New Mexico in Focus; 1013; New Marijuana Documentary and Studio Interviews

FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. AND THE NELITTA E. WALKER FUND FOR KNME-TV. THE KNME-TV ENDOWMENT FUND. AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO InFOCUS ... WE LOOK AT HOW CHANGES IN MARIJUANA OVER THE YEARS HAVE CREATED A MORE POWERFUL DRUG. >> WHAT'S OUT THERE NOW IS 20 OR 25 TIMES MORE CONCENTRATED THAN WHAT WE USED, SO WE'RE TALKING ALMOST ABOUT A DIFFERENT DRUG. >> AND WE SEE HOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS ARE USING THE DRUG TO MANAGE CHRONIC PAIN. NEW MEXICO InFOCUS STARTS NOW. >> THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR NEW MEXICO InFOCUS. THIS WEEK, WE BRING YOU THE DOCUMENTARY, NEW MARIJUANA. WE'LL ALSO HEAR THE LATEST ON MANAGEMENT OF NEW MEXICO'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM, AND HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IN OTHER STATES IS RAISING NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE WHO CAN PURCHASE THE

DRUG, AND HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD MEASURE WHETHER SOMEONE IS UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND SHOULD NOT DRIVE A CAR. NOW, IN A FEW MINUTES I'LL BE JOINED BY FILMMAKER CHRIS SCHUELER WHO WILL SHARE SOME INSIGHTS ABOUT HOW HE APPROACHED THE ISSUE IN THIS >> I LEARNED ABOUT IT THROUGH POPULAR MEDIA, LIKE MOST PEOPLE DO, AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW FROM THE POPULAR MEDIA IS REALLY POORLY RESEARCHED. >> THE PRODUCTIZATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, IT'S AMAZING, WHAT COMPANIES ARE COMING UP WITH AND HOW MUCH MORE LIABILITY THERE ARE IN THE DOSING. >> IF YOU GO TO A HIGH SCHOOL PARTY NOWADAYS, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE MARIJUANA THERE. >> THE EARLIER THE USE, THE BIGGER THE EFFECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR BRAIN. >> THERE'S NO POLITICIAN IN THE WORLD WHO CAN TELL ME THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING MEDICINE. >> I'VE BEEN A MEDICAL MARIJUANA USER FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS NOW. WITHOUT THE CANNABIS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO.

>> THE RESEARCH IS INADEQUATE. IT'S BEEN BLOCKED. OUR GOVERNMENT, IN THEIR GOOD INTENTIONS, HAVE UNFORTUNATELY GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF GOOD SCIENCE. >> I THINK THAT IT'S FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT THERE WILL BE A NATIONWIDE DECRIMINALIZATION IN THE NEXT DECADE OR TWO. >> IF YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED ME THIS THREE YEARS AGO, FIVE YEARS AGO, TEN YEARS AGO IF WE WOULD BE DOING >> THC IS TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL. CANNABINOID IN THE PLANT THAT IS ACTIVE IN OUR BRAIN. IT IS PSYCHOTROPIC. IT'S WHAT CAUSES INTOXICATION. THE OTHER MAIN CANNABINOID IS CBD OR CANNABIDIOL, AND THIS IS NOT PARTICULARLY ACTIVE IN THE BRAIN AND IS ACTIVE IN THE REST OF THE

BODY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS REALLY THE MEDICINAL COMPOUND IN CANNABIS. SQUARE FOOT FACILITY. IT'S ROUGHLY AN ACRE FOOTPRINT. WE'RE CULTIVATING BETWEEN 25,000 AND 28,000 SQUARE FEET. WORKS, ALL OF OUR ROOMS ARE STAGGERED, SO WE'RE PRETTY MUCH HARVESTING, CURING, DRYING, PACKAGING EVERY SINGLE DAY. >> WE HAVE 12 ROOMS THAT ARE MOST ROOMS HAVE ABOUT 500 TO 600 PLANTS THAT PRODUCE ABOUT 100 POUNDS PER ROOM. >> 'I PLEDGE IN MY CAMPAIGN >> IT'S ACTUALLY THE EARLIEST KNOWN INDOOR GROW IT WAS 1926.

