Seeds of Sovereignty: Indigenous Rights and Canadian Cannabis Law

Three years following the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada, the role of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples in regulating cannabis has yet to be adequately addressed, creating a state of legal uncertainty over questions about jurisdiction and control. Despite this uncertainty, some Indigenous nations have nonetheless begun to assert their inherent rights to self-government and regulate cannabis according to their own customs and laws. In this episode, we explore both the challenges the Cannabis Act has posed for Indigenous governments and cannabis entrepreneurs, as well as the flourishing “red market” of cannabis businesses that operate and are licensed under Indigenous laws and frameworks.