Title 4, Economic Resources

Marijuana Laws Supersede and Repeal Inconsistent CNMI Laws. This chapter, designed to operate uniformly throughout the Commonwealth, shall be paramount and superior to and shall fully replace and supersede any and all CNMI laws inconsistent with it. Such laws are repealed. Source…

Authority of Local Legislative Delegations. (a) Local legislative delegations, in accordance with 1 CMC §§ 1401–1409, may enact marijuana regulation laws, as provided by this section, pertaining exclusively to matters within their respective senatorial district. (b) Local legisla…

Duty of Law Enforcement to Enforce and Inform the Attorney General. The Department of Public Safety and all law enforcement officers within the Commonwealth shall enforce this chapter and assist the Commission in detecting violations of this chapter and apprehending offenders. Ea…

Confiscation of Marijuana and Property. (a) Whenever any officer arrests any person for violation of this chapter, the officer may take into possession all marijuana items, and other property which the person so arrested has in possession, or on the premises, which is apparently …

Duty to Notify the Commission of Conviction of Licensee. The CNMI Superior Court and the Attorney General, immediately upon the conviction of any licensee of the Commission of a violation of any provision of this chapter or the violation of any other law of this Commonwealth or l…

Property and Places as Common Nuisances. Any room, house, building, boat, structure, or place of any kind where marijuana items are sold, manufactured, bartered, or given away in violation of Commonwealth law, or where persons are permitted to resort for the purpose of using mari…

Lien on Place used to Unlawfully Handle Marijuana. If it is proved that the owner of any building or premises knowingly has suffered the same to be used or occupied for the manufacture, sale, or possession of marijuana items, contrary to the provisions of this chapter, such build…

Governor Authorized to Suspend License. In case of invasion, disaster, insurrection, riot, or imminent danger thereof, the Governor may, for the duration of such invasion, disaster, insurrection, riot, or imminent danger thereof, immediately suspend without notice any license in …

Penalties. (a) Except where other punishment is specifically provided for in sections of this chapter, violation of any provision of this chapter is punishable by up to one (1) year imprisonment and a fine of up to $2,500.00. (b) Violation of any regulation promulgated pursuant t…

Use of Marijuana While Driving; Penalty. (a) A person commits the offense of use of marijuana items while driving if the person consumes any marijuana items while driving a motor vehicle upon a highway or operating a boat, vessel, aircraft, or other motorized device used for tran…

Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana. (a) Except for licensees and licensee representatives, and except for a person acting within the scope of and in compliance with 4 CMC § 53006(a), it is unlawful for any person to manufacture marijuana. (b) Unlawful manufacture of marijuana is p…

Unlawful Delivery of Marijuana. (a) Except for licensees and licensee representatives as defined in this chapter, and except for a person acting within the scope of and in compliance with 4 CMC § 53006(a), it is unlawful for any person to deliver marijuana. (b) Unlawful delivery …

Unlawful Possession of Marijuana by Person 21 Years or Older. (a) Except for licensees and licensee representatives, and except for a person acting within the scope of and in compliance with 4 CMC § 53006(a), it is unlawful for any person 21 years of age or older knowingly or int…

Trafficking Marijuana. (a) Except for licensees and licensee representatives, it shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense, or possess with intent to manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense or possess marijuana or…

No Qualifying Certificate for Marijuana Businesses. The Investment Incentive Act of 2000 (PL 12-32), as amended and codified at 4 CMC §§ 50201 et seq., shall not be applicable to any marijuana business or establishment in the CNMI and licensed pursuant to this chapter, and such m…

Commonwealth Public Lands Shall Not be Leased or Used for Cannabis (Marijuana or Hemp) Businesses. The Department of Public Lands and all other government entities shall not lease or use public lands for the purpose of establishing cannabis (marijuana or hemp) businesses or estab…

Work Force Participation by U.S. Citizens and CNMI and U.S. Permanent Residents. Notwithstanding 3 CMC §§ 4525 and 4526, the personnel workforce of any employer licensed to do business pursuant to this chapter shall consist of 100% U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and CNM…

Interpretation. This chapter is modeled after the marijuana laws of Oregon and other states that have legalized marijuana. The Commonwealth Judiciary, the Attorney General, the Commission, and any other government entity of the Commonwealth may consider case precedent in Oregon t…

Business by Commission Prohibited. No member, officer, employee, or agent of the Commission shall knowingly be an employee of, or have any business or financial association with or interest in any marijuana licensee under this chapter or any business reasonably related to such li…

Seal Created. There is created a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Product Seal to identify products manufactured in the CNMI. Source: PL 20-89 § 3(101) (Feb. 18, 2019), modified. Commission Comment: PL 20-89 § 1 provided that “[t]his Act shall be known as the ‘…

Administration. The CNMI Department of Commerce shall administer the provisions of this Chapter and shall promulgate rules and regulations, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, to carry out the purposes of this Chapter. The CNMI Department of Commerce shall promul…

CNMI Product Seal Fund. There is established a fund to be known as the CNMI Product Seal Fund, which shall be maintained separate and apart from any other funds of the government of the CNMI. Independent records and accounts shall be maintained in connection therewith. Funds of t…

Responsibilities. The Department of Commerce shall: (a) Develop, or have developed, a design for the CNMI Product Seal; (b) Determine the viability of having a distinct product seal for the islands of Rota, Tinian, Saipan or any island to the north of Saipan or a single product s…

Definitions. For purposes of this Chapter: (a) “Article” shall mean the commodity or product in a package or container that is available for purchase by the consumer. (b) “Conspicuous” shall be reflected by markings which appear on the article's packaging or container in a place …

Eligibility. The CNMI Product Seal may be used only on a product manufactured in the CNMI that results from a substantial transformation of the materials used in the creation of the product and for which a minimum of fifty percent of the value added of the product has been added …

Violations. (a) It shall be unlawful for any business to place a CNMI Product Seal on a product if the business does not have a current permit allowing the product to have such a seal. (b) It shall be unlawful for any business establishment to state or imply in an advertisement o…

Fines. For each violation of 4 CMC § 54007(a), the Department of Commerce shall levy a fine against the firm in an amount equal to or greater than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), but not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per type of product. For each violation …

Recovery of Merchandise. In the case of any violation of 4 CMC § 54007(a), the Department of Commerce shall order the firm to recover from wholesalers and retailers and to take off the market all products sold with a CNMI Product Seal for which the firm did not have a permit when…

Penalty. (a) The Department of Finance shall revoke the business license of any firm if, after a hearing, it determines that the firm: (1) failed to pay a fine levied pursuant to 4 CMC § 54008 within ninety days after the fine was levied; or (2) failed to recover merchandise in a…

Collection. The Department of Finance is responsible for the collection of all fines levied by the Department of Commerce pursuant to 4 CMC § 54008. Provided, however, that ninety percent (90%) of the fines collected shall be reserved for the Department of Commerce and shall be d…