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Two-day hearing on pot legalization starts on Rota
A two-day hearing on the legalization of marijuana for medicinal use started on Rota on Wednesday night, aiming to seek public opinion on the issue.
Sen. Sixto Igisomar (R-Saipan), who introduced the proposed bill, said he expects Rota residents to ask questions regarding the regulation, cultivation, and retail consumption of qualified patients.
The lawmaker said he hopes to answer questions such as who is going to regulate the cultivators and the distributors, and who is going to receive the treatment.
Former teacher and long-time Saipan resident Ambrose Bennett praised the lawmaker, saying “it is obvious that Senator Igisomar was the only one who had the wisdom, courage, and fortitude to even present the issue for consideration as no other lawmaker has co-signed the [proposed] bill.”
Bennett, who support the full legalization of marijuana use, said, “The problem is getting our leaders to give the people a chance to answer the question” on whether to legalize the use of marijuana or not.
“So the Legislature is not ready either to answer the question if we are ready yet. Until they are willing to give the people a chance, we will be just guessing,” Bennett said.
“But I do know there are a lot of people from all walks of life including police officers, teachers, lawyers, professional title-holders, business people, and ordinary citizens who want to see marijuana legalized for all usage,” he added.
Bennett also said “marijuana is as common as chewing gum now but the leaders in the CNMI are just slow to lead us in the direction of change.”
“As for the unforeseen consequences, many of the so-called consequences have already proved to be figments of people’s imagination,” he said.
Bennett cited other places that have now legalized the use of marijuana, including Guam.
