6/21/19

Speaker Egolf: New Mexico should allow non-residents to become therapeutic cannabis patients


Speaker of the New Mexico House Brian Egolf not only supports legalization for all adults he serves as legal counsel for the state's therapeutic cannabis leader, Ultra Health. Calling itself "New Mexico's No. 1 cannabis company" Big Dope Ultra just opened facilities in Clayton near the borders with Texas and Oklahoma. Keeping the industry from the clutches of a monopoly has been contentious.
State law now allows for medical cannabis patients from other states to use their credentials from those states to purchase medical cannabis in New Mexico. That change requires [Department of Health] to come up with a rule change by March 2020. Egolf said that New Mexico already allows non-residents to receive medical care and fill prescriptions through the mail. That, combined with the law’s stated intention to normalize medical cannabis is enough reason for the state to reverse their previous statement, he said. Egolf also cited fishing and hunting licenses as well as access to oil and gas extraction as benefits non-residents get in New Mexico. [NM medical cannabis producer implores DOH to reverse stance on non-resident medical cards]
Lawmakers in New Mexico's Democrat-dominated legislature rejected a Republican plan that would have established state-run cannabis retail operations but did decriminalize possession of up to one half ounce. The state's therapeutic cannabis program is nearing 74,000 patients.

In February two University of New Mexico researchers published a study on how cannabis helps treat certain medical conditions. Their results showed that smoking the herb is most effective method for people who ingest cannabis.

A failure to reach a consensus on legal cannabis in New Mexico last session was due in part to home growing. If people want to grow commercially that’s where the state is paid to conduct inspections for purity and standards through a tax on sales. Let growers have retail outlets.


1 comment:

larry kurtz said...

“I want New Mexico’s introduction and management of recreational cannabis to be the envy of the country,” the governor said in a statement. “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.” Santa Fe New Mexican