Minnesota Expands Cannabis Partnerships with Tribal Compact
09/12/2025
Minnesota has taken a significant step in advancing its adult-use cannabis market by forging a new partnership with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. A recently signed cannabis compact allows the tribal nation to establish and operate up to eight off-reservation marijuana dispensaries across the state. This agreement marks a continued effort to integrate tribal nations into Minnesota’s burgeoning cannabis industry, following a similar compact with another tribal group in the state.
The compact, overseen by the state’s Office of Cannabis Management, paves the way for innovative collaborations between the Mille Lacs Band and state-licensed cannabis businesses. These partnerships are expected to create unique opportunities, benefiting both the tribal nation and Minnesota’s cannabis consumers. The agreement emphasizes a model of responsible regulation that respects tribal sovereignty while fostering economic growth and consumer access to regulated cannabis products.
The Mille Lacs Band’s marijuana enterprise, Lake Leaf, is already active on the reservation and has begun expanding its reach. With temporary retail locations operational in Onamia and Hinckley, the Band is poised to supply its products to other tribal dispensaries and, under the new compact, to licensed retailers statewide. The agreement permits the Band to open one dispensary per city and up to three per county, though the timeline for these openings remains unspecified.
This development is seen as a milestone in Minnesota’s cannabis industry, promoting a cooperative framework between the state and tribal nations. The Office of Cannabis Management highlights the potential for these partnerships to drive innovation and expand access to adult-use cannabis. For the Mille Lacs Band, the compact underscores a commitment to tribal leadership and economic development through respectful government-to-government collaboration. As Minnesota’s cannabis market continues to grow, these efforts are expected to set a lasting precedent for responsible and inclusive regulation, benefiting communities and businesses across the state.
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The compact, overseen by the state’s Office of Cannabis Management, paves the way for innovative collaborations between the Mille Lacs Band and state-licensed cannabis businesses. These partnerships are expected to create unique opportunities, benefiting both the tribal nation and Minnesota’s cannabis consumers. The agreement emphasizes a model of responsible regulation that respects tribal sovereignty while fostering economic growth and consumer access to regulated cannabis products.
The Mille Lacs Band’s marijuana enterprise, Lake Leaf, is already active on the reservation and has begun expanding its reach. With temporary retail locations operational in Onamia and Hinckley, the Band is poised to supply its products to other tribal dispensaries and, under the new compact, to licensed retailers statewide. The agreement permits the Band to open one dispensary per city and up to three per county, though the timeline for these openings remains unspecified.
This development is seen as a milestone in Minnesota’s cannabis industry, promoting a cooperative framework between the state and tribal nations. The Office of Cannabis Management highlights the potential for these partnerships to drive innovation and expand access to adult-use cannabis. For the Mille Lacs Band, the compact underscores a commitment to tribal leadership and economic development through respectful government-to-government collaboration. As Minnesota’s cannabis market continues to grow, these efforts are expected to set a lasting precedent for responsible and inclusive regulation, benefiting communities and businesses across the state.
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