a specific training program. Now, is this something that maybe just the cannabis training portion of it that you may be able to bring to state regulators? Or is that something you prefer to sort of keep an out Ben Halley: For the base education? We worked with Oakton. TG Branfalt: Okay. Ben Halley: With Dale and Angela and the team there, to someone who’s recognized as a house of education, right? We need an origin point for that. And it’s certainly accredited as much as a cannabis university can be. But it was their willingness to set down what they typically do and work with Blake and myself and the rest of the team and shape that education to reflect cannabis, reflect Minnesota cannabis, and then what are the curiosities that make tribal cannabis a touch different? And they’re certainly working at the forefront of creating, taking the cannabis education that they’ve researched for years and being able to work on that lens. And then the additional education is the things that Blake’s community find important to know, but then also what are the questions that our team are being asked as a tribal dispensary and making sure that there’s a huge cast of confidence walking onto a reservation, going into a tribal dispensary. There’s a lot of unknown. And making sure that the staff can explain the rationality behind the existence as much as they can explain the terpene profile and the flower. TG Branfalt: It’s really, really interesting. I do want to ask you, Ben, working with Minnesota versus working with these other states and other tribes, can you tell me maybe what some of the differences were? I mean, you said that walls, governor Walls actually tour the facility. Is that the sort of open arms you get in other states? Ben Halley: No, I can’t say that that’s not a universal I’ll retract that. I spend a lot of time in California, and there are 10 times the number of federally recognized tribes in California that there are in Minnesota. So the benefit of Minnesota is, I mean truly was Blake and his relationships with the other community leaders and a preexisting relationship of inner community dialogue between the tribes in Minnesota, which is not always common in states. So waltz that wasn’t inclusive to us, he spent time with Red Lake, he spent time with white really understanding how each tribe was going at this. Each state has its own box of curiosities and it’s public law two 80 is another component that has a large factor in this. I won’t dive too deep into that, but it’s something that affects some tribes in some states, some tribes in other states that’s not applicable, right? It’s not a PL two 80 state. And then there are states that are PL two 80, like Minnesota, where Red Lake, it doesn’t apply to them, do their specific structure. So there’s a whole handful of curiosities that bring that to the table. But the inner community dialogue about cannabis and the willingness to share and communicate for me was inherently unique in Minnesota. And Blake’s ability to reach out to other community leaders in his position, chairman, vice chair of the tribes, and discuss cannabis on a molecular level, we’re creating an intertribal industry here. And that in itself is inherently unique. We certainly all have gaming, but it doesn’t collaborate with each other. And cannabis presents a unique opportunity for tribes to work together on an intertribal economy that benefits all tribes within that state, potentially on a national level. And that is something that Blake has certainly led that charge of making sure that this is community based as we are natives, not just within my community. This is going to benefit all of us if we continue to collaborate and work together. And it’s that collaboration that has made Minnesota really a joy to be part of, and it’s advanced tribal cannabis as an overarching industry massively. TG Branfalt: And Blake, he brings up the process that you had to go through to talk to people about cannabis. Can I ask a, how early did you start talking to people about that process? Because everyone knows that cannabis is coming eventually, right? So what does that look like for you? Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think we looked at the 2023 legislative session and the process of the Minnesota legislature moving the bill through committees and looking at, there’s actually a real possibility of this’s happening. So once we’ve seen that, we started that process of community outreach and input and wanted to really make this a community effort. And from that, like I said, we pushed those regulations, those ordinances right away, had those in place before we made any business decision, and we got that input from our community and they were super interested and took off from there. We’ve had a great two years of development that is continuing to grow and be able to move in a way that is taking its time, but yet making sure we are having those chances to be in the market. TG Branfalt: Could you guys talk to me a little bit about what might the impact of the broader adult use market at statewide in Minnesota be on cannabis businesses in indigenous communities? Like I said, I do live close to an indigenous community here in New York, and once the adult use stuff went online, a lot of people did just sort of migrate to the stuff that may be a little closer or that sort of thing. So what might that impact be and how are you preparing for statewide sales? Ben Halley: I mean, saturation certainly has an impact on everybody. One of the oddities of Minnesota is you’re not allowed to say no as a community to cannabis. TG Branfalt: Interesting. Ben Halley: And then based on population growth, Tim, you’re required to have more. So for every 12,501 people, retail needs to grow. So there’s going to be a lot of cannabis be well run, but in an effort to help maybe mitigate some of that, the impact created by that in the compact language that we’ve worked on with the community tribes are afforded eight off reservation licenses, which allow us to go into communities that have stronger location. Tribal land is wonderful, but it is often placed under a remote location. And as I mentioned earlier, convenience drives so much of our traffic. So is there an implication? Yes, absolutely it will have some impacts, but the shop we have on reservation, it certainly serves the greater population in that area, but it’s an accessory to the preexisting enterprise there. It’s already a location that people travel to, the casino, the marina, the campground, there’s so much there that bring people down. It’s just kind of a tip of the hat that the folks that do consume. So it’ll continue to stay relevant, but we will reposition ourselves with those compact dispensaries as all the tribes and the state will to be in more competitive metro markets. And so yes, there’s an impact. And then what are we doing to mitigate that? We’re looking at those compact licenses. And then for Blake and the Prairie Island Indian community, there’s been a heavy investment into Cahe, which is the distribution and making sure that our product, our only source of revenue is certainly not at the retail. We’re a contributor on a product level as well. We already sell to a handful of other tribes in the state. Ultimately, we’ll be able to have that product flow through into the state market. So there’s some risk