Lawmakers from area to oppose legal weed

The state Legislature is expected to consider a bill during the upcoming 60-day session that would legalize recreational marijuana in New Mexico.

But it won’t be due to the support from legislators on the eastern side of the state.

Six local Republican lawmakers interviewed by The News on Friday — Rep. Randy Crowder of Clovis, Sen. Stuart Ingle of Portales, Sen. Pat Woods of Broadview, Rep.-elect Phelps Anderson of Roswell, Rep.-elect Jackey Chatfield of Mosquero and Rep.-elect Martin Zamora of Clovis — unanimously said they are opposed to legalization.

They cited multiple issues, including effects on health and crime, as well as the time and money needed by law enforcement to keep up with a change to the law.

“As I see it, New Mexico is not ready to legalize recreational marijuana,” Anderson said.

“Law enforcement throughout eastern New Mexico have made it loud and clear that they are unprepared for a new law legalizing marijuana for all. The issue will be studied and we’ll all be listening and offering advice on this issue, but right now I would be a no vote.”

Crowder said he agrees with the police chiefs he has talked to who say that if the drug is legalized, there would need to be adequate funding and time for police and their dogs to be retrained.

Zamora said legalization would create additional problems for law enforcement as well as make marijuana more available to children.

“It’s beyond my belief and values to accept it as something good,” Zamora said of legalization. “The first thing that somebody (who supports legalization) tells you is we’re going to get revenue. We need to just live within our means and not be looking to poison our citizens.”

Woods said additional revenue the state would see from marijuana sales would be offset by the additional costs for law enforcement and social and health programs.

While legalization would not happen if eastern New Mexico’s lawmakers had their say, the plan does have its proponents around the state, including in the highest elected office.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made her support for legalization efforts known during last year’s campaign.

“I am committed to working with the Legislature to move towards legalizing recreational cannabis in a way that improves public safety, boosts state revenues, and allows for New Mexico businesses to grow into this new market,” Lujan Grisham wrote in a statement during the campaign.