Have any new Producers been approved since Jan 1?

[ManOBuds]

Actually,Patient4200.....the Program will be funded now through increased Producer's fees.

[BuddingHopeNM]

First of all, this is NOT the opinion of Budding Hope, BH won't take sides unless it affects the patients. Its more personal opinion based on truth and past experiences than anything really. :thumbsup:

The DOH is the only entity that should operate the program.
The DOH only allows quality producer applications to be approved.
The DOH could use a little coin, and will soon start getting it.
The DOH needs coin to hire so they can expand.
The DOH can't approve more than they can oversee. (important)
The DOH has the patients in mind, not producers. (a great thing)
The DOH must 'meet patient needs'.
The DOH can complete and submit producers applications to desk of the Secretary of Health.
The DOH most likely has complete applications on the desk of the SOH. (important and likely the cause of the suit)
The Secretary of Health simply has to sign them - Its likely the case that she simply isn't signing them.
The DOH isn't obligated to approve every application.
The DOH isn't obligated to approve incomplete or bad applications.
The DOH is obligated(maybe not legally, but they should) to approve complete and solid applications.
The DOH - MCP cannot force the Sec of Health to sign them. (ours sat on Vigil desk for over a month)
:Note the separation of DOH MCP and Secretary of Health:

So, I do understand that these hopeful producers want their license. These hopefuls may have even worked longer on their proposals than some already licensed producers have. I wouldn't doubt it.

But, lets not forget that the patients are the important ones here. If the MCP is not fullfilling 'patient needs', then there is a problem. Its all about 'patient needs' not producer needs. If the Secretary had to sign off on every patient card, and there was a hold up, that would be a problem.

The real issue lies with the administration's control over the Secretary of Health, who is obviously silent on this issue. I do understand them suing Martinez, because she has said that she won't help the program grow. But that is only an issue if producer growth is what is required to 'meet patient needs'. What I don't understand is suing a "certain someone" who is integral in getting producers applications complete, polished, reviewed. I have always felt this 'certain someone' was an asset to the MCP...given the circumstances and conditions.

Questions?
Difficult situation? Not really. If Denish was in office these applications would likely have been approved - a no brainer. But then again, is there a shortage of medical cannabis? Are producers dry? I'm not saying we don't need more producers...but do we need more producers because they want to produce, or because we need supply? They just upped the producer count as well as plant count less than 4 month ago....these December producers probably haven't all opened yet, but will be soon. From the patients standpoint, the best part about having more producers is the possibility of the price of cannabis dropping, which is a reasonable desire and something that some producers and patients wouldn't mind.

As far as a lawsuit weakening the program, I never thought of it that way. But like I said, the patients are the ones who matter. If a lawsuit slows the program down or shifts resources from the patients, I don't like that. Also, this idea that these people are big money 'venture capitalists' I don't believe. Of all licensed producers I have met, none of them seem to be that type.

Just putting my 2 grams in.

[alfonso2002]

nice post there BuddinghHopeNM

[ManOBuds]

I concur with BuddingHope.

[patient4200]

[

As far as a lawsuit weakening the program, I never thought of it that way. But like I said, the patients are the ones who matter. If a lawsuit slows the program down or shifts resources from the patients, I don't like that. Also, this idea that these people are big money 'venture capitalists' I don't believe. Of all licensed producers I have met, none of them seem to be that type.

Just putting my 2 grams in.

First , a well thought out post. I liked it. The state effectively kept undesirable elements out of the program by restricting board membership to New Mexico residents. Colorado did the same thing recently, you can't open a dispensary if you haven't lived in the state for a few years prior to the rule coming in effect( not sure on the exact wording of their rules, but they want to keep investors from out of state opening chains of dispensaries in all states where they have MCP). Colorado has effectively shut the door against folks moving there simply to open a dispensary

You can count on that "certain someone" being out of the office or tied up on matters pertaining to this lawsuit, which isn't going to help any new patient permits to be issued or any other tasks accomplished. It will certainly also divert monetary resources ( in the way of state attorney time) to defend against the suit.

The phrase "venture capitalist" was in reference to the person mentioned in a KOB news article.

If you take a look at the latest patient stats @ the DOH site, you'll see that quite a few have personal production permits. The state will easily make a case with the new plant limits and the number of personal production license, the needs of patients are being met.

What this lawsuits wants is one thing what they are going to get may be some new regs...:

"sorry, we're rejecting your application as there are already x dispensaries within a 10 mile radius" or "x county already has enough production"..or "board members have to reside in the county of production..or some other draconian in your face go away type of ruling. These regs can just be implemented. They do not need a vote...Just like increasing the plant limit to 150 or closing the producer applications for a few months

Anybody have a look at the Arizona regualtions? You can't even get a personal production license if you live within "x" miles of a producer

This lawsuit will have an unexpected result. I'll be writing to the assigned judge telling him if they donâ??t like how the program is being run, tough nuts. It's a pointless suit imho. The state cleary stated that an application isn't assured to be approved.

I was curious how the choices on producers was being made, but I didn't go out and start suing the state to get a permit.

I am wondering how the state is going to address this so called "wall of silence" as funding for new staff won't be arriving anytime soon.

I'll bet a geographical zone will be established at some point..and counties may start implementing more stringent zoning and bvusiness license fees to keep things from spiraling out of control.

The increase in the application fee doesn't seemed to have slowed anything down, but I'll bet a number of producers don't come up with renewal fees if they have a crop failure or two.

anyhow..that's my 2 ml:-)

[ManOBuds]

Seems well considered.

[theother0]

I have a good source on the NM cannabis board. There are 26 apps currently in and none have been approved for desp. growers. Existing ones are fine. some have been awaiting approval for 2 years.

[ManOBuds]

That is messed up.

[alfonso2002]

I have a good source on the NM cannabis board. There are 26 apps currently in and none have been approved for desp. growers. Existing ones are fine. some have been awaiting approval for 2 years.

what do you mean by this? " none have been approved for desp. growers"

[ManOBuds]

I think he means dispensaries.There are none in NM,we have Producers.I haven't heard of any new Producers being approved since December 2010.....