New Mexico health department bars out-of-state patients from buying medical marijuana

Changes to regulations governing New Mexico’s medical marijuana program have led the state’s health department to declare that patients from other states cannot buy medical cannabis there.

The rule extends to out-of-state patents who are enrolled in a legal MMJ program and have registered in New Mexico.

In response, one of the state’s largest cannabis companies, Ultra Health, filed a letter with the health department, giving it 14 days to change its stance or the company would sue, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Ultra Health operates 17 dispensaries statewide.

The new MMJ rules went into effect June 14, changing the definition of “qualified patient” by removing the qualification that a patient be a resident of New Mexico.

The health department maintains that allowing non-New Mexico residents to obtain MMJ cards and purchase medical cannabis will encourage diversion across state lines.