“We’ve become the mecca for ‘mota’…and we have to ask ourselves: Is that really what we want to be?”

By Patrick Lohmann, Source NM

More than three years after New Mexico legalized recreational marijuana, the state has become a national poster-child for recreational marijuana sales, and not in a good way, argues state Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces).

“We’ve become the mecca for ‘mota’,” Cervantes said, using a slang term for marijuana common in New Mexico. “And we have to ask ourselves: Is that really what we want to be?”

He and other state lawmakers on the Legislature’s interim Courts and Criminal Justice Committee met Monday morning in Taos to discuss the proliferation of shops across the state, as well as their hopes for a new band of cannabis officers tasked with enforcing laws the Legislature enacted when it legalized recreational marijuana in April 2022.

Since legalizing cannabis, New Mexico retailers have sold about $1.7 billion combined in adult-use and medical cannabis, with the help of more than 1,600 licensed cannabis-related businesses such as retailers, testing labs and producers, according to a presentation from state Regulation and Licensing Department officials who spoke at the committee meeting.

While the industry is booming, high-profile examples of marijuana scofflaws in the state prompted lawmakers this session to pass House Bill 10, which funds the hiring and training of a new team of fully certified law enforcement officers empowered to bring criminal charges against those they suspect are lying about the source of the marijuana, exploiting their workers or altering the drug.

In the coming days, the state will advertise for a police chief in charge of the new crew of officers, according to Clay Bailey, superintendent of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Division. From there, they’ll hire up to six more officers.

“I really want seasoned people that know what they’re doing, [who have] dealt with drugs and things, and know what they’re getting into,” Bailey said of the new hires.

HB 10 also empowers the new officers to do more forensic accounting within the state’s system for tracking growers from seed to sale. The new hires free up inspectors to undertake audits to determine, for example, whether growers are lying about where their inventory came from or if they’re flooding the market with illegal products, Bailey said.

40 dispensaries and one grocery store

No limits exist in state law on the number of licenses that can be issued, and local jurisdictions also cannot ban cannabis dispensaries from operating, according to the Regulation and Licensing Division, though they can control how far apart they must be. Maestas suggested lawmakers change state law to grant control over licenses to towns and cities.

In Sunland Park, which borders Texas, where recreational marijuana is illegal, up to 40 cannabis retailers exist, state officials said Monday.

“This is just not healthy,” said Cervantes, whose senate district includes Sunland Park. “This is not a healthy environment for my community, for Sunland Park to have 36 [to] 40 dispensaries, one grocery store, maybe one liquor store.”

According to state data presented Monday, the town of less than 20,000 people has generated the second-highest amount of marijuana revenue in the state since April 2022. Regulators have tallied more than $127 million in recreational sales revenue from nearly 3 million transactions. Albuquerque, the highest-earning city, has generated more than $350 million.

According to a 2024 Pew Research Center study, Oklahoma has the highest number of marijuana dispensaries per capita in the country, with 36 per 100,000 residents. Cervantes estimated New Mexico to be about 30 per 100,000, which puts it far ahead of early marijuana adopters California and Colorado.

A coalition of about 100 cannabis businesses in June 2023 asked the governor to issue a pause on new licenses, saying they faced too much competition and chaos from a “flourishing” black market.

The issue has not gone away. Several lawmakers said they want to see the issue addressed in next year’s 30-day legislative session. Though budget-focused, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) could deem the topic germane.

“I hope you’ll ask the governor to fix what needs to be fixed,” Cervantes told the state cannabis regulators at the meeting, “and have us do that in the remaining administration in the 30-day session coming up.

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday afternoon. However, in a town hall meeting in July in Española, the governor did acknowledge that the state needed to fix its process for licensing, in response to a resident’s complaint about the number of dispensaries.

“Expect the state to propose some restrictions,” the governor said, drawing applause, saying that the licensing “didn’t roll out the way we intended for it to roll out.”

This story was first published by Source NM.

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Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

In the search of a healthier lifestyle…maybe a cannabis beverage can be added.

Millennials have lead the surge in the California sober movement, now they are embracing wellness culture, cannabis-infused beverages. The drinks are quickly becoming a go-to alternative to alcohol. But can they actually support your health—or are they more hype than help?

Cannabis drinks, especially low-dose THC and CBD seltzers or teas, promise relaxation, reduced stress, and better sleep. They offer a smoke-free, easily dosable way to consume cannabis—often infused with other wellness ingredients like adaptogens or nootropics.

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This is where microdosing comes in. Many cannabis beverages now contain just 2–5 mg of THC—enough to take the edge off without causing intoxication. For some, this low-dose approach promotes calm and better sleep without the hangover or mental fog associated with alcohol.

