New Mexico State Representative (D-33) Bill McCamley compares the states and federal government’s policy on recreational marijuana to alcohol prohibition in the 1920’s. He says people are going to buy and use marijuana whether it is legal or not- but in Washington state and Colorado a lot of that money is going to the state government.
“Your seeing revenues increase for the state, not only from the direct tax revenue that is coming in, but also because law enforcement agents are spending a lot less time effort and resources trying to prosecute people for marijuana use” he says.
Along with increased revenues Colorado has seen increased the crime rate fall. McCamley says if re-elected he will be introducing bill based on the implementation of Colorado’s and Washington states marijuana policies.
Still tax revenue generated from legalization in Colorado has been far less than was projected when legalization was put on the ballot in 2012.
It was projected to net $130 million in it’s first year – recent Colorado state figures show it is on track to generate just half that.
McCamley say it is still a lot of revenue that state wouldn’t be getting otherwise.
But New Mexico Senator (D- 35) John Arthur Smith of Deming says it is not worth it. He says the international border, all the interior border checkpoints and the numerous federal agents enforcing federal law in New Mexico make legalizing cannabis on a state level extremely complicated.
“The federal border patrol and customs people are going to enforce the federal law. They are not going to enforce state law and I just think you really going to put some people, principally a lot of the younger students in a situation" he says.
"I don’t think they will spend prison time but I think that it is going to be a real inconvenience for them” he says.
Both Governor Martinez and challenger Gary King have spoken against legalizing recreational marijuana. McCamley acknowledges legalization for NM maybe a long way off but he says the merits of legalization need to be considered, McCamley's bill would open that discussion.
According to a 2013 poll conducted by Public opinion research company; Research and Polling 52% of registered voters in NM say they support legalizing marijuana for adults.