mitigation and the choices and the decisions made to structure the business to make sure that that’s saturation, which will have an effect. We can in some way, kind of mitigate what that could ultimately be. TG Branfalt: Briefly, I mean, let’s just talk about Minnesota for a second. How many dispensaries do we expect to sort of open simultaneously in the early days? I mean within six months or something like that? Ben Halley: It’s going to be a lot. Product supply is going to dictate how individuals can open a lot of hemp product available. However, the product that we’re able to offer that Red Lake and White Earth, they’re able to offer in a La s Leach Lake, Boise, Fort Sioux, that’s all tribal cannabis product. So TG Branfalt: You guys will really have a first mover advantage in this market Ben Halley: To be sure. Legalization happened almost two years ago, and White Earth and Red Lake had themselves positioned to be successful and open a retail, and then were able to position themselves to be sources of product for other tribes as we opened. So absolutely, there’s some early market entry that we’ve certainly been able to take advantage of and be able to explore what that impact is. TG Branfalt: I’m only a little shocked because in New York, there are no indigenous owned dispensaries or production facilities or cultivation facilities like outside of tribal land. So to hear that Minnesota is actually set aside some of these licenses, I think that’s an incredible story in and of itself. Honestly, Ben Halley: It’s an incredible gesture. I think it speaks to the collaboration that I mentioned earlier, a recognition of allowing the tribes to continue to be competitive. TG Branfalt: Blake, you must be a hell of a lobbyist, bud. Blake Johnson: I think it is built up relationships that also showcase we are our own nation and we have our own capabilities, but being able to integrate into the state market and adapt. And I think one thing that is of note is that we are going to be able to supply the market at a certain level. Tribes have that capability of being able to supply additional stores, but I think the fault of the state is that they approved and licensed not only dispensaries, but then the cultivation at the same time. So there’s going to be that time lapse of no product available for a little while, why a dispensaries opened up. And so we are able to mitigate that on our end to make sure that anything that we do, we already have product, we already have the capabilities of supplying our stores. TG Branfalt: And I will say that I think there’s probably, and this I’m sure a branding opportunity here, because I think given the option, people would want cannabis that is grown by stewards of the land. Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think it’s a unique story that not everybody can speak of. We’ve been able to showcase that and teach people the meaning and why it’s important to go down this path. And so our grasslands brand that is all of our Sungrown products, I think is unique to everyone, and even to develop the symbols of animals that represent each kind of terpene. So when you see a package and it has a buffalo on it, there’s a terpene associated to that buffalo each time. And if you have a eagle, there’s a different terpene associated with it. So we have that unique opportunity to develop and create something that is not only just a brand, but also has meaning behind it and has reflection of our culture. TG Branfalt: That’s an awesome idea. I mean, really incredible story. So finally, guys, what advice might you have for entrepreneurs who are interested in getting into the cannabis space or just sort of in general? Ben Halley: I think Blake, and I’ll share this one. You have to have a plan, Tim. So important. It’s a complicated business, and having a plan, not a passion, is extremely important. You have to do the work, right? Blake has been part of this since day one, right? The tribe has been at lockstep with myself and the other consultants. They’ve done the work the whole way. This wasn’t me doing the work. This was us doing the work. So at the point that we depart, there’s native subject matter experts running the whole enterprise, whether it be the business side or the regulated side. And lastly, this is a business first. There’s a lot of people that come to cannabis with such a deep passion for that that I believe that can cloud sound business judgment. And the truth is, it’s money in versus money out. No matter how you shape it, there are certainly people that are in this for a greater cause, and I love that. But when it comes to your money as an entrepreneur and you trying to create return on your investment, not to sound so mechanical about it or disingenuine or a lack of passion, but make sure you set yourself up to make some money. Blake Johnson: And I think to add to that, Ben, is you got to know your business and know what that business’s goals are to be able to develop something. And that’s including the staff piece, is understanding what type of staff or employees are you bringing in to educate to be able to do that. But education is, I think, key part in being able to be successful and be able to provide to your guests that are in there. So education is another big piece of this. TG Branfalt: Real quick, Blake, what was the learning curve for you when you sort of entered into this? Blake Johnson: Yeah, I think I didn’t know much about cannabis besides people smoked it for, right? So my education on cannabis over the last two years has been tremendous and just getting to understand it and to take the time to really understand what each product means and the importance of it, and then also educating myself on the cultural side and how that can be incorporated into this as we view this as medicine and being able to just learn and learn and learn. It is taken a lot of time, but it’s been exciting and fun to navigate through and to get to where we are today. TG Branfalt: Thank you guys so much for taking the time, being on the show, explaining a lot of things to me and to my audience that we probably wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else. Where can people find out more about the island, pegy Dispensary about Prairie Island, CBH, about honest cannabis? Where can people find ’em more about you guys? Ben Halley: I think the best way to find out about the shop is to visit. If you’re local website certainly gives you some purview. As does social media. Social media, you have to be pretty delicate with these days. Meta has, as its claws locked into that pretty deep, but the internet one-on-one, I really think coming into the space is the most impactful way to experience it if you’re local and if it’s certainly worth the drive if you’re a ways away. TG Branfalt: Thank you guys again, so much for being on the show. Blake Johnson, president Prairie Island, CBH, the tribal entity that oversees the island pe, cannabis dispensary, and Ben Halley, COO and Founder of Honest Cannabis, a consulting company that works with Native American tribes on cannabis programs. < Previous Next > Recent Reviews Cake Boss - Fluent, Clearwater (Florida Medical) Cake Boss, available at Fluent dispensary in Clearwater, Florida, is a slightly indica-dominant hybrid strain (60% indica, 40% sativa) th... 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