The author of a bill that proposes to legalise marijuana for medical use in the CNMI says there's a need to find an alternative to expensive medical treatments for terminal diseases.
CNMI marijuana legalisation proposed Photo: AFP
The Northern Marianas Senator Sixto Igisomar says he was prompted to introduce the bill after Guam voted in favour of allowing the use of medical marijuana last year.
Mr Igisomar says marijuana for medicinal use can help alleviate the pain and suffering associated with debilitating conditions such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.
"Health care in our CNMI is very expensive, as a matter of fact the ObamaCare, the Affordable Care Act is not even extended to us and there's approximately 30 percent of uninsured people in the CNMI and we can't even support our hospital and so I'm thinking that you know this may help somehow."
Sixto Igisomar says they've had four public hearings so far and the majority of feedback has been in favour of the bill.