Medical Pot Legalized
SANTA FE Seriously ill New Mexicans will soon legally be able to smoke marijuana to help reduce their pain.
Gov. Bill Richardson signed the medical marijuana bill into law this morning.
State lawmakers passed the controversial bill allowing the drug use during the last legislative session.
The Department of Health will administer the program and has until Oct. 1 to have the system in place.
The bill will allow an estimated 50 to 200 New Mexicans to smoke pot to alleviate their suffering.
Officials expect most of the patients who smoke it to have been diagnosed with cancer, HIV or glaucoma.
The bill faced tough opposition from some lawmakers who said allowing the use of medical marijuana would send the message that drug use is OK.
But the governor's signature on the bill today means New Mexico joins a handful of states that allow the use of medical marijuana.
"We're going to be successful in monitoring the use,” Richardson said during the signing. "We made sure the bill included specifically define the serious conditions covered,
"The program will be supervised by panel of eight physicians and healthcare officials with expertise on these conditions."
Details about exactly how the program will work are still being explored.
The health department will have to find people to grow the marijuana. Those likely will be businesses experienced in growing herbs for medical purposes.
This new state law doesn't protect medical marijuana patients from prosecution.
According to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, prescribed users can still be arrested for breaking federal law.
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