On April 20, marijuana smokers, dispensaries, and advocates celebrated the “420” holiday that praises the consumption of pot. In New Mexico, the formerly contraband drug was legalized beginning on April 1, 2022.
In 2022, New Mexico pot sales on the unofficial stoner holiday hit $1.12 million, according to Albuquerque Business First. However, in 2023, those numbers grew exponentially.
New Mexico sales of marijuana on April 20, 2023, rose 86 percent from last year to hit $2.82 million.
“This year’s 4/20 average transaction total was $50.28, up from the March average of $44.60. Hobbs recorded the highest average transaction size at $94.96,” reported the outlet.
The sales increase may also have something to do with the jump in dispensaries in the state, with 1,421 retail licenses in 69 towns in 2023 versus 681 stores operating in 37 towns in 2023.
The massive jump in sales also meant a 124.72 percent jump in transactions from last year to now, with 22,402 transactions in 2022 versus 50,342 transactions in 2023.
Software company Akerna noted that nationwide, 420 pot sales ballooned to $154.4 million in 2022, with that number rising to over $192 million in 2023, according to Cova.
Marijuana should just be made legal federally. In NM it ties into one’s second amendment Constitutional rights. Not right for a medicine. Cut the Rockefeller ties.
As to the question as to whether it has helped the state, yes financially it has.
However the government should not be involved with it.
I would like to say, I do not care if there are pot shops in my community. Almost every one else I have talked to say they did not want them. I would think the taxes that come from the sales would come to our community, they do not. Our rep Slick Willie Madrid had to be pretty much cornered to admit he is the guy that decided we needed the pot shops without regard to the general populations views. We do have a lot of folks from El Paso that now visit our community only to get High. Anyway he is a dem that is now pushing to have a water treatment plant (sewer system) put in and force people to pay for it, again with out consent. We are told we would vote on it, just like the pot shops “NOT”. It is also supposed to be free, our sister county (same town) was told there’s would only cost $12 a month, it is now $54 a month. Most are tired of the Dems forcing us “the community” into things the community does not want. NM is a state with taxation with out representation. If you come to Southern NM you will see it in action. We have a town of 30,000 and a volunteer fired department. The county wants us off their books so we get little to no support. Just venting a little. At least give us the pot money so we can fix our emergency services.
Please pass the joint!
Why are you censoring my short comment?
Since New Mexico runs dead last in every metric against the other 49 (DUI and Domestic Violence excepted) could we, like um, puffpuff, say WOW man, like could it ummm like maybe be blamed on the umm, puffpuff, like ahh what were we talking about. .??
JUST ANOTHER STEP IN THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR CULTURE AND NATION. YOU CANT GET YOUTH TO WORK TODAY, THEY LIKE TO STAY HOME AND SMOKE POT. I RUN A BUSINESS AND CANT FIND EMPLOYEES THAT CAN PASS A DRUG TEST.
A pot shop on every street. They will even deliver it to you. Disgusting.
MJ Dispensaries on every street corner, ever strip center, every vacant building now peddling weed. Are we really so dependent on MJ? I support medicinal use, but ‘recreational’ MJ can’t be that common? I think they now outnumber Bars and Restaurants..or is it just my imagination. I avoided the crap thru the 70’s and 80’s; now the odor is omnipresent… I want to know how many traffic stops/citations involve MJ?