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Medical Cannabis Board Rejects Rule Changes

eggroll via flickr

 

The board that oversees New Mexico's medical marijuana program this week unanimously rejected rule changes proposed by the state Department of Health. 

Dr. William Johnson chairs the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Advisory Board which is made up of doctors.  He says many of the changes proposed by the Department of Health would hurt patient access to medical marijuana. 

 

"We hope that they recognize our statutory authority and began to work collaboratively with us," Johnson said. "If not, then there are other steps that we could take or that the patients and producers might take."

 

The Department of Health is proposing a series of changes including increasing fees for licensed producers, cutting the amount of THC in cannabis extracts and requiring patients to undergo background checks. They say the changes are intended to address a supply shortage.

 

Earlier this summer the Department of Healthwas told that they needed to work more closely with the advisory board, but they did not participate in Monday's discussions. The advisory board is still waiting for word on their recommendation to approve medical cannabis for patients with dementia and Alzheimer's. It was filed in April. They are now asking the Department of Health to respond to all of their recommendations within 90 days.

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