THE PLANT ARRIVED OVER LAND PRIMARILY FROM CENTRAL AMERICA HERE IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. THE MOST IMPORTANT DISBURSAL PATHWAYS INTO THE UNITED STATES WAS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, AND THE LOWLANDS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA INTO CALIFORNIA, AS WELL. NEW MEXICO HAD ONE OF THE EARLIEST LAWS AGAINST CANNABIS HERE IN BERNALILLO COUNTY. I THINK IT WAS 1915. PONCHA VILLA, HE'S PROMINENT IN THE LITERATURE IN THE CANNABIS HISTORY. PEOPLE ASSOCIATED IT WITH HIM. HIS FIGHTERS AND THE PEOPLE HE WAS OPPOSED TO HAD THE SONG ABOUT MARIJUANA. THE SONG WAS LA CUCARACHA. >> THAT WAS THE OPENING OF THE DOCUMENTARY NEW MARIJUANA. I HAVE FILMMAKER CHRIS SCHUELER WITH US TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HE LEARNED WHILE MAKING THE FILM. CHRIS, THANKS FOR BEING HERE, REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> SO MANY INTERESTING THINGS HERE, AND JUST A

LITTLE BIT OF TIME. LET ME ASK YOU THIS: IT SEEMED TO ME WHEN I WATCHED THIS THE OTHER NIGHT, THERE IS JUST A WILD WEST WIDE OPENING FEELING GOING ON HERE, AND WE REALLY DON'T KNOW A LOT OF ANSWERS ON MARIJUANA. WE'RE STILL GETTING THERE. >> ONE OF THE REASONS WE DID THE SHOW. IT IS. AS WE STARTED STUDYING IT -- FIRST OF ALL, KIDS SAID ON THE ACCESS, EVERYBODY IS USING IT NOW, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. DIFFERENCES THAT IT HAS UNDERGONE IN THE LAST TWO DECADES, THE THC LEVELS SKYROCKETING IN THE LAST DECADE, WE SEE THE FORMS CHANGING, WE SEE THE RESEARCH STARTING TO HAPPEN, SO THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON THAT MAY BE REALLY, REALLY BENEFICIAL. BUT THEN WE ALSO SEE SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH TEENAGE BRAINS THAT THE RESEARCH IS JUST COMING OUT ON THAT SAYS, THIS IS A BAD THING FOR KIDS TO BE USING BEFORE THEIR PREFRONTAL CORTEX IS DEVELOPED, AND THEN YOU GET THE MONEY. AND BECAUSE OF THE MONEY, THE LEGALIZATION IS STARTING NOW AND IS ONLY HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE MONEY. I MEAN, COLORADO LAST YEAR SOLD A BILLION, ONE BILLION WITH A B DOLLARS WORTH. THE STATE MADE $200 MILLION. WELL, EVERYBODY IS LOOKING AT IT NOW.

SO IT IS THE WILD WEST. YOU DESCRIBE IT WELL. IT'S THE WILD WEST, AND WE'VE GOT TO BE COGNIZANT OF IT. >> ARE WE IN A SITUATION WHERE THE MONEY IS SO GOOD THAT FOLKS ARE TENDING TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY ON POTENTIAL ISSUES HERE? LET'S TALK ABOUT KIDS SPECIFICALLY. IS ENOUGH ATTENTION BEING PAID TO IT BECAUSE THE MONEY HAS JUST BEEN SO BIG? >> I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING -- I DON'T WANT TO THINK THAT, I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE, BUT I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING, THOUGH, IS PARENTS DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON EXACTLY. AND THAT'S WHY WE INTERVIEWED, AND YOU'LL SEE HIM COMING UP IN THE SHOW, HE TALKS ABOUT, OKAY, WHEN WE WERE PARENTS, IT WAS NOT A BIG DEAL. YOU SMOKED POT, OKAY, BIG DEAL. NOW IF KIDS SMOKE, IT IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THE LEVELS HAVE CHANGED. SO I THINK THAT THE MONEY HAS MADE IT, AND THE LEGALIZATION HAS MADE IT APPEAR LESS RISKY, AND YET IT IS MORE RISKY FOR TEENAGERS THAN IT EVER HAS BEEN BEFORE. >> INTERESTING. AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE SOME NEW STUDIES OUT THERE THAT TEENAGE USE OF MARIJUANA IS DROPPING A BIT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO?

