MCK Announces Lifting of Moratorium on Cannabis

KAHNAWA:KE – The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) has lifted the moratorium on the distribution and sale of cannabis for profit within the Kahnawà:ke Territory, The moratorium was imposed on September 11, 2017 by MCED. The decision to lift the moratorium was unanimously passed by Mohawk Council Executive Directive (MCED) #81/2023-2024 at a duly convened Council meeting held 4, Tsiothóhrha/December 2023.

This decision rescinds the Moratorium (MCED #48/2017-2018) in its entirety, as portions of the moratorium had been lifted when the three previous regulations had been enacted. Concurrently, the Regulation Concerning Dispensaries and Dispensary Licenses under the Kahnawà:ke Cannabis Control Law (“the KCCL”) was passed immediately prior to the rescindment of the moratorium. The moratorium was MCK’s response to the legalization of cannabis in 2018 and was put in place until the Law and its enabling regulations were enacted and in force.

The activities that were prohibited by the moratorium are now regulated by the Law and its regulations. Therefore, any cultivation, processing, distribution and sale of cannabis in the Kahnawà:ke territory must respect the KCCL.

“The enactment of the Regulation concerning Dispensaries and Dispensary Licensing, as well as the lifting of the moratorium, allows the Kahnawà:ke Cannabis Control Board (KCCB) to proceed with the opening of the dispensary licensing process” said Ietsénhaienhs Tonya Perron. “We would like to thank the community for respecting the moratorium and for their patience while completing these regulations.”

The KCCB stated they are the regulatory body mandated with authority to regulate, enforce, and administer the Law, including licensing for the cultivation, processing, distribution, and sale of cannabis within the Kahnawà:ke Territory.

The Kahnawà:ke Cannabis Control Law and its four regulations - Regulation Concerning Cultivation, Processing, and Distribution, Regulation Concerning Prices, Royalties and Contributions, Regulation Concerning Licensing Requirements and Procedures, and Regulation Concerning Dispensaries and Dispensary Licenses can be accessed on the CDMRP website at http://www.kahnawakemakingdecisions.com or on the KCCB website cannabisboard.org.