In 2015, State Rep. Bill McCamly filed House Bill 160 but failed legislation. This year, he filed House Bill 75. These two bills both aim to decriminalize and legalize marijuana, with the latter entitled as “Cannabis Revenue and Freedom Act”.
Rep. McCamly says that New Mexico will benefit from legalizing marijuana and should follow their Colorado neighbor’s lead. According to him, marijuana would increase tax revenue and may decapitate drug cartels. He also express disagreement about waiting to see how Colorado does after marijuana legalization. The $100M increase in tax revenue of the said state is already proof enough for the benefit of the bills he has been sponsoring.
The battle to legalize marijuana in New Mexico is somewhat of a lost cause and the only viable window for change may be in 2019. That is because Governor Susana Martinez, who has vowed to veto any laws passed to reduce marijuana possession penalties, will be ineligible for re-election in 2018. According to the spokesperson from the governor’s office, Gov. Martinez saw what illegal drug use does to families and the youth back in her past positions as a prosecutor and district attorney, and is the main reason for her opposition on drug legalization.