SANTA FE, New Mexico (AP) – New Mexico Brings Sales of recreational marijuana on the doorstep of Texas, the largest forbidden state, as the push for broad legalization surges up even more of American West.
Because of Friday in New Mexico, anyone 21 years and older can purchase up up to 2 ounces (57 grams) of marijuana – enough to roll about 60 joints or cigarettes – or a comparable amount of liquid marijuana concentrates and edible treats.
New Mexico grows medical marijuana program since 2007 under severe restrictions. Friday’s launch still represents a sea change for local law enforcement, tax authorities, commercial manufacturers and residents who thought full-exploded legal access will never come to the potty.
At a Santa Fe dispensary, recreational cannabis users said they were delighted with what was open buy local pot and cut ties with in black market.
“When they legalized it here, I didn’t need my boyfriend is bigger,” said Devin Killoy, an artist and handyman. in speckled clothes with White.
Antonio Rodriguez, 38 years old.year- the old grocer said he content to pay new taxes on recreational cannabis: “I want everyone has to be legal, even if it’s more expensive”.
Across the state, potential marijuana farmers are bidding. for water rights and learn how to improve them first cannabis crops as experienced medical cannabis growers ramp up up production and add new retail showrooms.
New Mexico is among the 18 states that have legalized marijuana. for entertaining use, with implied for hemp tourism and conservative Texas where legalization efforts made little progress.
In Clovis, New Mexico, a city on the high plains. of about 40,000 residents less than 10 miles (16 km) from Texas, Earl Henson and two business partners pooled resources to transform former gun shop and shooting range into cannabis store and an accompanying grow room on Main Street.
“I can not explain how I’m happy,” Henson said. former real Real estate agent who says his affection for marijuana was a burden in in past. This week he started harvesting. first cut for cannabis store called Earl and Tom. “I think these cities are near Texas, for in next in two years it will change their economy.”
In the state capital of Santa Fe, marijuana is coming on sale throughout street from city recently built visitor center on block with lining with galleries, clothing boutiques and restaurants.
Leroy Roybal, manager of Cannabis downtown Minerva Kanna store said he hopes to be stigmatized of hemp use fading away quickly.
“I think we’re liberating a lot of hearts and souls,” he said. “It will be like receiving cup of Joe at Starbucks.
Supportive lawmakers hope broad legalization of marijuana will stamp out black markets, increase employment and ensure sustainable new sources of government income.
Initially, consumers will rely heavily on supplies from 35 traditional marijuana plants that took root over in past 15 years. Cannabis Regulators Released more than 230 new marijuana business licenses so far – to manufacturers, retailers and production facilities for extracts and food products.
Governor Michel Loujan Grisham on On Thursday, they said that the wide legalization of marijuana meets the demands of the population and creates small business opportunities.
“This is what consumers wantLuhan Grisham said. up for re-election in November. “We have potential for 11000 more workers, jobs in places where young people can work and stay like Torrance County, Texas, Tucumcari and Raton.
Local governments cannot completely ban cannabis production, but they can limit locations as well as hours of operation. Public consumption banned under threat of $50 fine for first- temporary violations.
New business licenses for cannabis cafes or lounge bars not requested yet – leaving people indulge in them homes or special hotels, casinos and cigar shops.
In southern New Mexico, Mayor Javier Perea of sunland park says marijuana retailers can set up anywhere small city surrounded by the Rio Grande and fencing along the US border with Mexico.
He said about 30 marijuana business requested permission in in city of just 17,000 inhabitants, banking on tourism from nearby El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico.
Perea hopes the industry will create economic opportunities and tax revenue to support city Services. Local governments will get a minority share of state 12% excise tax on sales of recreational marijuana, and with but share of additional sales taxes. medical cannabis remains without taxes.
” one thing we’re going to struggle with we are going to run out of building” for new businesses, he said.
Lawyers warn that people who purchase hemp in New Mexico and decided to return home to other states could risk criminal fines, arrest and deprivation of liberty – in the first place in Texas.
Paul Armento, Deputy director of Drug policy group NORML, said Texas is in the number leading states for marijuana-possession arrests and what possession of marijuana concentrates that are legal in New Mexico, punished in Texas by up up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Marijuana also remains possession of illegal under federal law, use or sell – a standard this applies to extensive tracks of federal land and indian country in New Mexico.
The hemp industry in New Mexico is still dependent on on cash to avoid go against of federal law, access to banking services through alternative certification system for credit unions and banks backed by state attorneys general.
State also plans guarantee $5 million in low interest loans for small cannabis businesses that cannot access traditional credit.
Legislators in New Mexico sought to reverse harm caused by marijuana criminalization on minority communities and poor households by automatically deleting or erasing past condemnation of cannabis, encouragement social and economic diversity in employment and layoffs financial barriers for start-up businesses.
micro-business growing license up up to 200 plants for $1,000 flat fee attracts first longtime commercial producers such as recently retired US Marine Kyle Masterson and his wife Ivy, Latino Army veteran with business counseling experience. They raise three children and a middle-aged career transition to cannabis.
Mastersons, residents of suburban Rio Rancho, searched more remote areas for accessible building grow full-fledged marijuana under lamps, on vacant former movie theatre in tiny Cuba, New Mexico, at the base of Mount Hemez.
“It felt right, it felt right good as well as out of vision of what could we do,” said Kyle Masterson, who served in four combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We are accustomed to work out of harsh conditions without much direction and make our best”.
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