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by Jennifer Emert
QUALLA BOUNDARY, N.C. (WLOS) — In a reverse decision, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians' Tribal Council withdrew its backing of a $64 million loan to support the Tribe's medical cannabis program.
During a meeting on Thursday, May 4, Principal Chief Richard Sneed vetoed the council's initial approval in a multi-page letter, during which he called for an "immediate need for an accounting of the money spent to date."
SEEING GREEN: WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE EBCI'S MEDICAL CANNABIS PROGRAM?
While Sneed called for an audit, his letter mentioned that he still supports the medical cannabis program and encourages its ratification by the Tribe. He also referenced the ongoing potential for adult or recreational use in the future but is concerned with the current costs of setting up the initial medical program.
Chief Sneed noted that he's troubled by the accountability of the managing of the business side of the operation, which is 100% over budget. Initially, the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the project estimated the operation at Cooper's Creek to establish a medical cannabis program would cost the Tribe $50,000,000.
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In his letter to Tribal Council, Chief Sneed said the proposal also has not been fulfilled in several instances. He mentioned one instance where the RFP calls for Nextgen glass greenhouses on site for cultivating hemp. Instead, he says the site has been covered in plastic hoop-houses at a cost of $66,000 each.
POLL: WHAT TYPE OF MARIJUANA SHOULD N.C. LEGALIZE?
In his letter to Tribal Council, Chief Sneed said that Qualla Enterprises LLC, the business management, has not provided accounting for the millions spent so far despite requests from the Tribe's Treasury Division. He claimed the Treasury Division said Qualla Enterprises is a component entity of the Tribe and therefore is required to submit the data and an audit under Tribal law.
SEEING GREEN: LAWMAKERS FACE CHALLENGES TRYING TO FIND RIGHT FIT FOR CANNABIS REGULATION
Tribal Council vetoed another resolution that was initially passed in April during Thursday's meeting. That ordinance allowed employees working at the Cooper's Creek site to sample products produced on site as a quality control measure.
Chief Sneed vetoed that measure saying it went against the regulatory framework set up by Council for the medical cannabis program. The program says the only individual who can consume products produced by the operation are those individuals who the EBCI's Cannabis Control Board has approved for a medical cannabis patient card. The chief pointed out there are other measures provided for quality control in the original guidelines established by the Tribe for the program.
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