First New Mexico Medical Cannabis Producer Approved

Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Also Included In: Multiple Sclerosis;  Neurology / Neuroscience;  Epilepsy
Article Date: 23 Mar 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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The New Mexico Department of Health has approved the first nonprofit in New Mexico to produce medical cannabis for patients in the Department's Medical Cannabis Program. Nonprofits are allowed to produce up to 95 mature plants and seedlings as well as a usable inventory of medical cannabis to meet the needs of patients in the program.

"We are proud that we have accomplished the last and most challenging phase of our program and now New Mexico patients who are suffering from chronic, debilitating conditions can legally access medical cannabis under State law," said Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil, MD.

Due to safety concerns, the Department will not release the name or location of the producer to the public. The Department will notify certified patients of how to contact the licensed producer. The Department cannot release patient information to the producer because of patient privacy laws.

The Department is reviewing another producer application from a nonprofit. The Health Secretary will consider the health needs of qualified patients and the public safety in determining the number and location of licenses that the Department approves. Patients in the Medical Cannabis Program can also apply to produce up to 4 mature plants and 12 seedlings for their personal use. So far, the Department has approved 23 patients to be their own producers.

The program's Medical Advisory Board will meet April 13 at 9 a.m. at the Harold Runnels Auditorium in Santa Fe to review petitions that have already been submitted to add new conditions to the program. The Board will also reconsider the following petitions discussed at the March hearing: chronic pain, bipolar disorder, arthritis, asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and chronic sinus congestion from blunt-facial trauma.

Once a condition is approved, anyone with that medical condition can apply to the Medical Cannabis Program. The 14 current qualifying conditions are: cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with intractable spasticity, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, painful peripheral neuropathy, intractable nausea/vomiting, severe anorexia/cachexia, hepatitis C infection currently receiving antiviral treatment, Crohn's disease, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Hospice patients may also be eligible.

Since the Medical Cannabis Program began July 1, 2007, the Department of Health has approved 250 patient applications. For more information about the Medical Cannabis program, look up http://www.nmhealth.org/marijuana.html.

For all conditions, physicians must certify that patients have an eligible condition, and the condition is debilitating and not helped by standard treatments. Physicians must also attest that they have informed patients of the potential risks and benefits associated with using medical cannabis for their condition. For post traumatic stress disorder, a psychiatrist must certify that patients have the disorder.

Source
New Mexico Department Of Health