Cowlitz tribe opens first marijuana dispensary

RIDGEFIELD Wash. (KPTV) - For the first time, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe in Southwest Washington will own and operate are marijuana dispensary.

Q’anapsu, which means grass in the native Cowlitz language, opened the same day as the unofficial holiday for marijuana. A crowd of people eagerly waited outside for the doors to open.

Patty Kinsaw-Gaiser, Chairwoman of the Cowlitz Tribal Council was amazed by the turnout of people for their grand opening. She said people were lining up in the rain to get the chance to be one of the first customers to buy from the dispensary.

“I went out to talk to them and I said the ones with cash get in first,” Kinsaw-Gaiser laughed.

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Kinsaw-Gaiser said her predecessor gave the green light to open a marijuana dispensary. She’s happy to see his dream become a reality.

“It was his vision and we’re carrying the vision of the opening today,” Kinsaw-Gaiser said.

According to MJBizDaily, a magazine publication that follows the cannabis industry, Washington State has 19 dispensaries owned by Native American Tribes, most of any state in the country. Q’anapsu is the latest to be added to that list.

“A lot of the tribes have them,” Kinsaw-Gaiser said. “A lot of them have multiple and we have discussed it at tribal council and it’s a council decision to go forward with it or not. We all agree this is a good economic development to help our members.”

The dispensary is open from 8 a.m. to midnight daily.