The proposed laws “would chop the definition of ‘safety-sensitive place’” underneath the state’s medical hashish regulation, in response to the Santa Fe New Mexican. That provision has precluded first responders and firefighters from getting into the New Mexico medical marijuana program, which launched in 2007.
“As proposed, the definition would solely embody workers who’re required to hold a firearm or function a automobile with a industrial driver’s license and ‘whose efficiency underneath the affect of medicine or alcohol would represent a direct or direct risk of damage or dying to the particular person or one other.’ State regulation at the moment defines a ‘safety-sensitive place’ ineligible for the medical hashish program extra broadly, barring firefighters from utilizing medical hashish with out their employer’s permission,” the publication reported.
The laws is being backed by native firefighters unions.
“We might use accountable coverage to handle the whole lot identical to about alcohol, and never solely alcohol however different prescribed drugs that we’re not allowed to make use of after we’re engaged on the job,” Miguel Tittmann, the president of Worldwide Affiliation of Hearth Fighters (IAFF) 244, informed native information station KOAT.
“We might not be capable of use medical marijuana so many hours previous to the shift if we had been capable of negotiate accountable coverage.”
Christopher Johnson, the president of IAFF 2362 in Las Cruces, echoed these sentiments.
“I feel quite a lot of our hope was that that will be capable of be cleared up on the state stage, which might type of open up the door for the municipalities to start out making that distinction and permit them to permit us to make use of that as nicely,” Johnson told KOAT.
The invoice is at the moment being thought-about by a committee within the state Home of Representatives.
Democrats maintain majorities in each chambers of the New Mexico legislature.
The state’s Democratic governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, has additionally confirmed to be pro-cannabis.
In 2021, she signed laws that made adult-use marijuana authorized in New Mexico, which she hailed as an financial coup for the state.
“The legalization of adult-use hashish paves the best way for the creation of a brand new financial driver in our state with the promise of making 1000’s of fine paying jobs for years to return,” Grisham mentioned on the time. “We’re going to improve shopper security by making a bona fide business. We’re going to start out righting previous wrongs of this nation’s failed struggle on medicine. And we’re going to interrupt new floor in an business that will nicely remodel New Mexico’s financial future for the higher.”
“As we glance to rebound from the financial downturn attributable to the pandemic, entrepreneurs will profit from this nice alternative to create profitable new enterprises, the state and native governments will profit from the added income and, importantly, staff will profit from the possibility to land new sorts of jobs and construct careers,” Grisham added.
Grisham mentioned the measure was “a significant, main step ahead for our state.”
“Legalized adult-use hashish goes to alter the best way we take into consideration New Mexico for the higher – our workforce, our economic system, our future. We’re prepared to interrupt new floor. We’re able to put money into ourselves and the limitless potential of New Mexicans. And we’re able to get to work in making this business a profitable one,” the governor mentioned.
Medical and leisure hashish gross sales in New Mexico totaled greater than $40 million in December.