Legal Cannabis Takes Root | 4.18.21

No More Normal

After many attempts over what seems like forever, New Mexico has finally passed a law making recreational cannabis use legal for adults. But the rollout is not as simple as lighting a match as special considerations for how this new law will impact New Mexicans must be addressed. It raises a lot of questions: What happens to people with prior cannabis convictions? Who will have access to the emerging industry? How will equity be enacted? And how will this affect you if you don’t have citizenship status?

In Episode 27, we ask the people of Albuquerque how they feel about weed being legal. We learn about how the new law affects immigrant communities. We hear about the long fight for the Drug Policy Alliance, how one veteran is determined to use grass to help other vets, and we talk to two people whose lives were interrupted because of that so-called “war on drugs.”

GUESTS:

• Kim Chavez Cook, appellate defender, Law Office of the Public Defender
• Emily Kaltenbach, New Mexico Drug Policy Alliance
• Armando and Aarika, Bold Futures New Mexico
• Arifa Raza, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
• Diana Torres, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center
• Dick Wilkinson, army veteran and founder of the New Mexico Veterans Cannabis Alliance

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

• Our guests for sharing their experience and expertise with us
• Zelie Pollon, Megan Kamerick, and Taylor Velazquez for pitching in with editing help.
• Jazztone the Producer, Cheo, Dahm Life, Business School, Sun Dog, and Oh Lawd Records for providing music for the show. Khaki, Pope Yesyeyall, and Bigawatt produced some of the show's themes.

Episode Art Courtesy:

JURASSIC BLUEBERRIES VIA CC

*****

No More Normal is brought to you by Your New Mexico Government, a collaboration between KUNM and New Mexico PBS. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.

We dedicate this and every episode to the memory of Hannah Colton. We love and miss you Hannah.