Adult-use cannabis sales are in full swing in New Mexico and the governor says the drug will be legal in the state “forever.”
On the first day of legal adult-use cannabis sales, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was spotted visiting Everest Apothecary in Albuquerque. According to KOB Everest CEO Trishelle Kirk gave the governor a tour of the dispensary and showed her how a consumer would go about choosing and purchasing legal cannabis.
When asked if she would be purchasing any that day, the governor told reporters, “Today I don’t have to decide, because it’s not ending today. It’s going to stay forever. Today I want to be educated and see everyone else’s success, but I’m not going to partake.”
“Today is the fruition of a ton of work by a lot of incredible people making sure that New Mexicans have access to recreational adult-use cannabis in exactly the way that they want,” she told fellow shoppers. “And it’s a huge economic opportunity for the state.”
Pot Sales Explode in New Mexico
Adult-use cannabis retailers in New Mexico reportedly sold $1.9 million worth of products in the first day of recreational cannabis sales. Marijuana sales overall, including medical cannabis, totaled over $5.2 million during the first weekend.
According to KRQE Albuquerque made the bulk of the state’s sales over the first weekend, drawing in around $1.3 million. Santa Fe was second in sales at $316,105, and Las Cruces was third at $309,218.
The number of cannabis retailers open on the first weekend of sales across the state is only a portion of the number that will be open over the coming months as many companies are still waiting for local license approval.
“New Mexico was ready for this historic opportunity to end prohibition,” said Cannabis Control Division Director Kristen Thomson in a press release. “Whether it’s people moving from the illicit market to the safe, regulated legal market or brand-new customers excited to try high-quality New Mexico products for the first time, New Mexicans supported cannabis businesses in record numbers this weekend.”
DEA Clarifies Cannabis Seed Legality
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has clarified that cannabis seeds are considered hemp as long as they contain less than 0.3 percent THC—no matter how much THC is ultimately present in the plants they produce.
According to a letter written from the DEA to attorney Shane Pennington in response to a request for clarification, chief of DEA’s Drug and Chemical Evaluation Section Terrence L. Boos wrote, “Marihuana seed that has a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis meets the definition of ‘hemp’ and thus is not controlled under the CSA.” This has effectively legalized most if not all cannabis seeds.