Patients all over the United States use the marijuana compound cannabidiol (CBD) for its health benefits. Since CBD has different properties than medical cannabis, it sometimes falls under separate legislation. In other cases, it has more regulations than you think. New Mexico’s CBD rules depend on the governing agency deciding them.
In New Mexico, the majority of CBD medications count as medicinal cannabis. Since it comes from the cannabis plant and often has trace amounts of THC, it falls under the category of hallucinogenic substances. While CBD medicine with low THC levels usually doesn’t cause a high, it still qualifies according to the law. Since New Mexico doesn’t have a distinction between CBD and cannabis medicine, they follow the same rules.
In 2018, the Medical Cannabis Program enforced its sourcing rules on CBD. According to the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, all marijuana medicine must come from a New Mexico source. Dispensaries followed this rule with THC products, but they didn’t realize that it applied to CBD. Program director Kenny Vigil told dispensaries to stop selling CBD immediately.
However, these rules don’t apply to normal retail stores that sell unregulated CBD products. That means you will likely find more CBD items in these shops than you would dispensaries. We recommend getting your CBD medicine at a dispensary if possible. While retail stores have greater availability, they also don’t have the same quality control as dispensaries.
To shop at a New Mexico dispensary, you must join the medical marijuana program. You could qualify if you have a condition such as:
The program accepts people with many other health issues, too. Find the full list in our guide to New Mexico qualification.
If you think you have a qualifying ailment, you can apply for the medicinal cannabis program. Take these steps to register:
Some forms of CBD may have more lax regulations in New Mexico, but medical CBD has rules for a reason. If you have a qualifying condition, we recommend joining the medical marijuana program to get CBD. Consult a cannabis-friendly doctor for further guidance.
