NM: Martinez Would Repeal Medical Marijuana As Governor
KOB.com / 8 September 2010 / Jeremy Jojola, Eyewitness News 4; Taryn Bianchin, KOB.com


One of the candidates for governor intends to do away with New Mexico??s medical marijuana law if elected.

Susana Martinez is quoted through a spokesperson in the Santa Fe Reporter saying, ??I would work to repeal the state??s medical marijuana law.?

Eyewitness News 4 asked the Martinez campaign for a written statement on how the candidate feels about medical marijuana. Ryan Cangiolosi, Martinez?? campaign spokesperson, responded with this message:

??Susana Martinez does not support distributing marijuana for any purposes, since it is in violation of federal law. She feels that there are other treatments for patients in need of care that do not break the law.?

*********On the other side of the debate, opponent Diane Denish says she supports the state??s medical marijuana program. A spokesperson sent Eyewitness News 4 the following statement on Denish??s behalf:

??I support the proper use of medical marijuana for the purpose of easing the pain and suffering of individuals battling cancer, AIDS, and other chronically painful or terminal illnesses. No one diagnosed with a chronically painful or terminal illness should be denied a treatment option that has been proven to reduce pain and suffering.?***********

An AIDS patient who wanted to be identified as ??Mary? claims medical marijuana helps increase her appetite after taking so many nauseating prescriptions. She spoke to Eyewitness News 4 at her home on Wednesday.

??Basically it??s kept me alive. If it were not for [medical marijuana] I would not be sitting here. In the last three years, I came close to death twice,? Mary told Eyewitness News 4.

According to the state??s Department of Health, more than 2000 patients have been issued medical cannabis cards.