New Mexico’s road to legalization has been a long one. It’s taken a task force organized by Governor Lujan Grisham and, ultimately, an election supported by grassroots organizations to usher in a much more progressive Legislature to get the job done. Will we finally see the fruits of all that labor? We hope so.
Having been in the independent weekly newspaper field now for over six years, it’s literally all newspapers ever hoped for. Looking at markets where recreational adult-use cannabis has been legalized, newspapers have seen a resurgence. It’s a trickle-down effect, that many industries are hoping for. But it’s not just about the newspaper business. Supporters of legalization expect the state to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars over the next few years. In a state so dependent on oil and gas, that’s a nice thing to hear. Cannabis and hemp are sustainable products fueling innovation (like hemp batteries?!) as well as providing medicine to those to need it most.
If you’ve ever been interested in getting into the hemp and cannabis market, now’s the time. Inside this edition, we give you the ins and outs of banking, sustainable growing, licensing and so much more. We, like our advertisers, say thank you to legislators, advocates, voters and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for the perseverance and foresight in growing New Mexico’s economy. Here’s to all the hard work and the economic benefit to come.