New Mexico Governor opposes medical marijuana for non-residents

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration is intervening to challenge a recent judge’s ruling that would boost medical marijuana sales by compelling the state to open its market to qualified nonresidents.

The governor’s legal office argued in a court motion that the ruling raises significant issues, such as possibly encouraging the transport of MMJ products across state lines, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Here is the status of the case:

• Three out-of-state residents filed a court petition challenging the state’s denial of their medical marijuana patient card applications.
• Their argument was based on a change in the state’s medical marijuana law that defines a qualified patient as a “person.” The past definition stipulated that an individual must be a New Mexico resident.
• In an initial ruling, state District Judge Bryan Biedscheid agreed with the plaintiffs.
• New Mexico regulators argue the law wasn’t intended to allow nonresidents to participate in the state’s medical marijuana program but just to open it up to reciprocity – meaning qualified patients from other states where MMJ is legal.