The Cannabis Regulation Act has made recreational marijuana legal in New Mexico this week.
Personal use of the plant is now legal as of June 29th, 2021.
While several details are yet to be hammered out by state regulators, the new rules on personal possession and use went into effect on Tuesday.
Under the new law, New Mexico adults age 21 and older can possess a maximum of two ounces outside the home. It “must not be visible from a public place,” however so discretion is key.
Anyone caught with more than two but less than eight ounces of cannabis, 16 grams of cannabis extract, and more than 800 milligrams of edible cannabis in public, can be guilty of a misdemeanor under the new law.
KRQE previously reported on some of the other elements of the new law, which include:
You are not allowed to smoke in public under the new law. Cannabis use is restricted to private property. Anyone who breaks this law is subject to a $50 civil penalty.
You can grow up to 12 plants at home without a permit, as long as you aren’t selling the marijuana or operating like a business. Growing more plants or selling cannabis products without a license could lead to a fourth-degree felony.
Law enforcement is prohibited from stopping or detaining a person solely because of the smell of weed. This does not apply to people operating vehicles or when an officer thinks someone might be using a vehicle under the influence.
Adults under the age of 21 are not allowed to possess cannabis and if caught can mean a mandatory four-hour educational program or four hours of community service.
The state has also developed new expungement legislation to help decriminalize cannabis. Under the law, the department of public safety has until January 1, 2022, to identify criminal records eligible for expungement.
