[Sativa]

California-based groups seeking to legalise the use of marijuana in the United States are planning to hold a major conference in the Northern Marianas' main island of Saipan.

Gemma Casas reports that press secretary Charles Reyes Jr says the conference will generate free publicity for the islands' sluggish tourism-based conomy.

He says unnamed groups have contacted Attorney General Matthew Gregory about their planned conference in Saipan.

However some lawmakers are opposed to the meeting, fearing it may lead to attempts to legalise marijuana in the Northern Marianas, a commonwealth of the US.

But Mr Reyes says there is no move at present to legalise marijuana on the islands, and says similar attempts in the past have failed.

Local and federal authorities seize thousands of marijuana plants in Saipan every year.



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