An amended version of a cannabis legalization bill has passed the New Mexico House of Representatives.
HB356 narrowly passed the House with a 36-34 vote on Thursday, bringing the state one step closer to the possibility of legal cannabis.
“We have what could potentially be a watershed moment in the recreational use of cannabis legalization movement,” said sponsor Javier Martinez [D] before Thursday’s vote. “New Mexicans are with us on this issue.”
Cannabis has been illegal in the state since 1923, though a bill was passed in 1978 that recognized the plant’s medicinal value.
In 2007, then-governor Bill Richardson signed SB523 into law, allowing qualified patients obtain a doctor’s recommendation to use medical cannabis.
HB358 would create a licensing and regulation system for cannabis manufacturers, but retail sales would take place at state-run outlets. Sponsor Antonio Maestas [D] says that government-run shops might be the most responsible plan for legal cannabis sales in the United States to-date.
The new amended version of the bill, lowers the legal possession limit from two ounces to one and requires consumers to retain a receipt for their cannabis or face penalties.
Unlike the state’s medical cannabis program, HB358 would not permit home cultivation.
Past convictions for anything made legal by the bill would automatically be sealed after its passage.
