2023 New Mexico Statutes › Chapter 26 - Drugs and Cosmetics › Article 2B - Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act › Section 26-2B-4 - Exemption from criminal and civil penalties for the medical use of cannabis.

A. A qualified patient or a qualified patient's primary caregiver shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution or penalty in any manner for the possession of or the medical use of cannabis if the quantity of cannabis does not exceed an adequate supply; provided that a qualified patient or the qualified patient's primary caregiver may possess that qualified patient's harvest of cannabis.
B. A reciprocal participant shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution or penalty in any manner for the possession of or the medical use of cannabis if the quantity of cannabis does not exceed the limit identified by department rule.
C. The following conduct is lawful and shall not constitute grounds for detention, search or arrest of a person or for a violation of probation or parole, and cannabis products that relate to the conduct are not contraband or subject to seizure or forfeiture pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act [Chapter 30, Article 31 NMSA 1978] or the Forfeiture Act [Chapter 31, Article 27 NMSA 1978]:
(1) a qualified patient or primary caregiver possessing or transporting not more than an adequate supply or a reciprocal participant possessing or transporting not more than the limit identified by department rule;
(2) a qualified patient or primary caregiver purchasing or obtaining not more than an adequate supply from a lawful source or a reciprocal participant purchasing or obtaining not more than the limit identified by department rule;
(3) a qualified patient or reciprocal participant using or being under the influence of cannabis; provided that the qualified patient or reciprocal participant is acting consistent with law; or
(4) a qualified patient, primary caregiver or reciprocal participant transferring, without financial consideration, to a qualified patient, primary caregiver or reciprocal participant not more than two ounces of cannabis, sixteen grams of cannabis extract and eight hundred milligrams of edible cannabis.
D. Subsection A of this section shall not apply to a qualified patient under the age of eighteen years, unless:
(1) the qualified patient's practitioner has explained the potential risks and benefits of the medical use of cannabis to the qualified patient and to a parent, guardian or other person having legal custody of the qualified patient; and
(2) a parent, guardian or other person having legal custody consents in writing to:
(a) allow the qualified patient's medical use of cannabis;
(b) serve as the qualified patient's primary caregiver; and
(c) control the dosage and the frequency of the medical use of cannabis by the qualified patient.
E. A qualified patient or a primary caregiver shall be granted the full legal protections provided in this section if the qualified patient or primary caregiver is in possession of a registry identification card. If the qualified patient or primary caregiver is not in possession of a registry identification card, the qualified patient or primary caregiver shall be given an opportunity to produce the registry identification card before any arrest or criminal charges or other penalties are initiated.
F. A practitioner shall not be subject to arrest or prosecution, penalized in any manner or denied any right or privilege for recommending the medical use of cannabis or providing written certification for the medical use of cannabis pursuant to the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act.
G. Any property interest that is possessed, owned or used in connection with the medical use of cannabis, or acts incidental to such use, shall not be harmed, neglected, injured or destroyed while in the possession of state or local law enforcement officials. Such property interest shall not be forfeited under any state or local law providing for the forfeiture of property except as provided in the Forfeiture Act. Cannabis, paraphernalia or other property seized from a qualified patient, primary caregiver or reciprocal participant in connection with the claimed medical use of cannabis shall be returned immediately upon the determination by a court or prosecutor that the qualified patient, primary caregiver or reciprocal participant is entitled to the protections of the provisions of the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, as may be evidenced by a failure to actively investigate the case, a decision not to prosecute, the dismissal of charges or acquittal.
H. A person shall not be subject to arrest or prosecution for a cannabis-related offense for simply being in the presence of the medical use of cannabis as allowed under the provisions of the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act.
History:
Laws 2007, ch. 210, § 4; 2019, ch. 247, § 4; 2021 (1st S.S.), ch. 4, § 59.
ANNOTATIONS
The 2021
(1st S.S.)
amendment,
effective June 29, 2021, made amendments to conform the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act with the newly enacted Cannabis Regulation Act; in Subsection C, Paragraph C(3), added "or reciprocal participant" after each occurrence of "qualified patient", in Paragraph C(4), added "or reciprocal participant" after each occurrence of "primary caregiver", after "two ounces of cannabis", added "sixteen grams of cannabis extract and eight hundred milligrams of edible cannabis", and deleted former Paragraph C(5); deleted former Subsection G and redesignated former Subsection H as new Subsection G; in Subsection G, added "or reciprocal participant" after each occurrence of "primary caregiver"; and deleted former Subsection I and redesignated former Subsection J as Subsection H.
The 2019 amendment,
effective June 14, 2019, revised provisions related to the exemption of the medical use of cannabis from criminal and civil penalties; in Subsection A, after "qualified patient", added "or a qualified patient's primary caregiver", and after "adequate supply;", added "provided that a qualified patient or the qualified patient's primary caregiver may possess that qualified patient's harvest of cannabis"; deleted former Subsection B, added new Subsections B and C and redesignated former Subsections C through G as Subsections D through H, respectively; in Subsection E, added "qualified" preceding each occurrence of "patient" and added "primary" preceding each occurrence of "caregiver"; in Subsection G, after "A", deleted "licensed producer" and added "licensee or licensee representative", after "possession", added "manufacture", after "dispensing", added "testing", and added the last sentence; and added a new Subsection I and redesignated former Subsection H as Subsection J.