TAMA, Iowa — The Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa has launched the state’s first CBD dispensary located on tribal land.
Meskwaki Inc., the tribe’s economic development arm, opened the Meskwaki Organix Store inside the Meskwaki Travel Plaza Friday morning. The store sells CBD products and “will give the local community an opportunity to learn more about the potential positive impacts of cannabinoids,” according to a press release.
While Meskwaki Inc. said it eventually aims for a vertically integrated seed-to-shelf operation, opening a retail and wholesale operation proved the easiest way to enter the market. The company also aims to sell the products to other companies via its Big River Trading Company wholesale division.
“We have a unique opportunity here in Iowa to destigmatize hemp plant uses, and to hopefully assist our customers to know how to use the plant in its various forms,” Vincent Lasley, product specialist at Meskwaki Organix, said in a statement.
With the retail location, which will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Meskwaki Organix also plans to conduct market research and product development on what consumers prefer in CBD products.
All products sold in the store are made from industrial hemp, which contains less than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC and has no psychoactive effects.
The tribe’s move comes amid a growing market for CBD products. A report published by Growth Market Reports values the 2019 CBD market at $395.2 million and predicts growth of around 30.4 percent by 2027.
“We can’t wait to be a part of the hemp journey and expand access and education to customers,” said Meskwaki Organix Manager Darrell Hill.
