Attorney General Pam Bondi has pledged to review marijuana sales conducted by federally recognized Native American tribes, signaling a new focus on tribal cannabis sovereignty amid broader federal discussions about rescheduling the plant.
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Bondi responded to questions from Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina concerning the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). The EBCI recently launched a legal cannabis program on its sovereign lands—an effort that has drawn both interest and scrutiny from state and federal officials.
Tillis expressed concerns about how tribal operations interact with state and federal law, citing potential risks of cannabis being transported across state lines or sold through unregulated digital platforms. He referenced reports of an app allegedly allowing users in prohibition states to place cannabis orders from legal jurisdictions.
While Bondi said she was not familiar with the specific platform, she committed to investigating the issue and reaffirmed that transporting cannabis into states where it remains illegal would violate federal law. “That would still constitute an illegal transfer of a controlled substance under federal statute,” she stated.
The senator also requested clarification on how cannabis products are transported between noncontiguous tribal lands and retail locations. Bondi acknowledged the complexity of the situation and promised a Department of Justice review to determine how federal law applies to such cases.
This renewed scrutiny comes as the Trump administration weighs a potential rescheduling of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. Sara Carter, the administration’s nominee for director of national drug control policy, noted that all options are being considered and emphasized bipartisan interest in reforming current cannabis policy.
Though former President Trump has previously expressed support for reclassifying marijuana to reflect its medical uses, he has yet to restate that position publicly. Analysts expect a decision on rescheduling could arrive within weeks, marking a pivotal moment for both tribal and national cannabis policy.
Dabbin-Dad Newsroom
