Website launched as medical cannabis industry gears up in Qualla Boundary
CHEROKEE, N.C. (WLOS) — The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) has launched a website explaining their budding medical cannabis industry.
Qualla Enterprises LLC, on behalf of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, will run the medical cannabis business and will start dispensing in 2023 on the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina.
According to the website, EBCI will produce everything from "seed to sale," including pre-rolls, edibles, concentrates, and topicals that include medical-grade cannabis.
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The website details the differing local employment opportunities that will be created. Job opportunities are expected to expand as the industry grows, but early estimates show several hundred jobs could be created by the end of 2023.
"It's a vertical market. We have to plant it. We have to cultivate it. We have to harvest it. We have to process it. We have to package it and move through all of that network of product and get it there. It's a lot of people," Forrest Parker, Qualla Enterprises LLC's general manager, said of the types of job opportunities that will be available.
Many of the positions are considered entry-level. Because this is such a new industry, Parker says experience isn't a prerequisite for employment. He said they'll be looking for individuals who are interested in learning the industry, and who will come in with a good attitude and a willingness to learn.
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According to Parker, employment opportunities are expected to grow as business grows. Currently, the group employs as many as 40 individuals.
When the retail center opens, it is expected to be the largest one-stop retailer. The dispensary will be located at what many know as the Tribal Bingo Building on the Qualla Boundary.
You can find the website at EBCIcannabis.com
