Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Gov. Ralph Torres said on Thursday that he was considering granting pardons to people convicted of minor marijuana offences from when the plant was still illegal.[1] Torres, speaking to the Rotary Club of Guam by online platform, said he had not pardoned anyone for such offences but that the question was something to look into.[1]
He said his preference was to review each record and, where cannabis was the only conviction, to sit down with the judicial branch and consider expunging it, pardoning it or commuting the sentence.[1] Earlier that week Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero had said she was considering pardoning people with past petty marijuana convictions now that cannabis is legal on Guam.[1]
The Northern Mariana Islands legalised recreational and medicinal cannabis in 2018, ahead of Guam, which legalised it in April 2019.[1] Torres said the islands’ cannabis industry “continues to grow”, with more commercial licences and “cannabis lodges”.[1] Asked whether crime had risen since legalisation, Torres said “no, not that I can claim that is direct relation between cannabis.”[1]