More Buyer Than Seller

Current medical marijuana legislation in DC is similar to the New Mexico law in that only five producers are permitted to grow marijuana for prescription purchase. Access to the New Mexico program is more cumbersome and limited than the DC law yet the number of registered patients has more than doubled in less than six months. When the program had 700+ patients and 4 growers, there was not enough marijuana available. Now it has 5 growers and 1500+ patients - why would somebody expect that the system can provide enough herb? The DC program when implemented will have more than 1500 registered patients.



From The Albuquerque Journal -


Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Five Pot Producers For 1,500 Patients

By Olivier Uyttebrouck
Journal Staff Writer
Kristi Nawman enrolled in New Mexico's medical cannabis program in October and has an official identification card to show for it. But so far, no marijuana.

Nawman is one of 1,500 patients authorized by the New Mexico Department of Health to legally buy medical marijuana, a number that has exploded in recent months. She has applied with all five state licensed producers of legal pot, but has yet to obtain any.

"It's hard to get," said Nawman, who joined other advocates Tuesday at the University of New Mexico campus to raise awareness of the program.

"Every time you call a dispensary, they don't have any," she said.

Nawman received her license to relieve symptoms of glaucoma and neuropathy, two of 16 medical qualifications that qualify a patient for the state's medical marijuana program.

The state has added 550 patients since Jan. 1, according to Department of Health data. So far this year, the state had added at least 150 new patients each month.

The agency licensed five marijuana producers last year, including four in November, and is considering applications from 30 other nonprofits.

While state officials acknowledge that each producer can handle only about 100 patients, they say they want to move cautiously.

But medical marijuana advocates say the state needs to license more producers, and quickly. "Patients need improved access," said Julie Roberts, acting director of the Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico. "Five producers just isn't enough."

Health Secretary Dr. Alfredo Vigil said he is concerned about the program's rapid growth.
Given the large number of patients enrolled in the program, Vigil said he recognizes the need for additional marijuana producers. But the agency wants to license producers in a "safe and methodical" way that will prevent the diversion of marijuana to illegal markets, he said.

"We're also trying to do this in a way that the Department of Health doesn't basically end up overseeing the legalization of cannabis, because that wasn't the intent of the legislation," he said.

About 300 patients enrolled in the state program have licenses that allow them to produce their own supply of marijuana. Each is allowed to have up to four mature plants and 12 seedlings.
New Mexico lawmakers approved the medical marijuana law in 2007 to allow licensed patients to use marijuana to relieve symptoms of diseases and their treatments.

The rapid growth in patient numbers also raises questions about how the department will manage a growing program in a period of budget cutbacks, he said.

Advocates of medical marijuana gathered at the UNM duck pond on Tuesday in observance of "4/20," which has become something of a holiday for marijuana smokers.

Advocates say the state needs to approve at least 10 additional producers to satisfy the needs of patients now enrolled.

"The program is in a terrible state right now," said Larry Love, who turned out at the duck pond to advocate the medical marijuana program. "There is zero medicine available for the 1,500 patients."


http://www.abqjournal.com/news/metro/212349578974newsmetro04-21-10.htm