{"id":412431,"date":"2024-08-19T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=412431"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"Cannabis-tourism-industry-reform-efforts-underway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/Cannabis-tourism-industry-reform-efforts-underway\/","title":{"rendered":"Cannabis tourism industry reform efforts underway"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Office of the Governor is currently in the process of reforming the cannabis tourism industry as well as kickstarting an export industry of cannabis and hemp products.<\/p>\n

Last Thursday, Oscar M. Babauta Sr., the governor\u2019s special assistant for administration, issued a letter to all cannabis tourism industry stakeholders informing them of Gov. Arnold I. Palacios\u2019 plans to reform the cannabis tourism industry.<\/p>\n

In addition, Babauta, said, Palacios intends to establish an industry of exporting cannabis and hemp products.<\/p>\n

To head this initiative, Babauta added that Palacios has retained the services of Ambrose M. Bennett.<\/p>\n

\u201cPro Services\u2019 Ambrose M. Bennett has been retained by thegGovernor to lead his efforts to reform the cannabis tourism industry and try to create a hemp production and manufacturing industry for exporting hemp products,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Babauta, in his letter, stated that the CNMI is in desperate need of a new revenue source and the cannabis industry was initially created to be a revenue source for the CNMI.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs all of you are aware, the CNMI is in desperate need of new revenue sources and the purpose for creating the industries on paper by law was to generate new revenues. However, the government is presently spending over $200,000 a year more on the industry than what is being collected in taxes and fees from the cannabis tourism industry. We must fix this industry, or it was useless to create the industry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Babauta adds that there is also the fact that the CNMI is now in a \u201chorse race\u201d with Guam that now legalized recreational usage of cannabis.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe governor has tasked me with working with Mr. Bennett and being the \u2018executive officer\u2019 for these reforms. It is critical that all stakeholders buy-in on the reforms that are driven by \u2018common sense and common practices related to the use of marijuana,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In closing, Babauta asks that all stakeholders work with Bennett in creating the required reforms to make the cannabis tourism industry a productive revenue source for the CNMI government.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo date, the cannabis tourism industry has yet to be promoted in any way and that must change if the CNMI is to reap real new revenues from the industry. You will be contacted in the near future by Mr. Bennett. It is the governor\u2019s sincere request that you work with Mr. Bennett on this confidential and time-sensitive matter,\u201d said Babauta.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A cannabis plant at one of the cannabis commercial growers on Saipan.<\/p>\n

-MARK RABAGO
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