A US newspaper wants to employ a medicinal marijuana reviewer.

'Alternative' paper Westword, in Denver, Colorado is searching for a staff writer to review local brands of the drug - which is legal in the area if used for medicinal purposes.

It says: "Denver is the wild, wild West of the medical marijuana business."

The job application requires prospective employees write a short essay on "what marijuana means to them".

The paper reportedly had its first response within five minutes of the advert going up.

Denver has a thriving medical marijuana industry and users must hold a card to say they use the drug to alleviate medical problems.