New Mexico Celebrates Legal Adult-use Cannabis Sales

New Mexico is now the 18th state to legalize the sale of adult-use cannabis and those sales began last Friday. According to television station KOAT, as of noon on Sunday, recreational sales in the state had reached $3 million. Hundreds of residents had lined up at dispensaries to purchase legal recreational cannabis. KOAT said that according to state officials, 49,552 transactions had occurred totaling roughly $3,092,712.

Democratic governor,  Michelle Lujan Grisham was reportedly at a dispensary for the occasion but did not make a purchase. Instead, she was seen speaking with customers.

“I’m excited, this is what New Mexicans said they wanted,” Lujan Grisham said, as quoted by the station. “They said they wanted it long before was I running.”

KRQE reported that, “Non-medical, adult-use cannabis sales passed $475,000 before noon on April 1 and reached $1 million sometime before 4:00 p.m., according to numbers from the Cannabis Control Division (CCD). By 8:00 p.m. statewide total adult-use cannabis sales were starting to approach $1.8 million. As of midnight, $1.9 million had been spent on adult-use cannabis.” The local television station also reported that one dispensary Bad Company got off to a rough start when its software provider BioTrack malfunctioned and would only allow medical marijuana products to be entered. It apparently was resolved and the dispensary was able to begin those sales.

“The legalization of adult-use cannabis paves the way for the creation of a new economic driver in our state with the promise of creating thousands of good paying jobs for years to come,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in a statement. “We’re ready to break new ground. We’re ready to invest in ourselves and the limitless potential of New Mexicans. And we’re ready to make this industry a successful one that helps transform New Mexico’s economic future for the better.”

Most of the dispensaries are located in and around Albuquerque. The state also expects numerous Texas residents to cross state lines to make purchases.

“This is the right model for New Mexico because it creates a local, sustainable and regulated industry while at the same time protecting our public health, road safety and the well-being of our youth,” said Superintendent Linda M. Trujillo of the state Regulation and Licensing Department, which will oversee and manage the new industry. “The standardization and statewide regulation that comes with a bona fide industry will protect consumers. In addition, local jurisdictions will be able to enact reasonable zoning, land use and other business requirements.”