LCO Hosts Informational Meeting on Cannabis Program: “We Legalize, Regulate, Employ & Train”

By Joe Morey

News Editor

A cannabis informational meeting was held at Sevenwinds Casino Convention Center on Wednesday, May 28. The event offered tribal membership an update on the Tribe’s emerging cannabis program and provided insights into the medical, legal, and economic implications of cannabis legalization for the Tribe.

Secretary-Treasurer Bill Trepanier, who has been spearheading the initiative, emphasized the Tribe’s commitment to becoming a leader in cannabis development within the state of Wisconsin.

“We are moving forward,” Trepanier said. “Just last week, the Tribal Governing Board designated the Bizhiki building as the future site of our dispensary.”

The Bizhiki Wellness Center staff recently transitioned to the new clinic, leaving the original facility available for conversion. Trepanier explained the significance of this step, describing a dispensary as a licensed facility where medical cannabis can be legally distributed to patients under regulated and safe conditions.

“Bill is passionate and our program is moving further along because of his efforts,” said Tribal member Gary “Little Guy” Clause. “It’s important we keep moving forward.”

A First Mover in Wisconsin

Cannabis consultant Thi Le, who has been advising the Tribe throughout its development process, offered a comprehensive update on the Tribe’s strategy, stressing that LCO is in a rare position.

“The Wisconsin market is $1.6 billion a year, mostly going towards cannabis sales in surrounding legal states and illicit, unregulated in-state sales,” Le said. “We’re looking to change that reality so that LCO and other Tribes in WI can offer medical cannabis that is regulated, compliantly produced, and tested. This would result in a safer market and revenue that can be directly reinvested into Tribal programs and services."

Le noted that most tribal programs follow state legalization, but LCO’s program is being built without much guidance from the state as there is no such program yet. "We're also exploring strategies that could potentially position LCO to regulate before the state, as there has not been any real progress in the state legislature over the last 10 years resulting in the continued criminalization of cannabis, lack of access to safe cannabis, and absence of revenue capture."

“We legalize, regulate, employ and train—then we begin operations and make history,” she stated. "If successful, LCO could be the first PL-280 Tribe to legalize before the state does. That would make LCO a first-mover—and a leader.” 

She emphasized the importance of infrastructure and careful planning. “We’re researching: where do we start, how big can we get, and how fast can we get there?” she said.

The Tribe has already taken foundational steps with the passage of Resolution 2024-112, which formally decriminalized cannabis on the reservation and declared it an indigenous medicine. The resolution cites modern research and endorsements from the American College of Physicians, American Nurses Association, and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“Cannabis has been documented as medicine for thousands of years,” Le noted. “Scientific evidence supports its medicinal use, and it’s recognized by tens of thousands of doctors. Currently, there are more than six million patients in the U.S. who rely on medicinal marijuana for treatment.”

Building a Cannabis Community

Le explained the Tribe is forming a Cannabis Committee to include tribal voices in the process.

“In most successful tribal programs, the push comes from the membership,” she said. “This committee will help guide the program’s direction and make sure it benefits the people first.”

Kelly Sander, a tribal member residing in Minnesota, highlighted the urgency of development. “The White Earth Tribe is opening 11 dispensaries off-reservation in the state. If we want to be that successful, we need to get our program going now,” he said.

The program is being designed with long-term goals in mind, including partnerships with other tribal and non-tribal entities once state and federal laws evolve.

“For now, we regulate doing business here and for tribal members—that’s first,” Le said.

In prior discussions with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, Le reported that the AG expressed openness to continued dialogue and research.

“He told us his office would not intervene unless there’s an egregious violation, like drug trafficking,” she said. “He also asked about launching a pilot program and whether there’s a cleaner way to get something set up before full state legalization.”

This leaves the door open for innovative tribal governance over cannabis in Wisconsin, positioning LCO as a case study for future statewide and national developments.

LCO Ojibwe University Offering Cannabis Classes

Odawa White, from the LCO Ojibwe University, spoke at the meeting to inform the community of several cannabis class offerings. The first is a class offered to anyone in the community from June 24 to 26 this year, with a visit to the Prairie Island community's cannabis program on June 27.

The second class is a 3-credit course offered at the university this fall. NAT-106-Cannabis Science. This course will be for enrolled students and provides an overview of cannabis including its contentious history and legal policies, botany, cannabinoid pharmacology, environmental significance, emerging industry, business operations, and applications in medical research and therapy.

For more information on the classes, contact Brandy Lonetree-White at the University.

Cannabis as Medicine: Expert Presentation by Dr. Joseph Rosado

The meeting featured a special guest presentation by Dr. Joseph Rosado, an alternative medicine expert who has worked with over 3,750 patients using medical cannabis.

“I can’t prescribe cannabis because it’s still a Schedule 1 drug, but I can recommend it, and that’s what I do,” Rosado said.

He presented his Top 10 Diagnoses for recommending cannabis, including:

1.       Chronic pain – “People are tired of being on addictive medications,” he said, citing a patient who dropped from 58 pills a day to just cannabis.

2.       PTSD – Cannabis helps alleviate anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

3.       Crohn’s disease

4.       Parkinson’s disease – Helps manage tremors and mood.

5.       Rheumatoid arthritis – “THC is 20 times more potent than aspirin,” Rosado said.

6.       Fibromyalgia – Explained as an endocannabinoid deficiency.

7.       Cancer – He shared a story of a lung cancer patient whose tumor vanished after treatment.

8.       Epilepsy and seizures

9.       Autoimmune disorders

10.  Neuropathy – Treated with topical applications, inhalants, and edibles.

Rosado also highlighted safety concerns around the black market. “Some kids are buying products laced with heroin,” he warned. “A regulated, certified dispensary can ensure patients are getting real medicine, not fake or dangerous substitutes.”

He closed on a lighthearted note: “There are a lot of side effects from prescription drugs. With cannabis, the main side effect is—you might get the munchies.”

As the LCO cannabis initiative advances, leaders and community members alike seem aligned in their message: the future is green, and it begins at home.

“We’re not just creating a product,” said Trepanier. “We’re creating a movement, built on sovereignty, safety, and service to our people.”