Cannabis sales total $1.3B in New Mexico

Sep. 20—In 2021, New Mexico became the 18th state in the nation to legalize recreational cannabis.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called a special legislative session in March 2021 specifically to legalize recreational weed.

Following the session, she signed the Cannabis Regulation Act, which created a plan for the consumption, sale and regulation of cannabis. The first licensed sales of recreational marijuana began in New Mexico in April 2022.

From April 2022 to August 2024, recreational sales nearly doubled.

In August 2024 alone, cannabis sales exceeded $50 million, most of that coming from recreational sales. Medical and recreational sales have generated $1.3 billion since cannabis' legalization.

Most sales have come from Albuquerque, with 9.6 million transactions adding up to $429 million in sales. Following Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Sunland Park and Hobbs have generated the most in sales.

The state's Cannabis Control Division has approved more than 3,000 cannabis licenses, including for production, manufacturing, sales, consumption and testing.

Legal cannabis sales can only occur at licensed dispensaries, not at special events like festivals or expos. There are 1,006 licensed dispensaries in New Mexico, a map of which can be found online at .

If any cannabis products are stolen from licensed facilities, business owners are required to report the theft or loss within a day to the Cannabis Control Division.

There are 759,481 recorded cannabis plants in the state, according to the Cannabis Control Division.

Recreational marijuana is only legal for people 21 years or older, per state law, and consumption is only allowed at home or a licensed consumption lounge, not in public. It's illegal to drive under the influence of cannabis.

To date, 24 states, three U.S. territories and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational cannabis.

The drug is still classified as Schedule I on a federal level, meaning it has high potential for abuse and isn't allowed for either recreational or medical uses. Other Schedule I drugs include heroin, ecstasy and peyote.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is moving to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III drug instead, and a final rescheduling rule could appear as early as this month or next.

New Mexicans working for federal entities, like through the national laboratories or military bases, must adhere to federal policy and aren't allowed to use or possess marijuana. For example, Los Alamos National Laboratory treats marijuana use as a termination-level offense, even if someone had a medical card under New Mexico law.

It's also federally illegal to drive across state lines with cannabis.