Time runs out on medical marijuana legislation in New Mexico

Published: March 23, 2005

At noon on Saturday, March 19, the New Mexico Legislature closed its doors on the 2005 session—and on the hope that New Mexico would become the 11th state in the nation to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and imprisonment.

Three medical marijuana bills were introduced this session, and all three passed the Senate. Two of the bills—S.B. 891 and S.B. 492—stalled in the House Judiciary Committee, but the third bill, S.B. 795, made it to the House floor. That bill—the Lynn Pierson Compassionate Use Act, sponsored by Sen. Cisco McSorley (D-Albuquerque)—reached the floor on Monday, March 13, but it was passed over on each of the remaining days of the session.

In the case of S.B. 795, Rep. Dan Silva (D-Albuquerque) admitted that he was working to hold up the bill until the Senate Judiciary Committee—of which Sen. McSorley is the chairman—heard his bill, which dealt with Albuquerque developers.

You can read more about Rep. Silva's actions by visiting:

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Despite this setback, the swift passage of the three bills through the Senate demonstrates vast legislative support for medical marijuana. Please act to build on this support, and urge your legislators to support medical marijuana next year.

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To learn more about all three bills, please visit:

/NM/bills.html

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please distribute this to your friends and family so that they too may act for change.