NM Politics & The NMMCP

I've just returned from a visit to the round house as the New Mexico legislature prepares for their thirty-day special session. Working with the DPA, the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Coalition and various other entities surrounding the cannabis industry, we were able to meet with a great many legislators to discuss our successful medical cannabis program here in New Mexico. We wanted to update legislators on the progress of the program and to get a feel for how the level of support may have changed now that we are the status quo. To sum up our findings I'd say that we can be cautiously optimistic.

However (and there is always an however) it is imperative that the patients, producers and supporters of the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program understand the ramifications of the recent redistricting decisions. There is a buzz going on talking about how New Mexico's legislature may lean Republican for the first time since 1913. If this happens, the program as we know it may end. That would happen as early as February 2013. This coming election in November will virtually decide the fate of our program. That's scary.

Tell everyone you know who supports the program to do their best to get the word out and work hard for the politicians and candidates who support our cause. It is absolutely crucial that we all pull together and work to be sure that our program is protected. We will begin to provide information (provided by the DPA) about the candidates and incumbents we should work for and those we should work against. Sharing information and resources will make the difference - the producers, patients and supporters need to band together and work hard to save our program. Meantime, we should all contact our legislators and find out whether they are supporters or not.

Thanks,

Reynold Greenleaf

Would this be like when everyone worked against Susana Martinez? She made it into office despite everyone's efforts to the contrary. Does everyone forget that it was a Republican who began the fight to get medical cannabis approved in NM in the first place? Just because it became legislation under a Democrat doesn't mean that only democrats support the program. Many of the orginal legislators that signed the Lynn & Erin Compassionate Use Act are still in office. Just as Martinez has not made our program an issue as everyone feared, I don't believe having a Republican majority will adversely effect it either.

Maybe I am naive, but I think the only thing we have to worry about is whether or not the 23 producers will be able to keep up with demand as the patient numbers increase because I don't see any new producers being added anytime soon. There may be a push for an increase in the plant numbers, but I don't see that happening either. As the producers gain experience, the yields per plant will also improve. We all just need to give this program time to grow into itself. It took CA 15 years to get where it is today and now the feds are cracking down because there are no controls. I would prefer the feds stay away from NM.

I will contact my representatives asking them to protect our program and to allow DOH to retain any and all monies collected in order to properly administer the program.

I am not sure that the DPA agenda is mine. Total legalization will get here eventually (like once all 50 states have a medical cannabis program), we all just need to be patient. We must take baby steps before we can learn to run. Pushing for full legalization just sends the wrong message and I don't think those DC representatives in the House or the Senate want to admit the "war on drugs" has been a dismal failure. What we need is a new President who supports us and who will direct the DEA to reschedule cannabis on the Controlled Substance list. Is cannabis really on the same level as or worse than heroin or cocaine? Give me a break!

Thanks for that info RG.Now come on now CFO" What we need is a new President " I don't think any republican running would b any better.What would be best is that cannabis to changed to a class 2 drug.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alfonso2002

Thanks for that info RG.Now come on now CFO" What we need is a new President " I don't think any republican running would b any better.What would be best is that cannabis to changed to a class 2 drug.

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I think I said that too. :)

LOL

Thanks CFO for your commitment to call your legislator - that is the most important thing any of us can do. As for the politics, I'll admit that I am a proud Independent and I agree that Gary Johnson would probably be a better choice for president. Go Gary! Meantime, the fact is that Democrats carried this bill through the legislature and continue to be the stronger base of support for our program. And this program would not even exist if not for the efforts of one specific woman who ran the DPA and made cannabis therapy her absolute priority. Those are just the facts. Many of my colleagues in this industry are proud Republicans and they are the ones that I am imploring to make some noise. Democrats or Republicans, we all support our returning veterans of war and this program has proved itself to be extremely beneficial to many who suffer from PTSD. We need to put politics aside and work together to garner more support to protect this program from people like Jim Smith and other ultra conservatives who see this medical program as some sort of threat.

Not only should this program be available to returning vets, but it should also be permitted for those currently serving. Too many soldiers are killed in drunk driving accidents. Some of the soldiers turn to the bottle after losing a comrade. Then they drive drunk. If they could substitute cannabis for alcohol there would be less drunk driving deaths. Alcohol and tobacco have killed infinitely more than cannabis ever has or ever will. Before anyone says it....I know....there has only been one reported death associated with cannabis and that was actually from mold spores. So, my statement is still true. The misconception that we are all just "pot heads and want to get high" needs to be changed. I know a few of the producers and I think there should be a group photo showing the public "the faces of the industry". People would be surprised to find a typical business person and not a bunch of "pot heads". Same for the patients....has the DOH ever put together statistics indicating the average age of the NM MCP patient? I will bet the average age is in the 50s. Len has been in the papers a few times....does he look like a "pot head"? Call your local legislators, tell them to keep our program safe. I need to check current proposed bills....is Mr. Smith at it again this session? I thought he backed off last year after getting some education about the program.

Regarding the military, (I spent 21 years in the Army, two of them in Vietnam, so I think I know a little something about the military), they do discourage and educate against alcohol as well as weed and hard drugs. I well remember when the Army started testing for weed in the early 80s. Prior to that they tested only for barbiturates and amphetamines. Weed use was widespread, and didn't always result in good things. The military was correct to get the situation under control through testing and non-judicial discharges. We've got to remember that most people in the military are young people, many are just teenagers. They need a controlled environment. Their families back home will not stand for an environment full of drugs and a culture of drug use. Say what we will about weed, there is a general perception that people who use weed are not playing with full decks of cards. Right or wrong, we have to deal with that perception.

Weed is often depicted as a superior choice between it and alcohol, and we know that that is not just a myth, but actually true. Weed is safer, and even good for you if you don't abuse it. But most non-users, and even a lot of former users (Pres. Obama for one) don't think it is a good thing to promote in the culture, even as a substitute for liquor.

Unfortunately, many people combine weed with liquor. I've known many people over the years who don't shun liquor just because weed is superior, but grow to enjoy the extra kick that comes with combining the two. Because of these things, but especially because of the general perception that stoners are kinda dumb, I wouldn't be too optimistic about legalization or a wildfire spread of medical laws among the states. In fact, I expect that we will have to fight tooth-and-nail to keep what we have.

I do often contact our reps here in NM and in DC to push for legalization. We are going to have to hang together to fight the inevitable reversals that are probably just around the corner. The push for repeal won't be just a GOP effort. Lots of Democrats oppose legal weed.

Article in today's NY Times about the legalization scene:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/us...el.html?ref=us

Welcome Jackson. Awesome news! I will keep an eye out for it and see if I can help in any way.

But Welcome!!!