New Mexico unveils cannabis legalization proposal

A task force appointed by Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico's Democratic governor, presented its proposal for cannabis legalization in the state on Wednesday. The group had been formed in June, with the aim of presenting the legalization plan before the next legislative session, which begins in January 2020 and lasts just 30 days. New Mexico could thus be the next American state to legalize cannabis.

«Over the course of more than 30 hours of public meetings held around the state and 200 pages of public comment, members explored all aspects of legalization, both good and bad,» Albuquerque City Councilman Pat Davis, chairman of the task force. group, said in a press release.

«As our report makes clear, New Mexico can and should learn from the mistakes made in other states, and we have the ingenuity, talent and skepticism to get it right.»

The experts estimate that the state would create 11,000 jobs by legalizing, with sales reaching $620 million within 5 years. Combined tax revenues from medical and recreational cannabis sales are estimated at $100 million a year.

Among the recommendations, the task force plans to automatically remove old convictions for cannabis possession, and to put patients first by exempting medical cannabis from taxes and funding a subsidy program for low-income patients aimed at reducing the cost of their treatment.

«The Governor will review the recommendations. The next steps will be to incorporate the recommendations of this task force into balanced legislation and work to gain the support of legislators and stakeholders before the [legislative] session,» a explained Nora Meyers Sackett, Press Secretary to the Governor.

A legalization bill had already been passed by the state House of Representatives last April, but had been blocked in a Senate Committee. New Mexico was nevertheless able to decriminalize cannabis, effective July 1.

The full report on the proposed legalization of cannabis in New Mexico can be viewed below.