NEW MEXICO CANNABIS PROGRAM
NEW MEXICO
Licenses Available
STATE STATUS
The state of New Mexico legalized medical cannabis in 2007, through a Legislative bill, Senate Bill 523, which provided a legal way for qualifying patients in the state to access and utilize medical cannabis as a form of treatment for their ailment.
New Mexico legalized adult-use marijuana through House Bill 2 on April 12, 2021, allowing for marijuana possession and consumption for individuals 21 years and older. The Cannabis Control Division will be responsible for regulating the adult-use marijuana program. Access to marijuana will be through state-licensed marijuana businesses.
Learn more about how to get a New Mexico marijuana business license or schedule a complimentary consultation with our licensing team, below.
Hemp
Yes
Medical Marijuana
Yes
Adult-Use
Yes
When To Apply
NOW
News
NUMBER OF MARIJUANA BUSINESS LICENSES AVAILABLE
Adult-Use Marijuana Business Licenses in New Mexico:
New Mexico Adult-Use Producer License: A person that cultivates cannabis plants; has unprocessed cannabis products tested by a cannabis testing laboratory; transports unprocessed cannabis products only to other cannabis establishments; or sells cannabis products wholesale.
Licensing Fees: $2,500/year; $1,000/year for each additional licensed premises
New Mexico Adult-Use Manufacturer License: A person that turns uncultivated cannabis into edibles, oils and other cannabis products; packages cannabis products; has cannabis products tested by a cannabis testing laboratory; or purchases, acquires, sells or transports wholesale cannabis products to other cannabis establishments.
Licensing Fees: $2,500/year; $1,000/year for each additional licensed premises
New Mexico Adult-Use Retailer License: A person that sells cannabis products to qualified patients, primary caregivers, reciprocal participants or directly to consumers.
Licensing Fees: $2,500/year; $1,000/year for each additional licensed premises
New Mexico Vertically Integrated Cannabis Establishment: A person that is authorized to act as any of the following:
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- A cannabis courier;
- A cannabis manufacturer;
- A cannabis producer; and
- A cannabis retailer.
Licensing Fees: $7,500/year; $1,000/year for each licensed premises; Not to exceed $125,000
New Mexico Cannabis Producer Microbusiness: A cannabis producer at a single licensed premises that possesses no more than two hundred total mature cannabis plants at any one time.
Licensing Fees: Up to $1,000/year
New Mexico Integrated Cannabis Microbusiness: A person that is authorized to conduct one or more of the following:
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- Production of cannabis at a single licensed premises; provided that the person shall not possess more than two hundred total mature cannabis plants at any one time;
- Manufacture of cannabis products at a single licensed premises;
- Sales and transportation of only cannabis products produced or manufactured by that person;
- Operation of only one retail establishment; and
- Couriering of cannabis products to qualified patients, primary caregivers, reciprocal participants or directly to consumers.
Licensing Fees: Up to $2,500/year; $500/year for each additional licensed premises
New Mexico Adult-Use Cannabis Courier: A person that transports cannabis products to qualified patients, primary caregivers, reciprocal participants or directly to consumers.
Licensing fees: $1,500/year; $1,000/year for each additional licensed premises
New Mexico Cannabis Consumption Area: Similar concept to a microbrewery; an area where cannabis products may be consumed (alcohol cannot be sold or consumed)
Licensing fees: $2,500/year
New Mexico Cannabis Research Laboratory: A facility that produces or possesses cannabis products and all parts of the plant genus Cannabis for the purpose of studying cannabis cultivation, characteristics or uses.
Licensing Fees: $2,500/year; $1,000/year for each additional licensed premises
New Mexico Adult-Use Cannabis Testing Laboratory: A person that samples, collects and tests cannabis products and transports cannabis products for the purpose of testing.
Licensing Fees: $2,500/year; $1,000/year for each additional licensed premises
The division shall not limit the number of licensed premises a licensee may occupy or operate under a license. Multiple licensees may occupy a single licensed premises, and the division shall not place any restriction or prohibition on the number of licensees occupying a single licensed premises or on the number of licensed premises of a cannabis establishment.
Any qualified applicant can apply for a license. Within 90 days of deeming an application complete, the Division will grant or deny the license. Applicants may not have prior convictions “substantially related to the qualifications, functions or duties.” This includes felony convictions involving fraud, embezzlement, or deceit, or involving a minor in drug sales. It does not include cannabis convictions.
Medical Marijuana Business Licenses in New Mexico:
New Mexico Non-Profit Producer (LNPP): A vertically integrated license, allowing a licensee to grow medical cannabis plants; extract, process and produce medical cannabis products; and dispense to registered patients. There is a limit of thirty-five (35) LNPPs allowed statewide. There are no limits to the number of stand-alone dispensaries each LNPP is allowed to open. The state awarded all 35 LNPPs and is no longer accepting applications for additional LNPPs.
