New Mexico primed to join US recreational pot wave

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M (AP) — New Mexico is joining a wave of states that are legalizing recreational marijuana as its Democrat-dominated Legislature sent a package of cannabis bills Wednesday to a supportive governor.

Lawmakers used a marathon two-day legislative session to push through marijuana legalization for adults over 21 and a companion bill that automatically erases many past marijuana convictions, overriding skeptical Republicans.

By signing the bills, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham would extend legal recreational pot sales in the American Southwest by April 2022, when the New Mexico legislation kicks in, and join 16 states that have legalized marijuana, mostly through direct ballot initiatives. California and Colorado were among the first in the U.S. to legalize marijuana, with Arizona becoming one of the latest in the region to follow suit earlier this year. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a legalization bill Wednesday, and a proposal in Virginia is awaiting the governor’s signature.

The New Mexico initiative would reconsider criminal drug sentences for about 100 prisoners, and give the governor a strong hand in licensing the industry and monitoring supplies.

-snip-

By MORGAN LEE AND CEDAR ATTANASIO
12 minutes ago


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/legislature-michelle-lujan-grisham-recreational-marijuana-marijuana-new-mexico-2ee2ccaa6ec362029e55f09d85fcf1c3

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Source: KOB-TV

Recreational marijuana bill clears legislature, heads to governor’s desk

Joshua Panas
Updated: March 31, 2021 09:15 PM
Created: March 31, 2021 07:48 PM

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- A bill that will legalize recreational marijuana is now headed to the governor’s desk.

House Bill 2 passed its final hurdle in the legislature after House lawmakers approved the Senate’s amendments to the bill.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is expected to sign the bill.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/nm-senate-passes-recreational-marijuana-bill/6059537/

[comradebillyboy]

1. In other news of NM, Melanie Stansbury scored an upset win

at today’s Democratic Party runoff election, beating Antoinette Sedillo Lopez for the Democratic nomination for the June 1 special election to fill the vacant ABQ congressional seat.

http://joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com/

[vercetti2021]

2. Good on NM

Texas come on already. Now that NM has it fully legal. More people are gonna be heading over state lines now especially new Mexico since its tons closer than Colorado. Lot of people gonna be bringing it back in droves now

[pamela]

3. This makes me so happy...

...as I sit here in New Mexico planning a trip to Colorado, a trip I make several times a year, wishing I could just drive into town to pick up my medicine.

The pot shops I go to near the state line in Trinidad, Antonito, Pagosa Springs or Cortez always have as many NM license plates (and Texas plates in Trinidad) as Colorado plates. I've long thought that it was insane NM was letting all that money leave this state. Now they'll keep a lot of that money here AND pick up a lot of the Texas buyers.

[jcgoldie]

4. mmmm pot wave...

[Mysterian]

5. Time for Biden and the Dems in Congress to do the right thing

and decriminalize pot.

[IronLionZion]

6. There are plenty of states to do this at the federal level

I know it's like the lowest priority for the Biden administration, but I do hope they do it soon.

[Warpy]

7. The legislature tried to kick the can down the road--AGAIN

by bickering over details and not passing anything, Governor Lujan-Grisham has been trying to do this for 2 years.

So she called them back into a special session just for this bill. She's the only governor I've seen who has been gutsy enough to do that, and Republicans are screeching about it.

I wasn't terribly impressed with her as a Representative. I am very impressed with her as a governor.