New Mexico is around the corner from its recreational cannabis industry kicking off.
To get ready, this week the Cannabis Control Division of the state Regulation and Licensing Department, which oversees the rules and regulations governing the cannabis business, issued final rules for manufacturers, retailers and couriers.
“Every day brings us closer to the first adult-use cannabis sales in New Mexico,” Cannabis Control Division Director Kristen Thomson said.
Many of the provisions in the new rules follow the basic guidelines that the Cannabis Control Division set down for producers earlier this year. This includes requirements to provide security measures, proof of water rights and workplace training programs to ensure employees follow state mandates regarding manufacture, sale and transportation.
Additional requirements include that manufacturers must provide a diagram of their work premises and install security video cameras. The manufacturers also must agree to destroy any tested batches of cannabis that do not comply with state health and safety standards.
Retail establishments also must follow those provisions and they cannot provide any free samples of recreational cannabis. They may under some circumstances do so for patients in the state’s medical cannabis program.
Retailers must also keep accurate records and sell no more than two ounces of cannabis or 16 grams of cannabis extract as mandated by law.
Sales in the state are expected to begin April 1.
