On Wednesday, the New Mexico Legislature passed Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s radical recreational marijuana legalization bill, which will give the green light to the use of the illicit drug in the State of New Mexico, a major blow to commerce, law enforcement, and child safety in the state.
The New Mexico Senate passed the Senate by a vote of 22-15, with two Democrat senators, Bobby Gonzales (D-Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and Taos) and Shannon Pinto (D-McKinley & San Juan), voting with Republicans against it.
The Governor called the bill’s passage by the Legislature a “significant victory for New Mexico,” writing that “Workers will benefit from the opportunity to build careers in this new economy. Entrepreneurs will benefit from the opportunity to create lucrative new enterprises. The state and local governments will benefit from the additional revenue. Consumers will benefit from the standardization and regulation that comes with a bona fide industry.”
However, the most such a bill would bring in to the state would be peanuts compared to the bloated state budget that currently sits at $7.4 billion. Proceeds from the sale of recreational marijuana would only contribute a maximum of 0.204% of the state’s needed budget or $15.1 million in the best year.
According to one report, “The state would levy a 12% excise tax on sales to start, and the tax would grow to 18% over time. Gross receipts taxes would also be added on, pushing the total tax rate to 20% to 26% overall.”
Both chambers of the Legislature also adopted separate legislation to subsidize the Big Pot industry with $7 million in cash, despite the Governor claiming the industry would bring in money to the state.
The vehicle used to push through weed, H.B. 2, co-sponsored by Rep. Javier Martinez (D-Bernalillo) and Sen. Katy Duhigg (D-Bernalillo), was ultimately voted on to move forward over Sen. Cliff Pirtle’s (R-Chaves, Eddy, and Otero) competing proposal, which died.
Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana), who was conveniently absent for the final vote on H.B. 2, said, “This bill is not ready, this policy is not ready, New Mexico is not ready,” showing his concern that legalization will do more harm than good in a state plagued by drug and alcohol addiction.
“We’re not really genuinely here to debate the bill or improve the bill,” said Sen. Cervantes, D-Las Cruces. “We’re here to pass the bill.”
The Senate Democrats decisively killed just every amendment to their radical bill proposed by Republicans. Thankfully for minors in New Mexico, the previous language in prior bills allowing parents to legally provide cannabis to children under 21 was removed from the currency legislation.
The bill, however, allows adults over 21 to grow their own pot plants for personal use up to six for personal use and twelve for household use, which will expose children and minors to marijuana.
After the Senate passed the controversial bill following its first passage in the House, the House voted to concur on the bill. It now goes to Gov. Lujan Grisham’s desk, where she is no doubt happily waiting to sign the extreme measure. New Mexico is the 16th state to legalize recreational dope, following New York and fourteen other states.
Jobs and benefits? Just liberal’s pipe dreams.
Senator Candelaria, pictured in the post, is a pot smoker and an obvious victim of munchie cravings. He is also snarled in a conflict of interest. Mr. Candelaria is a lawyer who has represented Ultra Health, a major New Mexico pot company, that in our estimation, bought the 2021 legislature.
Why is this not put to a vote before the citizens of New Mexico?
The entire State? Just make it legal in Santa Fe… those tyrants need to chill TF out.
When can we start growing? I will build my green house this year for sure! You cannot beat the Dems because they have everything rigged so just join them….LOL …get enough cash then move out of NM!
That is exactly what I’m trying to do, so I can return to the Atlantic Coast, but this time to RED South Carolina. If you know anyone who wants to buy an off-grid homestead, please send them here: https://santafe.craigslist.org/reo/d/tres-piedras-4-acre-little-homestead/7285663271.html. I’ll give them a good deal. BTW, how I got to unincorporated Taos County was using up my retirement savings to take care of my little bro w/Down syndrome by myself for 7 years, while Dems in NJ diverted his rightful funding to invaders while Obama-no-care let him die. He wasn’t fat or ill. Probably had MS (as I found out later I have). Long story. Don’t want to cry. Had to move to a place where one can live very, very cheaply.
Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana), who was conveniently absent for the final vote on H.B. 2, said, “This bill is not ready, this policy is not ready, New Mexico is not ready,” showing his concern that legalization will do more harm than good in a state plagued by drug and alcohol addiction.
I completely agree.
Senator Candelaria, pictured in the post, is a pot smoker and an obvious victim of munchie cravings. He is also snarled in a conflict of interest. Mr. Candelaria is a lawyer who has represented Ultra Health, a major New Mexico pot company, that in our estimation, bought the 2021 legislature.
We have many problems in the state due to pot use, and the users aren’t law abiding. Pot is a psychotropic drug, and affects judgment, and has caused permanent brain damage in some people. Many of the high profile crimes in America have been committed by people under the influence of marijuana only. And there have been many instances of child abuse with the perps under the influence of marijuana.
Puff Daddy Johnson would be proud.
I had to spend 12K to replace my swamp cooler with air conditioner because I don’t want the marijuana smoke coming into my home. I sent all of the legislators scientific proof that this drug causes mental illness, second hand smoke which is harmful people and pets, NM does not have enough WATER for these plants. Marijuana ruined Colorado. They are taking away my clean air – If my neighbor is smoking in their back yard I will be subject to the second hand smoke All they care about is money – must e in bed with the drug cartels. They have no care for the citizens.