Cannabis Industry

A new police force may be on the way to New Mexico, after a bill advanced through its first committee with unanimous support this week. The armed law enforcement officers capable of making arrests would be responsible for enforcing cannabis control laws.

Navajo cannabis farmer claims he’s providing ‘sacrament’ for a Native church.

New Mexico legalized recreational cannabis in 2021 with intentions to support communities disproportionately harmed by its criminalization. Sales opened last year and a bill now moving through the Legislature aims to finally funnel some of the tax revenue into local health and equity work.

Teacher shortages were made especially acute by the pandemic. Last year Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham even turned to the National Guard for substitute teachers to fill vacancies around the state. Many educators have called it quits including who is now in New Mexico’s newest industry: cannabis.

As the cannabis industry flourishes in New Mexico and around the Mountain West, tribal businesses operate in a legal gray area. Federal deference to states that have legalized medical or recreational cannabis doesn't always occur in all of Indian Country, exposing tribal businesses to crackdowns. Some call it discrimination.

Melanie Stansbury last night praised the House of Representatives for passing a law that would make cannabis legal for adult recreational use across the United States. The legislation is unlikely to pass the Senate.

After years of debate, legislation and preparation, people over 21 can walk into a store in New Mexico and buy recreational cannabis products. As the recreational industry gears up, many are trying to ensure that the benefits will be shared equally.

Today, connoisseurs of cannabis and perhaps a few first-timers celebrated the first legal sales of recreational pot to over-21s. It is the culmination of years of policy-making and persuasion by advocates.

New laws governing the manufacture, sale and transportation of recreational marijuana in new Mexico began Wednesday