What is now a damp plot of bright green grass next to a Native American greenhouse in Northern California could soon set the burgeoning marijuana industry on fire.
An initial state-of-the art greenhouse measuring 10,000 square feet (930 square meters) is to be erected within weeks on the land in Ukiah, which is owned by the 250-member Pinoleville Pomo Nation and lies about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north of Sacramento. It is the initial phase of a marijuana joint venture that is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation.
The endeavor, launched after a U.S. Department of Justice memo largely cleared the way for such enterprises, is expected to trigger similar ventures to bring cannabis cash to Native Americans, adding to income from tribal casinos and tax-free cigarette sales.