It may be just a matter of time now until residents of other states will not be allowed to get a medical marijuana card in New Mexico.
A proposal heading to the state’s Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham would prohibit out-of-state residents from participating in New Mexico’s medical marijuana program.
The legislation, Senate Bill 139, won House approval 44-19 this week and it passed the Senate last week.
The state law, which was enacted last year, gave an open door to residents of Texas and others outside of New Mexico, to obtain a medical marijuana ID card if they had met qualifying criteria. The bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, would “fix” this.
According to Rep. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque, who presented the bill during Monday’s debate, more than 600 out-of-state residents have enrolled in New Mexico’s medical cannabis program.
They will be able to keep their cannabis cards, she said, but wouldn’t be permitted to renew them when they expire.