Steve Limtiaco

Pacific Daily News

Gov. Eddie Calvo, who last week vetoed a bill that would allow eligible residents to grow medical marijuana at home, has proposed legalizing recreational marijuana on Guam, with heavy taxation.

“I want us to look at how states navigated into recreational marijuana. Let’s figure it out and then tax the heck out of it and use those taxes to help fund our hospital, public safety and education,” Calvo said in a written statement Monday.

In his veto message last week for the homegrown medical marijuana bill, Calvo stated concerns about the cost of regulating medical marijuana grown at home.

Bill 344 states residents must obtain a permit, and their homes are subject to regular inspection by law enforcement and public health officials.

“Unless the means of how the regulation of home cultivation is to be funded or staffed is identified, the anticipated enforcement of Bill 344 will impose new and different duties upon our health and law enforcement agencies that will deplete their already strained resources,” Calvo stated in his veto message. “Bill 344 places a huge burden on our public health and safety which I cannot permit.”

Senators in early December approved Bill 344 by a vote of 8-7, which means his veto could stand. At least 10 votes are required to override the governor's veto. Lawmakers plan to meet in session later this month.

Voters during the 2014 General Election approved medical marijuana, and a government task force since then has drafted rules and regulations, based in large part on rules in the state of Arizona.

But senators, citing concerns from the public about the accessibility and affordability of medical marijuana, rejected those rules and regulations and introduced new rules and regulations, including the measure to allow it to be grown at home instead of at licensed facilities.

Marijuana home cultivation, senators' raises vetoed