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Cannabis in New Mexico is legal for recreational use as of June 29, 2021. A bill to legalize recreational use – House Bill 2, the Cannabis Regulation Act – was signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on April 12, 2021. The first licensed sales of recreational cannabis began on April 1, 2022.
Medical use was legalized in 2007 through a bill signed by Governor Bill Richardson. A 1978 law also allowed for medical use, but only through a federally-approved research program. It was the first medical cannabis law enacted by any state.
In 1923, New Mexico banned the cultivation, importation, and sale of cannabis. The Santa Fe New Mexican noted: [1]
The Santa Fe representative, however, had better luck with his bill to prevent sale of marihuana, cannabis indica, Indian hemp or hashish as it is variously known. This bill was passed without any opposition. Marihuana was brought into local prominence at the penitentiary board's investigation last summer when a convict testified he could get marihuana cigarettes anytime he had a dollar. The drug produces intoxication when chewed or smoked. Marihuana is the name commonly used in the Southwest and Mexico.
In 1978 New Mexico became the first state to pass legislation allowing the medical use of cannabis in some form. [2] Known as the Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Act, the bill allowed the use of cannabis through a research program approved by the Food and Drug Administration, using cannabis supplied by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. [3] The bill was spurred by the efforts of cancer patient Lynn Pierson, who found relief from using cannabis and pleaded his case to state lawmakers that he should be allowed to use the drug. [4] His efforts were rewarded in February 1978 when the bill was signed into law, following its passage in both chambers of the legislature by wide margins. [2] [4] However, the program still required federal approval, which would not come until August 1978, shortly after Pierson died due to his illness. [3] The approval was then rescinded a few weeks later, but in November 1978 the final go-ahead was given, and cannabis was delivered to the state two months later. [3] Between 1978 and 1986, approximately 250 cancer patients received either cannabis or THC through the Lynn Pierson Therapeutic Research Program (named in honor of Pierson after his death). [3] [5]
In 1999, Republican Governor Gary Johnson set off a political firestorm in the state when he endorsed the policy of drug legalization. [6] In particular, Johnson called for the legalization of cannabis and said that the drug's dangers had been significantly exaggerated. [7] [8] His comments regarding legalization were soon condemned by various law enforcement officials, the lieutenant governor, and the Republican Party. [9] Darren White, the secretary of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, resigned in protest. [10] Drug czar Barry McCaffrey made a special trip to Albuquerque to denounce the governor's comments which he called "astonishing" and "embarrassing". [11] Johnson did not back down, however, and continued to advocate for legalization as he finished out his second term. [12] He became the highest-ranking elected official in the country to endorse such a position. [13]
In April 2007, Governor Bill Richardson signed into law Senate Bill 523, the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act. [14] The bill allowed the use of cannabis with a physician's recommendation for treatment of certain medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy. [14] In later years the list of qualifying conditions was expanded, [15] and an allowance for cultivation by patients was added as well. [16] Senate Bill 523 passed the Senate by a vote of 32–3 and the House by a vote of 36–31, [17] making New Mexico the 12th state to legalize medical use and the 4th to do so through an act of state legislature. [18]
In March 2019, House Bill 356 was approved by the House of Representatives by a 36–34 vote. [19] The bill sought to legalize the recreational use of cannabis and establish a system for the distribution of cannabis through dispensaries run by the state. [20] After passing in the House it stalled in the Senate Finance Committee, [21] but Governor Lujan Grisham announced that she would add the issue to the legislative agenda for the upcoming year. [22] The passage of the bill marked the first time that either chamber of the legislature had voted to legalize recreational cannabis. [19]
In April 2019, Senate Bill 323 was signed into law by Governor Lujan Grisham. [23] It made first-time possession of up to 1⁄2 ounce (14 g) of cannabis a petty misdemeanor offense, punishable by a $50 fine. [24] It also decriminalized possession of drug paraphernalia, making New Mexico the first state to do so. [25] SB 323 passed the House by a 44–20 vote and the Senate 30–8. [26] It went into effect on July 1, 2019. [23]
