Lawmakers are now considering a democrat-backed bill to legalize recreational marijuana businesses in all towns and counties across New Mexico.
The bill would subsidize medical marijuana and automatically expunge many past pot convictions.
A legislative committee will convene on Tuesday on the Senate floor to accommodate crowds.
Democratic Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino of Albuquerque has created an initial draft that would subsidize medical marijuana for low-income patients, automatically expunge many past pot convictions and override local governments that don’t welcome the industry in an effort to stamp out black markets.
The bill also calls for every recreational dispensary to offer medical marijuana to patients who qualify under a long list of medical conditions.
The bill would also reserve tax revenue from marijuana sales for law enforcement agencies and public education efforts to prevent intoxicated driving.
