LCO leaders tour Eastern Cherokee cannabis operations; consultant cites “textbook example” of sovereignty-driven growth
- joemorey
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
By Joe Morey
News Editor
Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Vice Chairman Bill Trepanier, Councilwoman Lorraine Gouge, and LCO cannabis consultant Thi Le traveled to Cherokee, North Carolina, on October 7, 2025, for an inside look at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ (EBCI) rapidly expanding cannabis enterprise. The visit followed an invitation for LCO leadership to attend EBCI’s Tribal Council inauguration on October 6. The delegation was hosted by returning Councilman Bo Crowe, members of the Qualla Enterprises Board, and staff of the Great Smoky Cannabis Company.
“Our relationship with the Eastern Band has grown tremendously over the past year. They’ve welcomed us into their facilities, shared hard-won knowledge, and treated LCO like true partners,” Trepanier said. “Their invitation to the Tribal Council inauguration was an honor, and Councilwoman Lorraine Gouge and I both came away with a deeper understanding of how a sovereign, well-regulated cannabis market can uplift a community.”
Trepanier added that EBCI’s progress offers a compelling blueprint:
“From the first medical sales on April 20, 2024, to full adult-use on September 7, 2024, the Eastern Band has moved with discipline and purpose,” he said. “They’re proving that a tribally controlled, vertically integrated model can create jobs, diversify revenue, and support wellness, while staying squarely within the tribe’s regulatory framework.”
Le said EBCI’s program “continues to stand as a historic cannabis regulatory model and business operation,” noting that the tribe has built a fully regulated market on the Qualla Boundary even as marijuana remains illegal under North Carolina law.
EBCI opened its medical dispensary, the Great Smoky Cannabis Company, on April 20, 2024, an opening day that drew strong patient demand and marked the state’s first legal marijuana sales.
A year of milestones followed. After tribal voters endorsed adult-use in a 2023 referendum, EBCI authorized full adult-use sales to anyone 21+ beginning September 7, 2024. Media and regulatory notices at the time confirmed the start date; Trepanier and Le were among those in attendance.
As Le emphasized, EBCI’s work underscores Tribal sovereignty in action: the tribe regulates cultivation, processing, and sales on tribal land, while products remain illegal off-reservation under state law.
According to Le’s report, the tour showcased substantial updates since LCO’s prior visits:
· Indoor cultivation has begun in a 50,000-square-foot facility focused on premium smokable flower.
· A new solventless extraction program is producing full-spectrum concentrates and inputs for additional product lines.
· In-house SKUs have expanded dramatically; the retail floor now covers nearly every in-demand category, concentrates, vapes, edibles, topicals, pet products and more, with hundreds of options available daily. (Public coverage over the past year has described a fast-growing menu that scaled from dozens of items at launch into the hundreds.)
· Investment in new technology and equipment has increased efficiency while immersive R&D supports breeding initiatives.
· A consumption lounge is slated to open by spring.
· Robust data practices are informing decisions on consumer demographics, regional draw across the Southeast and Gulf states, marketing reach, and product mix.
Le said daily sales averages and basket sizes “continue to trend upward,” adding that EBCI is now operating with the polish “you’d expect from a decades-old company.”
Le credited the consistent, government-to-government exchange between LCO and EBCI, spanning market analysis, compliance lessons learned, and operational know-how, with accelerating LCO’s own cannabis program development. “We’ve been able to witness history in the making,” Le said, “and translate those insights directly into LCO’s planning.”
Public records and reporting in 2025 point to continued institutional momentum behind the enterprise, including recent Tribal Council action to convert a major start-up loan to equity, an indication of long-term commitment and confidence in Qualla Enterprises’ performance.
Le’s bottom line: EBCI’s cannabis operation “continues to exceed expectations in business management, community benefits, and the exercise of Tribal sovereignty.” Each visit, she said, brings new developments and data-driven refinements that are directly informing LCO’s path forward.
