State Rep. Javier Martinez told a panel of lawmakers Tuesday that he will introduce legislation in 2021 to regulate and tax recreational marijuana, hewing closely to a proposal that won House approval earlier this year but died in the Senate without a floor vote.<\/p>\n
Elections this year ousted several conservative-leaning Democratic state senators who opposed past legalization efforts. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last week reiterated her support for recreational marijuana as an opportunity to expand and diversify the state economy.<\/p>\n
Across the country, public support for marijuana reforms was on prominent display in the Nov. 3 election as four states \u2013 New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana and Arizona \u2013 approved ballot measures to open up recreational cannabis markets. Mississippi approved the creation of a medical marijuana program.<\/p>\n
New Mexico doesn\u2019t initiate legislation by ballot measures, though constitutional amendments are approved by referendum.<\/p>\n
Martinez said his new bill will aim to safeguard the state\u2019s 13-year-old medical marijuana program from disruptions, levying taxes of up to 20% on sales and create business opportunities for minority and low-income communities adversely affected by the drug war and criminalization of marijuana. The bill has not yet been published.<\/p>\n
Duke Rodriguez, CEO of the state\u2019s largest medical cannabis distributor, urged lawmakers to think broadly about the future of the local marijuana industry as a production juggernaut and magnet for tourists and cannabis patients from Texas, despite federal prohibitions against transporting cannabis across state lines.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to change New Mexico in ways we can\u2019t imagine,\u201d said Rodriguez, who shaped state regulation of marijuana through numerous lawsuits. \u201cAt some point, we\u2019re going to have legalization across this country.\u201d<\/p>\n
The discussion rankled other lawmakers, who raised concerns ranging from the scarcity of water for crops to the health affects of marijuana on the mental development of young adults.<\/p>\n
Democratic state Sen. Bill Tallman of Albuquerque cast doubt on the potential for job creation and government income.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not convinced that we\u2019re going to grow a lot of marijuana here because we have a shortage of water here, and it\u2019s getting worse,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Republican House minority whip Rod Montoya of Farmington said he is wary of efforts to commute sentences and expunge past drug convictions, arguing it would undermine efforts to stamp out smuggling and black markets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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