Medical pot being sold in Los Lunas

http://www.news-bulletin.com/2015/04/29/news/medical-pot-being-sold-in-los-lunas.html

Medical marijuana is now available in Los Lunas. A medical cannabis dispensary store, Natural Rx, opened late in February at 3414 N.M. 47 and another, Minerva Canna Group, is slated to open June 1 at 336 Main St. Two other dispensaries are interested in village locations, but they are still in the state licensing process, according to Adolph Lopez, the village’s code enforcement supervisor.

Lopez said they have to have a permit from the state and follow state medical cannabis regulations, such as having a security system and not setting up shop within 300 feet of a school, day care or church…

When did dispensaries start having to be a certain distance away from a church? In New Mexico, there’s like a church on every corner.  Do stores that sell alcohol and cigarettes have to be 300 feet from a school, day care or church?  Pharmacies?

“I think the village needs to be very aggressive in making sure that these facilities meet the letter of the law,” Griego said. “I understand that some people have medical needs for the use of marijuana. I understand that, however, I think we have to be very careful that we don’t create a negative situation with these facilities.” Law enforcement work to ensure the safety of the community, local businesses, their employees and patrons, said Los Lunas Police Chief Naithan Gurule…

Has there been a “negative situation” with alcohol and cigarettes being sold on every street corner, along with religion?  And we mustn’t forget prescription medications, also sold on every street corner CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and grocery store. How about tanning salons? Should they also be 300 feet from schools, day cares and churches?  Stores that sell Coke, Dr. Pepper and energy drinks?

The negative situation is the drug war, creating discrimination of a plant and those who choose this treatment.

The reason the dispensaries have come to Los Lunas is because the state now allows individual producers to open more than one dispensary. The New Mexico Department of Health public information officer Ken Vigil wrote in an email that the new rules went into effect on Feb. 27. The state also opened up the license application process for up to 12 more licensed nonprofit producers.

“The state allowed multiple dispensing locations and we felt that Valencia County was undeserved, so we opened down there,” said Natural Rx manager Trevor Reed, in an interview at his Albuquerque location. Natural Rx is owned by the Natural Rx Foundation and governed by a board. It owns an Albuquerque store, three dispensaries in Oregon and the new Los Lunas location…

My review for Natural Rx:

http://forum.nmcannabisreview.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17

Briones, who has a degree in horticulture, also has plans to open an additional dispensary in a different city, but wouldn’t disclose the location…

“We’re vertically integrated, meaning we have to grow and sell our own product,” he said. “There is a little glitch — we can buy from other producers, but unlike most states, we can’t buy from people (individuals).” …

I understand that California and Colorado dispensaries are able to buy from individual growers and caretakers, which is probably one of the reasons the price is more affordable for patients in those states.  And why there’s a better and more varied selection of strains to choose from.