John Schroyer
New Mexico’s cannabis industry has been a bit too freewheeling, insiders and regulators told state lawmakers in the Land of Enchantment this week during a legislative hearing. That’s led to literally thousands of citations for business rule violations in recent months.
This year alone, the Cannabis Control Division has conducted 572 business site inspections and found 2,700 violations, agency director Todd Stevens told state lawmakers.
Issues ranged from “minor” problems such as not having proper documentation to more serious violations, such as having the wrong labels on cannabis products, KRQE News reported.
The new enforcement push is what led to the CCD request in August for a court to halt sales at Albuquerque-based Sawmill Sweet Leaf. Three business licenses have been revoked by the CCD to date, Stevens said.
“We are out doing as much as we can and enforcing as much as we can,” Stevens said.
The New Mexico Cannabis Chamber of Commerce also weighed in and said the agency needs more funding and flexibility to enforce rules.
“Right now, the Cannabis Control Division in New Mexico does not have parity with other regulators in other states,” Ben Lewinger, the executive director of the cannabis trade organization, told lawmakers.
