Governor Lou Leon Guerrero of Guam signed a marijuana legalization bill for the US territory Thursday.

Although Guam approved medical marijuana in 2014 and allowed for home grown marijuana last year, the regulated industry has been off to a slow start. Known as the Guam Cannabis Industry Act of 2019, the new bill allows for adults 21 or older to possess and grow cannabis while creating a regulated system to buy and sell marijuana. There will be a 15 percent tax on the sale of marijuana products going towards law enforcement and drug treatment programs.

The governor indicated that regulating the market is the best solution when competing against the underground market of a widespread drug. She also acknowledged the medical benefits for those with PTSD, cancer patients, and those with debilitating neurological conditions.

The bill would prohibit use in the workplace and schools, similar to current alcohol and tobacco regulations. The legislation would also require that consumers must purchase cannabis products from locations approved by a Cannabis Control Board. The bill does works towards building and operating a testing lab to test and approve products before selling, a major stumbling block to the cannabis industry’s development in Guam.