AKWESASNE -- The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council announces the postponement of the June 4th Tribal Referendum that sought approval from membership to initiate negotiations with New York State for off-territory cannabis sales.

The referendum question was as follows:

“Do you approve of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, in coordination with its Adult Use Cannabis Licensees, to enter into discussions with New York State on an agreement that would allow tribally-licensed cannabis businesses to sell their products in New York State, outside of tribal territory?”

The decision to pause the referendum was based on several factors, but most importantly it was based upon feedback from tribal members, which indicated that more time is needed to share information on the referendum’s purpose. In addition, it is not clear at this time if New York State would be in a position to engage in such negotiations, as its cannabis program is heavily focused on finalizing regulations and issuance of its first licenses.

“There may be a perception that this referendum is to approve an actual agreement with New York State, which is not the case,” noted the Tribal Council and added that, “A ‘yes’ vote would only be the first step in the Tribal Council commencing negotiations with the State. We agree with the feedback received that additional time is needed to make this very clear to tribal members.”

Once rescheduled, the new referendum timeline will be shared with membership.