In April 2019, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law Senate Bill 406, the first major change to the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act since it was enacted in 2007. [27] The bill included reforms to allow the medical use of cannabis in public schools, protect medical cannabis patients from losing custody of their children, provide employment protections for patients in non-safety sensitive positions, allow patients to renew their medical cannabis card every three years instead of one, allow medical cannabis cardholders from other states to use cannabis, allow the consumption of medical cannabis at dispensaries, and prevent denial of an organ transplant due to being a medical cannabis patient. [28] A similar bill passed the legislature in 2017 but was vetoed by Governor Susana Martinez. [29]
In June 2019, Governor Lujan Grisham announced the formation of the Cannabis Legalization Working Group to determine the best path forward for legalization during the 2020 legislative session. [30] Said Grisham: "This group will ensure we begin the next session with a credible, equitable, and cohesive legalization proposal that will incorporate all public safety concerns, workplace regulations, labeling requirements that protect underage children, and all manner of other issues." [31] The working group consisted of over 20 individuals from varying backgrounds including state lawmakers, cabinet secretaries, law enforcement officials, and medical cannabis executives. [30] [32]
The Cannabis Legalization Working Group released a report detailing its recommendations in October 2019. [33] "Through more than 30 hours of public meetings across the state, and with the help of more than 200 pages of public comment, the members explored every aspect of legalization, both good and bad," said the chair of the working group, Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis. [34]
House Bill 2, the Cannabis Regulation Act, was signed into law by Governor Lujan Grisham on April 12, 2021. [35] [36] It passed the House 38–32 and the Senate 22–15 during a special legislative session called by the governor, after the legislature failed to legalize cannabis during the regular 2021 session. [37] [38] House Bill 2, along with a separate bill dealing with expungements (Senate Bill 2), legalized cannabis with the following conditions: [39] [40]
In compliance with the deadline imposed by the Cannabis Regulation Act, the first licensed sales of recreational cannabis began on April 1, 2022. [41] [42] Governor Lujan Grisham visited a dispensary in Albuquerque to mark the occasion. [43]
In August 2014, the Santa Fe City Council voted 5–4 to enact (rather than let go to ballot) a citizen-led petition to decriminalize small amounts of cannabis. [44] [45] The law allows police to issue a $25 civil citation for possession of up to an ounce, [46] and requires that minor cannabis offenses be made the lowest police priority. [47]
In November 2014, voters in Bernalillo and Santa Fe counties approved ballot measures expressing support for "county, city, and statewide efforts to decriminalize possession of one ounce or less of marijuana". [48] [49] Initially the referendums were blocked from the ballot by Secretary of State Dianna Duran (who claimed that state law did not allow for non-binding questions), but the Supreme Court of New Mexico overruled her in September 2014. [50] [51] The measures passed with 60% and 73% support respectively. [48] [49]
In April 2018, the Albuquerque City Council voted 5–4 to allow police to issue a $25 civil citation for possessing up to an ounce of cannabis. [52] [53] Previous efforts to decriminalize through a city council vote (in 2015) [54] and a ballot measure vote (in 2014) [55] [56] were vetoed by the prior mayor Richard Berry.
In December 2018, the Santa Fe City Council approved a resolution calling on state lawmakers to "enact legislation related to the legalization ... of cannabis and cannabis-related products for recreational use". [57] [58] The resolution was introduced by Mayor Alan Webber and passed by a 6–1 vote. [59] [60]
In February 2020, the Las Cruces City Council approved a resolution urging the state legislature to pass the Cannabis Regulation Act to legalize recreational cannabis in New Mexico. [61] [62] The resolution passed 6–1 with Mayor Ken Miyagishima casting the only opposing vote. [63] [64]
In the United States, the non-medical use of cannabis is legalized in 22 states and decriminalized in 9 states, as of April 2023. Decriminalization refers to a policy of reduced penalties for cannabis offenses, typically involving a civil penalty for possessing small amounts, instead of criminal prosecution or the threat of arrest. In jurisdictions without penalty the policy is referred to as legalization, although the term decriminalization is sometimes used for this purpose as well.
