New Bill Would Increase Allowable Marijuana Cultivation and Possession

A lawmaker in Las Cruces wants to introduce a bill allowing for increased cultivation of marijuana for approved growers and allow medical marijuana patients to possess more medicine. Democrat Senator Cisco McSorley proposed the bill.

If the new legislation is approved, cultivators would be permitted to grow up to 1,000 plants per 3-month period, according to KVIA News 7. As the law stands now, cultivators are permitted up to 450 plants.

Medical marijuana patients in New Mexico, right now, can possess up to 8-ounces in a 90-day period. The new legislation would permit 5-ounces of medical marijuana within a 30-day period. The patient base in the state has almost doubled in just a year’s time. The growing patient base has put some strain on the supply chain.

MJ Expresso in Las Cruces says it serves 175 medical marijuana patients and has had to turn patients away in the past.

Victoria Trujillo, MJ Expresso’s assistant manager said, “They get frustrated. They’re trying to get their medicine and they’re having limits put on them because there’s not enough supply for them. We aren’t able to meet all of our patients’ needs so we’re constantly running out of flower. We’re constantly running out of different oils and edibles.”