New Mexico Medical Manufacturer Only License: Can manufacture cannabis products; package, transport or courier cannabis products; have cannabis products tested by a cannabis testing facility; purchase, obtain, sell and transport cannabis products to other cannabis establishments; and prepare products for personal production license holders. Currently there are twelve (12) manufacturing licenses statewide. There is no limit to the number of Manufacturers the state will issue. The state is currently accepting applications for Manufacturers only licenses with no deadline for submission.
New Mexico Medical Cannabis Courier License: Can deliver cannabis from LNPPs to qualified Patients.
New Mexico Medical Cannabis Testing License: Can test cannabis from registered New Mexico Medical Cannabis Businesses to ensure medical cannabis sold to patients meet testing regulations.
HOW TO START A MARIJUANA BUSINESS IN NEW MEXICO
To obtain a marijuana business license in New Mexico, you will be required to submit an application. As part of the application, you will be required to submit marijuana business plans such as the following:
- Business Plan
- Financial Plan
- Manufacturing Plan
- Inventory Control Plan
- Security Plan
- Recordkeeping Plan
- Community Benefits Plan
Need marijuana business plans? Shop our available New Mexico templates.
Schedule for a complimentary 15-min consult with our licensing/application team to learn more about how we may be able to assist you.
ENHANCED OVERVIEW OF MARIJUANA IN NEW MEXICO
Governor Bill Richardson signed Senate Bill 523 into law on April 2, 2007, legalizing medical marijuana in New Mexico. The Department of Health (DOH) was assigned as the regulating department and was responsible for developing rules and regulations for the state’s medical marijuana program. The department issued 23 Licensed Nonprofit Producers (LNPPs) in 2011 and reopened the application process to issue the additional 12 LNPP licenses- the application process closed on May 1, 2015.
Governor Michelle Lujan signed SB 406 into law in April 2019, which made substantial changes to the state’s medical marijuana program. Some of the changes include:
- Allowing medical marijuana to be administered in school.
- Allowing for reciprocity, this allows patients from other states with legal medical marijuana programs to purchase medical marijuana at a licensed dispensary in New Mexico.
- Creating a new Personal Production license which allows patients in rural areas to grow marijuana and send it to manufacturers to process it into products for them.
- Extending the validity of patient registration cards to three years.
In April 2020, the Department of Health began accepting applications for medical cannabis manufacturers only. There is currently no established deadline for submission or limit on the number of licenses to be issued.
NEW MEXICO MARIJUANA TIMELINE
2007 – New Mexico legalized medical marijuana.
2013 – New Mexico’s first medical marijuana businesses opened, and medical cannabis sales began.
2015 – New Mexico reopened the application process to license an additional 23 medical cannabis producer licenses.
2020 – New Mexico opened the application process to license Manufacturers only, with no deadline.
April 12, 2021 – New Mexico legalized marijuana, through the passing of House Bill 2.
June 29, 2021 – Bill goes into effect.
September 1, 2021 – The cannabis regulatory advisory committee shall be established.
September 1, 2021 – The Division shall begin to accept and process license applications for cannabis producers, cannabis producer microbusinesses and any person properly licensed and in good standing as a licensed medical cannabis producer.
January 1, 2022 – The Division shall promulgate rules.
January 1, 2022 – The Division shall begin to accept and process license applications for all license types.
April 1, 2022 – Retail sales of commercial cannabis products begin.
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"Cannabis Business Advisors is a world-class company. Their tactical and strategic knowledge will guide any business to success. CB Advisors' advice and counsel played a key role in making Strive Life the only locally awarded dispensary in North Dakota."
Dispensary Owner, Strive Life Grand Forks"SARA’S SUCCESS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. OUR COMPANY CONTINUES TO ENGAGE SARA FOR ONGOING CONSULTING AND HER ADVICE REMAINS SOLID AND RELEVANT TO OUR GROWTH."
Owner, Firefly Dispensaries in Pennsylvania."WORKING WITH SARA WAS A PLEASURE. WE DON’T KNOW HOW WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS WITHOUT HER."
Arizona Vertically Integrated Facility Owner"Sara reduced much of the management team’s stress by her knowledge, execution, resolving conflicts, and firm but confident approach."
Chairman, Solevo Wellness"Sara’s success speaks for itself. Our company continues to engage Sara for ongoing consulting and her advice remains solid and relevant to our growth."
Owner, Firefly Dispensaries in Pennsylvania."Working with Sara was a pleasure. We don’t know how we would have gotten through the application process without her."
Arizona Vertically Integrated Facility Owner