Chamber says it opposes medical marijuana bill

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce is opposing a bill seeking to legalize marijuana for medicinal purpose.

“Marijuana is against the law in the CNMI, and SCC believes it should stay that way,” Chamber president Douglas Brennan said in an Oct. 18 letter to Rep. Sylvester Iguel (Cov-Saipan).

Iguel, chair of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, is seeking comments on Rep. Stanley Torres’ (Ind-Saipan) House Bill 17-213 which seeks to legalize for medicinal use.

But Brennan said the bill’s title which says “and for other purposes” causes the greatest concern for the Chamber.

The Chamber is the largest business organization in the CNMI with some 150 members.

Brennan said the Chamber has submitted on numerous occasion comments not supporting the legalization of marijuana, the legalization of medicinal marijuana and the use of any and all legislation that would allow for greater access to marijuana for CNMI residents.

“The belief that there are special groups of people that would benefit from easier and legal access to marijuana, in this case by medical prescription, is not supported by SCC. The belief that the legalization of marijuana is a means to economic prosperity in the CNMI is equally refused by SCC,” Brennan told Iguel.

Torres, when asked for comment yesterday, said it’s “okay” that the Chamber opposes his medical marijuana bill.

“It’s okay. I know where the Chamber is coming from,” Torres told Saipan Tribune.

Chamber’s Brennan said there are many reports in the 17 U.S. jurisdictions that all for medicinal marijuana that doctors are merely convenient conduit for recreational marijuana than reports of those doctors seriously treating patients needing only marijuana for specific conditions.

“SCC believes this would be no different in the CNMI…SCC does not support H.B. 17-213 for the legalization of medicinal marijuana,” Brennan said.

Torres introduced his medicinal marijuana bill in August this year, some nine months after the Senate killed his bill legalizing marijuana for both recreational and medical uses.

He had said he hopes there will be stronger support this time around from House and Senate members, considering that his bill focuses only on medicinal marijuana.

His latest marijuana legalization bill claims that marijuana is a safe and effective treatment for dozens of conditions, including cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, pain, migraines, glaucoma, and epilepsy.

It says the economic impact of this legalization include the non-incarceration of terminally ill patients and revenue generated from the taxes imposed on the legal sale of medicinal marijuana from licensed, law-abiding suppliers.