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 today, 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.
The state will immediately begin taking applications from patients whose doctors certify they are eligible for the program.
