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Fed ed
I am writing to simply suggest that federal agencies be proactive rather than reactive on the topic of local marijuana legislation and educate the community on the do’s and don’ts behind the passage of Public Law 20-66 and, subsequently, P.L. 21-5. I have heard of several posts on social media locally in which cannabidiol aka CBD oil is being actively advertised. This is highly concerning as ignorance is not a reliable defense. The first thing in my thought were the words of Jesus Christ himself during his crucifixion: “Forgive them, father, for they know not what they are doing.”
I feel that the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office should work on educating people on the what is legally permissible. Our youngsters often do not understand issues regarding jurisdictional authority. We’ve seen cases of that already in Guam, merely in transit. Because Guam and the CNMI legalized it, the natural assumption would be that it is allowable. As we’ve found out, that assumption is wrong due to the mere fact that the said individual was on a plane under the purview of the FAA. If one were to import such items via the postal service, they too would undergo the same legal difficulties. Let’s list a few of the potential charges: interstate commerce if they shipped it in by any transportation system governed by the U.S.; if the item was purchased by credit card or any electronic means, they’ll probably be charged with wire fraud; as it is within federal jurisdiction you’d get the normal trafficking of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute; you’ll also get the local side as well for failure to apply for the cannabis license, to name a few of the charges.
Our youngsters need to know these laws are for local production and not importation. I would like to see responsible policing as we are spending far too much in incarcerating for drug possession charges. For marijuana? I can understand the harsher drugs, but marijuana? Why should making the arrest be the first priority? We should educate our people to avoid needless litigation.
Ross Manglona
Dandan, Saipan
