CNMI Cannabis Act of 2018
{{short description|2018 bill}}
{{update|date=January 2019}}
The CNMI Cannabis Act of 2018 is a bill introduced in the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature in 2017 as SB 20-62. It was introduced by Senator Sixto Igisomar and would legalize cannabis possession and consumption by adults and create a Cannabis Commission to regulate sales in the Commonwealth. Hearings on the act were held in October, 2017; a senator said it had the highest public attendance of any hearings he knew of. On May 16, 2018 (May 15 in the States), SB 20-62 had a final vote in the Commonwealth's Senate, and was passed without opposition.[http://www.cnmileg.gov.mp/resources/files/051118%20Senate%20Session.pdf Senate calendar for third special session, May 16, 2018], Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature official website, published May 11, 2018 On May 30 (29 in the States), it passed the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations unanimously.
The act was initially fashioned like a referendum to appear as a ballot question for voters in November, 2018; that language was deleted when it was adopted by the Senate.
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{citation|newspaper=Marianas Variety|title=Igisomar reintroduces marijuana bill; says it is subject to voter approval |date=August 14, 2017 |author=Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa|url=http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/97669-igisomar-reintroduces-marijuana-bill-says-it-is-subject-to-voter-approval}}
{{citation|newspaper=Saipan Tribune
|title=Cruz: Public hearing on cannabis measure attracts high attendance
|author= Erwin Encinares | date=October 31, 2017
|url=https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/cruz-public-hearing-cannabis-measure-attracts-high-attendance/}}
{{citation
|title=Lawmakers In US Territory Approve Marijuana Legalization
|date=May 15, 2018
|author=Tom Angell
|work=Marijuana Moment
|url=https://www.marijuanamoment.net/us-territory-considers-legal-marijuana-bill/}}
|title=Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Legislation to Legalize Marijuana; Update: SB 20-62 was approved by the Senate on 5/15.
|publisher=NORML
|work=Official website
|date=May 15, 2018
|url=http://norml.org/action-center/item/commonwealth-of-the-northern-mariana-islands-legislation-to-legalize-marijuana
|access-date=May 16, 2018
|archive-date=June 20, 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620135748/http://norml.org/action-center/item/commonwealth-of-the-northern-mariana-islands-legislation-to-legalize-marijuana
|url-status=dead
}}
{{citation|newspaper=Marianas Variety|title=House panel OK's marijuana bill|date=May 30, 2018 |author=Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa|url=http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/104836-house-panel-ok-s-marijuana-bill}}
}}
Further reading
- {{citation|title=Ask a Pot Lawyer: What's Going on with US Territories and Weed? A Look at Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Other Territories|author=Vince Sliwoski|newspaper=Portland Mercury|date=March 7, 2018|url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/ask-a-pot-lawyer/2018/03/07/19724446/whats-going-on-with-us-territories-and-weed}}
- {{citation|title=What is the CNMI Cannabis Act of 2018? (part one)|author=Gerry Palacios Hemley|work=Saipan Tribune|date=August 25, 2017|url=https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/cnmi-cannabis-act-2018/}} / [https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/cnmi-cannabis-act-2018-2/ part two], August 28
External links
{{Portal|Cannabis}}
- [http://www.cnmileg.gov.mp/documents/senate/sen_bills/20/20-62%20SD1%20ARV_SKI%2010_10_17.pdf Text of Cannabis Act of 2018] (CNMI Legislature)