Still, not all drinks are created equal. Some products contain high sugar levels or unverified ingredients. It’s important to choose beverages with lab-tested THC or CBD levels and transparent labeling.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved cannabis-infused beverages for medical use, and warns that CBD and THC products may pose risks if misused—especially for people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications. Always check with a healthcare provider before adding cannabis to your routine.

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If you are looking at trying one, look for beverages with natural ingredients, low sugar, and clear THC/CBD content. Start low, go slow, and prioritize quality over trendiness.

cannabis drinks can be part of a balanced wellness lifestyle—if used mindfully. For Millennials seeking calmer evenings, better rest, or a social buzz without booze, these drinks offer a promising, low-impact alternative.

Delaware will be the 22nd state to launch adult-use cannabis sales when dispensaries open for business on Aug. 1, state regulators announced this week.

The Delaware Office of the Marijuana Commissioner (OMC) gave the green light on July 1 for the state’s 13 existing medical cannabis dispensaries, known as medical marijuana compassion centers, to transition to serving adult-use customers 21 years and older in a first-mover advantage beginning next month.

The forthcoming launch date comes more than two years—831 days to be exact—since former Delaware Gov. John Carney allowed the Delaware Marijuana Control Act to be enacted without his signature in April 2023.

Delaware Marijuana Commissioner Joshua Sanderlin, who was nominated in April 2025 to take the reins, is now overseeing the program rollout.

“The start of legal adult-use marijuana sales reflects the tireless efforts of our regulatory team and our strong partnerships with state agencies, industry stakeholders and community leaders,” Sanderlin said. “Our focus is on building a safe, equitable and accountable marijuana market that delivers real benefits to Delawareans. We will continue to issue conditional licenses to previously selected applicants to ensure they can begin operations once active.” 

The OMC finalized regulations for a commercial marketplace in September 2024 under former Marijuana Commissioner Rob Coupe, who had originally hoped for a March 2025 sales launch with a strong focus on social equity licensees.

The OMC held lotteries in October 2024 and December 2024 to award 125 adult-use licenses to cultivators, manufacturers, retailers and testing labs, including for 30 new dispensaries, half of which were reserved for social equity applicants.

However, the spring 2025 sales launch was delayed when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) rejected the OCM’s application in March for a service code needed to initiate Delaware’s statutorily required criminal background checks via a fingerprinting system for new licensees. Existing medical operators have already undergone the background checks.

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed legislation less than a month later to align state law with FBI standards for the service code, putting the adult-use sales launch via an equitable rollout back on track. However, the OCM did not specify when new licensees could enter the market in a July 1 press release announcing the Aug. 1 sales commencement.

“Delaware has taken a major step forward by launching a legal adult-use cannabis market that prioritizes equity, safety and accountability,” Meyer said. “This new industry will generate critical revenue to strengthen our schools, infrastructure and public health systems, while creating real opportunities for entrepreneurs. This revenue also gives us a powerful tool to invest in the communities most impacted by the war on drugs, addressing past wrongs and ensuring that the benefits of this new market reach every corner of our state. I’m proud we’re moving quickly and thoughtfully to build a cannabis market that reflects our values and expands opportunity for every Delawarean.”

Initially, there was no path for existing medical cannabis operators to transition to the expanded marketplace under the 2023 legalization legislation. However, the General Assembly passed follow-up legislation in 2024 to provide that pathway to help kickstart the adult-use program. Without medical cannabis companies providing products via established cultivation operations, the sales launch could have remained sidelined for years as new licensees build out their grow facilities.

Still, conversion licenses for medical cannabis companies to transition to adult-use operations came at a significant cost: $200,000 for cultivators, and $100,000 for manufacturers and retailers. The conversion fees resulted in $4 million in funding to support Delaware’s social equity applicant start-up grants, according to the OMC.

MariMed CEO Jon Levine, whose company acquired First State Compassion Center’s cultivation and processing facilities and two dispensaries in March, said he’s excited to participate in the expansion of Delaware’s cannabis program with the sales launch next month.

“Our Delaware business unit, First State Compassion, was the first licensed operator in the state 10 years ago, and since then, we have proudly served the state’s medical cannabis patients,” Levine said. “We are looking forward to opening our doors to many more residents and the nearly 30 million tourists who visit the state annually.”

In anticipation of the sales launch, MariMed has already improved its Wilmington and Lewes dispensaries to help ensure that an increase in customer traffic does not impact the experience and product selections that its medical cannabis patients have enjoyed up until this point, Levine said. The company has also begun scaling production at its cultivation and processing facilities to meet the expected rise in demand.

Delaware’s adult-use marketplace could provide $215 million in economic activity, including more than $40 million in annual state tax revenue, Spotlight Delaware reported earlier this year.