By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The two-year anniversary of legal adult-use cannabis sales on the lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is approaching.
Nick Reed, left, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and employee at the Great Smoky Cannabis Co. dispensary in Cherokee, N.C., helps Ben Cordell with a sale on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. Cordell, of Greenville, S.C., was the first in line to purchase as the facility opened for the first time for adult-use (21+) cannabis sales to all. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
Following years of discussions and exactly one year to the day that a referendum passed on the issue, Cherokee started sales of adult-use cannabis on Sept. 7, 2024. All sales are made at the Great Smoky Cannabis Co. which is operated by Qualla Enterprises, LLC, an entity of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), which also operates a cannabis farm in Tsisqwohi (Birdtown) which supplies the dispensary.
Ord. No. 63 (2024), authorizing adult-use cannabis on the lands of the EBCI was approved as amended on June 27, 2024 and signed into law by Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks the same day.
The One Feather reached out to Qualla Enterprises, LLC with some questions as the two-year anniversary nears.
COF: How are things going at Great Smoky Cannabis Company?
Qualla Enterprises, LLC: Great Smoky Cannabis Company continues to perform very well as it approaches the second anniversary of adult-use sales. The company has experienced continued sales growth while making significant improvements in operational efficiency across cultivation, manufacturing, and retail. Increased cultivation yields expanded production capabilities, and greater use of technology and automation have helped support continued growth while improving overall efficiency. The company remains focused on building a sustainable, profitable enterprise that creates long-term economic benefit for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
COF: How many total employees does Qualla Enterprises have, and what is the breakdown between the farm and dispensary? What percentage are EBCI employees?
Qualla: Qualla Enterprises currently employs 255 employees, with 119 in cultivation and production, 112 in retail and security, and 24 in administrative and support functions.
83 percent of the company’s workforce are members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Creating meaningful employment opportunities for tribal members has remained a central priority as the company has grown from a startup operation into one of the Tribe’s larger enterprises.
All sales are made at the Great Smoky Cannabis Co. which is operated by Qualla Enterprises, LLC, an entity of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI).
COF: With the second anniversary of adult-use sales approaching, what products have been added during the past year?
Qualla: Great Smoky Cannabis Company has continued to expand and refine its product portfolio over the past year, with rosin and other solventless products becoming a particular area of focus. Rosin has become an increasingly important product category in the cannabis market and our expanded production capabilities have allowed us to focus on rosin-based products.
Another area of focus over the past year has been infused flower and pre-roll products, including Space Rockets and similar products. Space Rockets are pre-rolls or flower that are coated in batter and rolled in finely crushed concentrates or kief, creating a more potent and distinctive alternative to traditional flower and pre-rolls. The company has also introduced RSO-based products like gummies which provide customers with an easy-to-consume, full-spectrum edible option.
Looking ahead, product development will continue to be a priority, with plans to further expand the company’s rosin and solventless offerings. Research and development are also underway on several new product categories, including seltzers and potentially a pouch product. As with existing products, the focus will be on product quality and developing new offerings that respond to customer demand.
COF: What are some successes the company would like to highlight?
Qualla: One of the company’s most significant accomplishments has been the completion and successful operation of its indoor cultivation facility. The facility incorporates advanced cultivation equipment and environmental control systems that allow the cultivation team to precisely manage every aspect of the growing environment. It represents a major step forward in the sophistication of the company’s cultivation operations, and the team is now producing the highest-quality flower the company has offered to date. Under the leadership of tribal members, the initial indoor yields exponentially exceeded national production averages. Great Smoky Cannabis Company is setting the standard for quality and safety across the nation.
The economic impact the company has been able to create in a relatively short period of time is another major accomplishment. As previously stated, Qualla Enterprises currently employs over 250 people, with enrolled EBCI members making up about 83 percent of the workforce. At the same time, the business has reached the point where it is generating profits that can be returned to the Tribe while continuing to reinvest heavily in its own growth. Creating that many jobs, generating revenue for the Tribe and continuing to build for the future at the same time is something the company is extremely proud of.
Just as importantly, Great Smoky Cannabis Company has created something that has become a genuine destination in Cherokee. Since the beginning of adult-use sales, the dispensary has fulfilled over 750,000 orders for customers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, many of whom are coming to Cherokee specifically to visit the dispensary. In two short years, the dispensary has established itself as a known and exciting experience that employees enjoy being a part of, and customers are excited to visit. Building something of that scale, creating an experience that attracts people from across the Southeast, and doing it here in Cherokee is an accomplishment in itself.
Legal Reminder
Cherokee Code Sec. 14-95.12 (Prohibited Marijuana Conduct) outlines what is not legal regarding cannabis on EBCI tribal lands.
“(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, business, or other entity to:
- Possess marijuana when the person is less than 21 years old;
- Provide, give, or transfer in any way, marijuana to any person less than 21 years old;
- Cultivate marijuana without a valid license or a valid medical cannabis patient card issued by the EBCI Cannabis Control Board;
- Operate any marijuana facility without a valid license issued by the EBCI Cannabis Control Board;
- Sell marijuana without a license from the EBCI Cannabis Control Board;
- Sell hemp or hemp products without a license from the EBCI Cannabis Control Board;
- Possession of marijuana in any place where possession is prohibited by the conspicuous posting of a sign or notice by the owner or possessor of the location;
- Consuming marijuana in public;
- Possess or consume marijuana within 100 feet of a school, child day care facility, church, hospital, tribal government building, public park, playground, community club building, or public swimming pool, or community facility as defined in Chapter 17;
- Transport marijuana, hemp, or hemp products in the passenger area of a motor vehicle in other than the manufacturer’s unopened original container;
- Consume marijuana, hemp, or hemp products while driving a motor vehicle on a highway or public vehicular area as defined in Chapter 20 of the Cherokee Code.”
