Feldgling pot delivery service not sanctioned by Shinnecock Indian Nation

Leaders of the Shinnecock Indian Nation on Friday said the tribe has not officially sanctioned cannabis delivery services off the Southampton reservation under its formal licensing program, after a group launched a service this week that promises delivery from Southampton to Montauk.

Newsday on Thursday reported on a new app, called Tribal Dash, and recreational cannabis delivery service from the Cloud 9 dispensary located in the Shinnecock Indian Outpost that allows customers to order cannabis online for delivery throughout most of the Hamptons. Yasmine and Awan Gumbs, co-owners of the Cloud 9 Dispensary and Conscious Cloud Dispensary, told Newsday they developed the app with the ambition of extending it to Native American tribes in other regions.

The Tribal Dash website offers "cannabis delivered to your door," including pre-rolls, edibles, drinks, topical ointments, vape accessories and flower, which can be smoked or added to baked goods

Trustees of the Shinnecock nation, in a call to Newsday Friday, noted that the current licensing program implemented by the tribe in December does not have a provision for deliveries or sales off reservation.

“We certainly do not authorize off-territory [delivery] under our licenses currently,” said Bryan Polite, speaking for trustees during a call. “We wanted to clear the record.”

One reason is that the tribe becomes “vicariously responsible” for licensed shops that sell cannabis, but there is no provision under the tribal license that would extend that responsibility to off-reservation transactions, leaders said.  

Tela Troge, vice chairperson of the Shinnecock Cannabis Regulatory Division, said, "Neither the Nation nor its regulatory division have licensed this business to operate a dispensary or otherwise sell cannabis on tribal territory in accordance with the ordinance adopted by the Nation to promote the health, safety and welfare of the Shinnecock people." 

Yasmine and Awan Gumbs, in a statement, noted they'd established their business in 2021, "prior to any tribal mandates" and said they "promptly submitted our license application in February. We fulfilled all requirements, paid the license fee, and submitted a comprehensive 50-plus page application." They said they were later told their "submitted confidential documents had been misplaced." 

"Consequently," the couple said. "we had to resubmit in April and we are still awaiting a response.”

The tribe continues to process licenses but at present only one dispensary, Little Beach Harvest, is licensed. “Currently the tribe is working to get everyone into compliance,” Polite said, adding, "There are mechanisms to bring people into compliance.”

Tribal vice chairman Randy King noted that New York state is having similar challenges in launching its state-sanctioned cannabis program. “It’s nothing short of amazing that the Shinnecock Nation got its regulations and licensing requirements together” and is finishing a dispensary that will open soon, he said. “That’s something to be proud of, and New York and Gov. Kathy Hochul are facing the same challenges.”

Taobi Silva, who manages the Shinnecock Smoke Shop and is one of the largest cannabis dispensaries on the reservation, said he's working on his formal license application and is “looking for clarification before I finish” it, even while selling cannabis from the shop, as are many others. He said he has no plan to start delivery services.

“At this moment we don’t have any off-reservation sales, whether delivery or other methods,” he said. “We’re content with on-reservation sales.”

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

Mark Harrington, a Newsday reporter since 1999, covers energy, wineries, Indian affairs and fisheries.