Bill Seeks Recreation, Taxable Marijuana for New Mexico

Democratic legislators have introduced a bill to regulate and tax recreational marijuana sales for people 21 and older.


Top photo: © Zack Frank | Adobe Stock

SANTA FE, N.M.- Democratic legislators have introduced a bill to regulate and tax recreational marijuana sales for people 21 and older across New Mexico.

Filed on Thursday, the House Bill 356 would allow counties and cities to opt out of the market and establish a 9 percent surtax on commercial cannabis sales.

"Prohibition has not worked. We have waged a war on drugs at the federal level and consequently at the state and local level for 50-plus years with terrible consequences," said Democratic Rep. Javier Martinez, who is sponsoring the bill. "Cannabis has been proven time and time again to be less dangerous than tobacco and alcohol. Yet we regulate and tax those two industries."

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