Give medical marijuana a chance, and then…

“Do what you can to help sick people like us from getting worse, or dying, primo.” This was the plea from a cousin of mine who is a cancer survivor (lungs and stomach) and who uses marijuana, illegally, to treat himself. “Please help to give medical marijuana a chance!” he declared.

Since 1995, I have grown to understand and see the cannabis culture progress with advances in science and technology and the results are extraordinary. As a cannabis advocate, I am obligated to share my knowledge regarding everything I know about cannabis, from its medical and recreational use to its agricultural and industrial applications. Cannabis can save the world. This is a fact. It is considered a miracle plant due to its possible uses in everyday life. From medicine for sickness to its social use with friends, to the food we eat, homes we live in, clothes we wear, fuel for our cars, electricity for our homes, paper we write on, etc. All of these from a single plant. A new age industry in cannabis. This is what the CNMI can prosper from as I wholeheartedly and passionately know what cannabis can do for the CNMI and its people. This can only be done when all the potential uses of cannabis are fully applied to society as a whole. Now, we have an opportunity before us in applying one of the most beneficial attributes of cannabis: medical marijuana. It will be in this regard that we must show our support for the current Senate medical marijuana bill so we as a compassionate society will be able to treat our sick and suffering people, because for some of them time is what they do not have. This is a compassionate bill. This will be our first step toward full legalization. First, let us give medical marijuana a chance to get the mechanics in place so that we will have a starting point that will allow us the chance to gain a better understanding of cannabis and to gauge its acceptability and impacts on our lives and society. Then we will all work together toward cannabis legalization for recreational, agricultural and industrial purposes, all at the same time to fully maximize its potential. Together, we will make this happen.

As for marijuana economics, I stated before that even if all the CNMI people combined were to consume marijuana, it will not justify a huge economic standpoint due to the CNMI’s population base. We have to think smarter, not harder to see the opportunities ahead. The CNMI Medical Marijuana Program will eventually, and ultimately, create a new industry in medicine: medical marijuana tourism. This is where our economic potential will begin to be realized in generating revenues for the CNMI. Substantial revenues that may be used to offset medical referral, treatment and rehabilitation costs; education and scholarship costs; as well as funding special programs for the youth to name a few. There will be tourists from all over the world, particularly Asia, that will specifically visit the CNMI for the sole purpose of medical marijuana treatment. This is not because we will have a strict medical marijuana program. It would be because we will have the friendliest, most effective and possibly the best MMJ program in the world. This is where we will establish our Unique Strategic Advantage to differentiate the CNMI from the competition. These medical marijuana tourists will be receiving their treatment for the duration of their stay (beyond regular vacation time) while at the same time, they enjoy the hospitality of our little paradise with beaches and sunsets, and ultimately, the best experiences of their lives. This in turn will create the multiplier effect in business benefits for all, directly and indirectly.

The World Health Organization stated, “The medical tourism industry has been growing worldwide. It involves about 50 countries in all continents.” Thailand is projecting $3 billion for medical tourism alone. In Colorado, medical marijuana accounts for the majority of total sales compared to recreational marijuana, in which the medical marijuana sector has contributed to the billion dollar tourism industry in 2014. This is evidenced as more people from across the U.S. and the world temporarily move there to take advantage of its friendly medical marijuana program. Marijuana sales in Colorado are projected to hit $1 billion in 2016. Medical tourism will embrace medical marijuana no matter what, and we will gain extraordinarily. Cannabis is a lucrative business. It is now called “The Green Rush” and everybody is cashing in. George Washington said it best when he declared, “Sow the seeds of hemp everywhere for it is abundant and everyone shall prosper.” I could not agree more.

For the past 20 years, I have had a vision of cannabis and everything cannabis. In my world of cannabis, it is part of our everyday life from the moment we wake to the moment we rest. And it is a beautiful world, indeed. First, let us take care of the sick with medical marijuana so they may be able to live longer to see this new industry get started. Then we will push forward with the potentials of recreational, agricultural and industrial legalization. Please support the medical marijuana bill at the upcoming public hearings so we may give the sick and suffering people a second chance to live again. Biba Marianas!

Gerry Palacios Hemley
Medical marijuana advocate/representative of patients for MMJ
Garapan, Saipan