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CCC issues 1st retail, class III cannabis license
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Posted on May 14 2021
Members of the CNMI Cannabis Commission and Saipan Select LLC pose with Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, seated second from left, and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, seated second from right, and Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider (R-Tinian), standing leftmost, after signing the Producer Class III and retail licenses yesterday at the Governor’s Office on Capital Hill. (JUSTINE NAUTA)
The CNMI Cannabis Commission issued the first Producer Class III and retail licenses to Saipan Select, LLC yesterday at the Governor’s Office on Capital Hill.
According to CCC, the Producer Class III license is the largest of the commercial production licenses that CCC offers, which permits the licensee up to 5,000 square feet of canopy space for legal planting, cultivation, growth, harvesting, drying, and sale of cannabis to licensed wholesalers, processors, retailers, lounges, laboratories, and/or research certificate holders in the CNMI.
Former Department of Public Safety commissioner Claudio K. Norita, who mans the security of Saipan Select, projects that the community can start buying from them in six to eight weeks, depending on their harvest. He added that they can start opening their place, but the “main product” is cannabis, and they don’t want to open without it.
Harvesting cannabis means that the plant is at its final phase of farming and will be ready to be sold. When asked about the revenue that Saipan Select estimates to generate, Norita said it depends on how many plants are good enough to sell.
“Depending on how many [seedlings] grow. …We could plant 600 seedlings, [but we could] lose some. …You can guess how much you’re going to get, but you won’t get it until you harvest,” he said.
Norita said the company is looking into giving discounts to those who have cancer or are severely ill, veterans, and the elderly populations.
According to Norita, CCC is firm in making sure that Saipan Select, as well as other licensed sellers, follow CCC’s rules and regulations. This means that Saipan Select cannot donate any samples or gift cards to any raffles or have anyone else to sell their product.
“We’re very positive, we’re aggressive also, in the way we’re doing this now. It’s a new venture and we’re learning also as we go. We’re setting the path for future licensees, and at the same time building a relationship,” said Norita.
Norita said Saipan Select will have its grand opening as soon their harvest is ready. The grand opening will be at their retail store, which is behind the Tanapag cemetery.
