Remove cannabis roadblocks in New Mexico

The Taos News,
 
Last week, UNM’s Integrative Medicine de Taos hosted a large and successful Taos Health Symposium at the Sagebrush Inn.

A significant part of the agenda was devoted to a cannabis panel that discussed the restrictions on and effectiveness of the plant, also known as marijuana, and how it can best be used for health care uses.

While the use of marijuana in pain management and in treating the side effects of cancer treatment, for example, has strong evidence of working, a big roadblock continues to be that it is still classified as a “Schedule 1 narcotic” by the federal government. Because of that, those in the medical community who want to further study it have a hard time doing so.

And those in states like New Mexico who have medical cannabis programs are often dealing with confusing laws and bureaucracy.

In other words, while the uses of cannabis in health care could be even more profound for a variety of conditions and issues – it will be hard to know until the federal government reclassifies it — so that more comprehensive studies can be done.

Meanwhile, marijuana still carries a significant cultural stigma and profound myths about the “kind of person” that uses it. Think, “the stoner.”

It’s time to move past the stereotypes — and that goes for lawmakers and the public in general. Those that use marijuana recreationally will likely always include a subset that fits the stoner profile. Lazy, unmotivated, the loafer, slug — you get the idea. But that’s not what we’re talking about here.

There are millions of Americans that suffer from chronic pain. Of the millions of veterans in the U.S., some estimate the number who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression at 20 percent. Never mind those who struggle with side effects of cancer treatment and other issues that medical marijuana can help.

At the same time, here in New Mexico, the backlog of medical marijuana applications has delayed patients from receiving their cards for often long periods of time. So long that some have resorted to “going back to the streets” to buy it. When the system is working well, the bureaucracy involved to be approved, receive the card and then find a provider that has sufficient product can be a nightmare.

Taos-based veteran groups say they’ve seen vets go back on prescription opioids — because there’s less red tape — in an attempt to manage their pain, PTSD, etc., while waiting for the state to catch up.

Our neighbors to the north — Colorado — have removed many cannabis roadblocks. Adults 21 or older can legally possess an ounce (28 grams) of marijuana or THC. Anecdotal evidence supports that in part because of what the state has done, violent crime has decreased and opioid addiction has leveled out.

The state has used much of the millions of dollars of tax money generated from the sale of marijuana to fund rehabilitation services for the homeless population and to fund schools.

Whether New Mexico goes that direction or not, it’s well past the time to remove cannabis roadblocks to serve the community of patients who seek it for health care purposes. And time for members of the general public to understand that it’s in their interest, no matter their preconceived notions of users, to support and demand those efforts.