New Law Requires State Of New Mexico To Grow Its Own Medical Marijuana

[DeSwiss]

Law Requires N. M. To Grow Its Own Pot

AP
DEBORAH BAKER
June 30, 2007 07:52 AM EST

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico has a new medical marijuana law with a twist: It requires the state to grow its own. The law, effective Sunday, not only protects medical marijuana users from prosecution _ as 11 other states do _ but requires New Mexico to oversee a production and distribution system for the drug.

"The long-term goal is that the patients will have a safe, secure supply that doesn't mean drug dealers, that doesn't mean growing their own," said Reena Szczepanski, director of Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico. The state Department of Health must issue rules by Oct. 1 for the licensing of marijuana producers and in-state, secured facilities, and for developing a distribution system. The law was passed in March and signed by Gov. Bill Richardson, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Other states with medical marijuana laws are Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Maryland's law doesn't protect patients from arrest, but it keeps defendants out of jail if they can convince judges they needed marijuana for medical reasons. Connecticut's governor vetoed a medical marijuana bill recently.

The distribution and use of marijuana are illegal under federal law, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2005 in a California case that medical marijuana users can be prosecuted. Faced with that dilemma, the health department has asked state Attorney General Gary King whether its employees could be federally prosecuted for running the medical marijuana registry and identification card program, and whether the agency can license marijuana producers and facilities.

more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070630/medical-marijuana/

[VP505]

1. Where do

I sign up as a volunteer farmer, sounds like a good cash crop???

[DeSwiss]

3. Well, if you're already in N.M......

...then I'd start at the N.M. State Department of Health. They're supposed to be "issuing rules by Oct. 1 for the licensing of marijuana producers and in-state, secured facilities, and for developing a distribution system..."

Also, here's a link to the PDF files on the N.M. Dept. of Health's Cannabis Program:

http://www.health.state.nm.us/marijuana.html

Let me know if you need any help. I'm good with "quality control."

[VP505]

7. Thanks for the info,

I was joking about that but in all seriousness I doubt that in the land of Gov cronyism and nepotism they will contract with just anyone. I would also imagine that one would need a pretty secure place grow that, which I don't have.

[silverweb]

2. Interesting.

I think this will result in some very intriguing federal-vs-state legal challenges, with some precedent-setting decisions. It'll be very interesting to see where this goes.

Good job, New Mexico, and good luck!

:thumbsup:

[DeSwiss]

5. Yeah, I wonder....

...if the states with medical cannabis programs are instructing state employees "not to assist" the feds in any way if they pursue legal action against the state's citizens?

[silverweb]

10. Let's hope so.

It would be entirely appropriate.

[aquart]

4. Save money. Grow it on a prison farm.

Where you have access to experts.

[DeSwiss]

6. Then everybody....

...will be trying to get into prison!!! :D

[slay]

8. Thanks for posting this! Hopefully more states will follow their example.

Gravel was great in the debate shown on PBS the other night talking about ending the drug war. Hell yeah - and it's about time! We need to end ALL wars, and especially, the stupid, harmful, so called "war on drugs".

[slay]

9. I wish we had a law like this in NC

I guess the best we can hope for is that it will be a success in New Mexico and other states will follow suit at some point. :shrug:

[Vidar]

11. Cool idea.