Target 7 digs into some of the benefits and unintended consequences New Mexico could face as the state prepares for recreational cannabis sales. With a stroke of a pen, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham legalized recreational cannabis and spoke about what it means for the state. “11,000 new jobs, $100 million in revenue,” Lujan Grisham said. It’s expected to become a budding industry in New Mexico as it has in other states. “It’s a billion-dollar industry at this point in Colorado,” Wendi Roewer, a field intelligence manager with the Denver Drug Enforcement Agency, said.But Roewer said the grass isn’t always greener for states legalizing recreational cannabis. “It does provide an opportunity for criminal organizations to come in and exploit the legalization,” Roewer said. “The state does not benefit in the way of tax revenue at all. What it does bring in is other crime.”Roewer said the Colorado cannabis market is saturated, so highly sophisticated criminal organizations are setting up shop in the state, then crossing state lines. She added “almost all of the black market marijuana that is grown here goes out of state.” Ben Lewinger with the New Mexico Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, a group that advocates for recreational cannabis, said “there are lots of lessons to be learned from other states, what to do and what not to do.”Lewinger said Lujan Grisham convened a working group to travel to states with legalized cannabis to hash out the pros and cons. “What happened is you had too much cannabis for the market and it just dumped into the illicit market, eventually made its way across the country,” Lewinger said.He said in some other states like Oregon, for example, there were no limits to plant counts. But New Mexico’s law does have limits. He said this is a way for the state to stem the growth of the illicit market. But Roewer said another unintended consequence to legalizing is crime that follows the organized black market groups. “We’ve even seen instances of human smuggling, where they’ll bring individuals in to work at these grows and basically have them work as more or less indentured servants,” Roewer said.Most often, the Denver DEA sees cases of financial or mortgage fraud. Only time will tell if legalization will cause any problem in New Mexico. But right now, the state is already seeing some of the benefits. Medical marijuana companies like the Everest Apothecary are already preparing for new customers.”I’ve heard projections of 11,000 new jobs, and I think that’s right on or maybe even a little bit low,” Trishelle Kirk, the Chief Operating Officer at Everest Apothecary, said.Kirk said cannabis-related jobs are ones the younger generations want.”We have a lot of talent here. We have a lot of people that have a lot to give with technical knowledge and experience,” Kirk said. “And to get those people excited and give them an opportunity to build their own business is just huge for our state.”Kirk believes cannabis-related jobs can also help people get out of a life of crime. “This is a job now, but it could be a career,” Kirk said. “You can support your family, and you can invest in that community.”
Target 7 digs into some of the benefits and unintended consequences New Mexico could face as the state prepares for recreational cannabis sales.
With a stroke of a pen, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham legalized recreational cannabis and spoke about what it means for the state.
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“11,000 new jobs, $100 million in revenue,” Lujan Grisham said.
It’s expected to become a budding industry in New Mexico as it has in other states.
“It’s a billion-dollar industry at this point in Colorado,” Wendi Roewer, a field intelligence manager with the Denver Drug Enforcement Agency, said.
But Roewer said the grass isn’t always greener for states legalizing recreational cannabis.
“It does provide an opportunity for criminal organizations to come in and exploit the legalization,” Roewer said. “The state does not benefit in the way of tax revenue at all. What it does bring in is other crime.”
Roewer said the Colorado cannabis market is saturated, so highly sophisticated criminal organizations are setting up shop in the state, then crossing state lines. She added “almost all of the black market marijuana that is grown here goes out of state.”
Ben Lewinger with the New Mexico Cannabis Chamber of Commerce, a group that advocates for recreational cannabis, said “there are lots of lessons to be learned from other states, what to do and what not to do.”
Lewinger said Lujan Grisham convened a working group to travel to states with legalized cannabis to hash out the pros and cons.
“What happened is you had too much cannabis for the market and it just dumped into the illicit market, eventually made its way across the country,” Lewinger said.
He said in some other states like Oregon, for example, there were no limits to plant counts. But New Mexico’s law does have limits. He said this is a way for the state to stem the growth of the illicit market.
But Roewer said another unintended consequence to legalizing is crime that follows the organized black market groups.
“We’ve even seen instances of human smuggling, where they’ll bring individuals in to work at these grows and basically have them work as more or less indentured servants,” Roewer said.
Most often, the Denver DEA sees cases of financial or mortgage fraud.
Only time will tell if legalization will cause any problem in New Mexico. But right now, the state is already seeing some of the benefits.
Medical marijuana companies like the Everest Apothecary are already preparing for new customers.
“I’ve heard projections of 11,000 new jobs, and I think that’s right on or maybe even a little bit low,” Trishelle Kirk, the Chief Operating Officer at Everest Apothecary, said.
Kirk said cannabis-related jobs are ones the younger generations want.
“We have a lot of talent here. We have a lot of people that have a lot to give with technical knowledge and experience,” Kirk said. “And to get those people excited and give them an opportunity to build their own business is just huge for our state.”
Kirk believes cannabis-related jobs can also help people get out of a life of crime.
“This is a job now, but it could be a career,” Kirk said. “You can support your family, and you can invest in that community.”
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