Today Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D-Bernalillo) introduced SB406 to expand access to medical cannabis in New Mexico.

Many are waiting for the next state to make the major step of legalizing recreational marijuana, and according to one state senator, the state to watch is New Mexico, writes Joseph Misulonas.

A bill that would legalize recreational cannabis in New Mexico includes workplace protections for employees that use pot while off the job. The bill by Albuquerque Democrats Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino and Rep. Javier Martinez is expected to be introduced in the legislature later this month, according to media reports.

The University of New Mexico’s Communication and Journalism Department will offer a Cannabis and Communication course for the 2019 spring semester. Cannabis and Communication, CJ 293, will give students the opportunity to learn about communication of health and medical issues surrounding cannabis.

The course will address cannabis with a multitude of communication topics such as interpersonal communication, political communication, journalism, and entertainment media. 

Patients in New Mexico's Medical Cannabis Program spent more than $31 million on their medication in April, May and June of this year, according to second-quarter reports submitted by producers to the state Health Department.

While most nonprofit medical marijuana producers made profits, 12 of them — more than a third of the licensed producers in the state — reported being in the red when it comes to net profits for the quarter. Five of those reported losses of $100,000 or more. Shift New Mexico, which has one store each in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, reported the biggest net loss in the second quarter: $195,472.

Patients in New Mexico’s Medical Cannabis Program spent more than $31 million on their medication in April, May and June of this year, according to second-quarter reports submitted by producers to the state Health Department.

Some of the highest revenue numbers come from medical marijuana producers doing business in Santa Fe. These include Minerva Canna Group, which has a total of four stores around the state; Sacred Garden, which has dispensaries in three cities; and Fruit of the Earth Organics, whose sole dispensary is on Early Street near downtown Santa Fe.

While most nonprofit medical marijuana producers made profits, 12 of them — more than a third of the licensed producers in the state — reported being in the red when it comes to net profits for the quarter.

Legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana like Colorado and Washington could raise tens of millions of dollars in revenue for New Mexico's state government, according to one think tank's estimates.

The Tax Foundation projects a 15 percent retail tax on cannabis could raise about $34 million for the state in a year while a 25 percent tax could raise about $57 million.

The numbers are broad estimates based on the demand seen in a few of the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use. And the Washington, D.C.-based think tank said those figures could be conservative as the industry matures and grows.

Ten-year old Anthony Brick can't do schoolwork without the help of medical marijuana, but his school won't let him attend class because of his medication, writes Calvin Hughes.

According to Representative Steve Pearce, New Mexico can't afford "to pay for more drug addiction, more jails, and more law enforcement."

In a statement last week, Republican Congressman Steve Pearce of New Mexico — a candidate in the state’s current race for governor — suggested that relatively poor states could not afford to legalize marijuana. "I do not see how in combating poverty you can put one more obstacle in front of people who are struggling to get out of poverty," he said, "so I don't see where I would support recreational marijuana."

This state now has over 50,000 medical marijuana patients, thanks to improvements making it easier for veterans and seniors to access treatment.

According to New Mexico’s Department of Health, the state’s medical marijuana program receives hundreds of patient applications each day.

But recent changes to the patient application process have made it even easier to apply for medical cannabis in New Mexico. And thanks to the more straight-forward application, this state now has over 50,000 medical marijuana patients.