New Mexico Gov. Comment on Medical Cannabis

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NM Governor Bill Richardson Applauds Administration’s Decision Not to Prosecute Licensed Medical Cannabis Patients and Producers

October 19, 2009 -- SANTA FE – Governor Bill Richardson today applauded President Barack Obama and the United States Department of Justice for their policy to not pursue criminal charges against licensed medical cannabis patients and producers.

The Department of Justice sent a memo to United States Attorneys today advising that they should not prosecute licensed patients and producers who are in compliance with state medical cannabis laws.

“Our medical cannabis program in New Mexico is helping a select group of patients who cannot get relief from their pain and suffering from any other kind of treatment,” Governor Richardson said. “I am pleased that President Obama has taken these steps to ensure patients will be protected while getting the medical relief they desperately need."

Governor Bill Richardson signed the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act in 2007 that allows patients with qualifying conditions to use medical cannabis. The law also allowed New Mexico to develop a production and distribution system for medical cannabis patients. Since the Medical Cannabis Program began July 1, 2007, the New Mexico Department of Health has licensed one non-profit producer and 771 patients for the program.

Patients who apply to the Department of Health’s medical cannabis program must meet a qualifying condition to be approved to use medical cannabis. There are currently15 qualifying conditions: severe chronic pain, painful peripheral neuropathy, intractable nausea/vomiting, severe anorexia/cachexia, hepatitis C infection currently receiving antiviral treatment, Crohn’s disease, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with intractable spasticity, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS and hospice patients.

For more information about the Medical Cannabis program, go online to http://www.nmhealth.org/idb/medical_cannabis.shtml.

Source: New Mexico Governor