In the United States, increased restrictions and labeling of cannabis as a poison began in many states from 1906 onward, and outright prohibitions began in the 1920s. By the mid-1930s cannabis was regulated as a drug in every state, including 35 states that adopted the Uniform State Narcotic Drug Act. The first national regulation was the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937.
In the United States, the use and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law for any purpose by way of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA). Under the CSA, cannabis is classified as a Schedule I substance, determined to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Despite this, most states have legalized either or both the medical and recreational use of cannabis.
Michelle Lynn Lujan Grisham is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 32nd governor of New Mexico since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Lujan Grisham previously served as the U.S. representative for New Mexico's 1st congressional district from 2013 to 2019.
The legal history of cannabis in the United States began with state-level prohibition in the early 20th century, with the first major federal limitations occurring in 1937. Starting with Oregon in 1973, individual states began to liberalize cannabis laws through decriminalization. In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis, sparking a trend that spread to a majority of states by 2016. In 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
Bill McCamley is an American politician who served as the secretary of the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions from 2019 to 2021. Previously, he served as a Democratic member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018.
In the U.S. state of Maine, marijuana (cannabis) is legal for recreational use. It was originally prohibited in 1913. Possession of small amounts of the drug was decriminalized in 1976 under state legislation passed the previous year. The state's first medical cannabis law was passed in 1999, allowing patients to grow their own plants. The cities of Portland and South Portland decriminalized the possession and recreational use of marijuana in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
Cannabis in Virginia is legal for medical use and recreational use. The first medical marijuana dispensary opened in August 2020, and adult recreational use became legalized in July 2021.
Cannabis in Pennsylvania is illegal for recreational use, but possession of small amounts is decriminalized in several of the state's largest cities. Medical use was legalized in 2016 through a bill passed by the state legislature.
Cannabis in Missouri is legal for recreational use. A ballot initiative to legalize recreational use passed by a 53–47 margin on November 8, 2022. Possession for adults 21 and over became legal on December 8, 2022, with the first licensed sales occurring on February 3, 2023.
Cannabis in Minnesota is legal for medical use as of 2014. As of April, 2023, food and beverages containing THC are legal in Minnesota if the THC is derived from hemp and is restricted to 5 mg per serving.
Cannabis in New York has been legal for medical purposes under New York law since 2016, and recreational purposes since 2021. As of 2022, recreational cannabis is for sale legally in the state.
Cannabis in Delaware is legal for medicinal and recreational use.
Cannabis in Maryland is legal for medical use and illegal for recreational use, but as of January 1, 2023 thru June 30, 2023, decriminalization is temporarily expanded from possession of less than 1 oz to less than 1.5 oz, prior to full legalized recreational use of 1.5 oz or less on July 1st, 2023 due to the passage of the 2022 Maryland Question 4 referendum. In 2013, a state law was enacted to establish a state-regulated medical cannabis program. The program, known as the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) became operational on December 1, 2017.
Cannabis in Ohio is legal for medical use and illegal for recreational use. Since 1975, possession of up to 100 grams has been decriminalized, with several of the state's major cities having enacted further reforms. Medical use was legalized in 2016 through a bill passed by the state legislature.
Cannabis in Mexico is legal for both recreational and medicinal purposes. It became legal for recreational purposes in June 2021, upon application and issuance of a permit from the health secretariat, COFEPRIS. On 29 June 2021, the Supreme Court of Mexico decriminalized the recreational use of cannabis. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador signed a bill that allows adults 18 and over to possess up to 28 grams of cannabis and grow up to six marijuana plants on their property.
Andrea Romero is an American politician, lawyer, and entrepreneur serving as a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives from the 46th district, which includes part of Santa Fe County.
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