New Mexico cannabis consumers will soon have designated areas across Albuquerque to partake in cannabis.
Right now, it's illegal for individuals to consume cannabis outside of their homes, but during an April 4 meeting, the Albuquerque City Council updated the city's "Clean Indoor Air Ordinance" to allow cannabis consumption lounges within the city.
Council approves O-21-83; updates the Albuquerque Clean Indoor Air Ordinance to comply with recent changes to cannabis law at the State level.
— Albuquerque City Council (@ABQCityCouncil) April 5, 2022
"This does not make it legal to smoke in public; it is still illegal under state law. All we're doing is cleaning up this indoor air quality ordinance for the city of Albuquerque to make it actually focused on indoor air," city councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn said during the April 4 meeting.
The consumption lounges would need to get a conditional use permit from the city to operate. The facilities would also be required to have ventilation systems to ensure the general public could not inhale cannabis, KRQE News reported.
In addition, "cannabis shops that are licensed for consumption would be allowed to create patios for people to smoke on, as long as it follows the guidelines of the Albuquerque clean air act," the news outlet reported.
With this legislation in place, individuals caught smoking outside their home or a licensed consumption lounge would be subject to a $50 civil fine.