>> YOU KNOW, I LOOKED THIS UP JUST FOR YOU. IT HAS DROPPED SINCE '79 WHEN IT WAS AS HIGH AS 50% OF 12th GRADERS USED MARIJUANA IN '79. THEN BY '99, IT WAS TO 22%. NOW IT'S ACTUALLY BACK UP TO 35%. SO, YES, IT HAS GONE DOWN OVERALL, BUT IT'S STARTING BACK UP, AND I THINK IT'S DUE TO ALL THE THOUGHTS OF LEGALIZATION. THE THING THAT SCARES ME IS, IN TERMS OF PERCEIVED RISK, IT IS JUST AS HIGH -- JUST AS LOW PERCEIVED RISK BY TEENAGERS NOW AS IT WAS BACK IN '79. THEY THINK IT'S NOT RISKY AT ALL, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM. THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM. YOU THINK IS COMING UP IN THE FUTURE ON THIS IDEA OF RESEARCH AND HOW IT EFFECTS KIDS? ARE WE REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET SOMEWHERE ON THIS ISSUE? AND I ASK THAT BECAUSE KIDS ARE KIDS. THERE'S PEER PRESSURE AND THE WHOLE THING. >> THE RESEARCH IS CLEAR IN TERMS OF BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN KIDS. IF YOU'RE SMOKING POT, THE MORE YOU'RE SMOKING, IT'S

GOING TO AFFECT YOUR MEMORY, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT YOUR CONCENTRATION. IF YOU'RE DOING IT A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT, THE MORE YOU USE IT, THE FURTHER DOWN YOUR GRADES GO. IT'S BEEN PROVEN. IT'S ABSOLUTELY FIRM. REGARDING ALL THE MEDICAL STUFF, I'M REALLY GLAD IT'S BEING LEGALIZED BECAUSE THAT MEDICAL STUFF COULD BE A GODSEND. YOU'VE SEEN IT WITH THE SEIZURES, WITH THE GLAUCOMA, WITH THE CANCER STUFF. ALL THOSE THINGS. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE RESEARCH BEING DONE IN THOSE AREAS. >> ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE DOC THAT I REALLY APPRECIATED IS THIS IDEA OF IMPAIRMENT, THAT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE OUR ARMS AROUND THE IDEA OF WHAT MAKES ONE IMPAIRED BEHIND THE WHEEL WITH MARIJUANA. WHERE ARE WE ON THAT? >> WE'RE RIGHT IN A DIFFICULT SPOT. AS YOU'LL SEE LATER IN THE DOCUMENTARY, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEDUCE IF IT IS IMPAIRING. IT'S NOT LIKE A BREATHALYZER TEST. YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT. SO LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL ARE NOW BEING TRAINED IN COLORADO, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE TRAINED HERE AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT KETTLE OF FISH. IT'S NOT THE SAME KIND OF IMPAIRMENT AS ALCOHOL. IT'S NOT A PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT, IT'S A MENTAL IMPAIRMENT. AS A RESULT, THINGS SLOW DOWN. IS IT IMPAIRING?

ABSOLUTELY. DO YOU WANT TO RISK DRIVING WHILE YOU'RE SMOKING? ABSOLUTELY NOT. BUT HOW TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH THAT IS, REALLY DIFFICULT. >> CHRIS, THANKS FOR COMING IN. >> APPRECIATE IT. >> NOW, LET'S GO BACK TO THAT FILM AND PICK UP A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON HOW MARIJUANA IS BEING USED BY PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC PAIN AND OTHER >> I HAVE HAD CHRONIC BACK I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHEN I WAS 19 YEARS OLD, AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING. >> I WOULD SAY CANNABIS WORKS FOR SOME PEOPLE FOR SOME TYPES OF PAIN. NEUROPATHIC PAIN, OR NERVE PAIN, SEEMS TO BE HELPED BY IT, AND SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY ARTHRITIC PAIN OR JOINT PAIN. ACTUALLY, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE USE IT AS A SALVE AND REPORT RELIEF FROM THAT. SOME PEOPLE, IT DOESN'T DO MUCH FOR. >> WHAT CHRONIC MEANS. YOU KNOW, WHEN I GO TO THE DOCTOR, THEY SAY ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN, WHAT IS YOUR PAIN LEVEL. I'M ALWAYS USUALLY AT A

FIVE, WHICH MEANS I'M ALWAYS IN PAIN, BUT SOMETIMES IT CAN GO UP TO AN EIGHT OR A NINE, AND OCCASIONALLY IT'S GOTTEN TO A TEN WHERE I CAN'T WALK. AND I'VE TRIED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO TRY TO CONTROL THE PAIN, INCLUDING PHYSICAL THERAPY, I'VE BEEN TO ACUPUNCTURE, I'VE HAD CHIROPRACTOR. I DO GET MASSAGES REGULARLY. BUT MY GODSEND REALLY IS THE CANNABIS. WITHOUT THE CANNABIS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO. I WAS TAKING OPIOIDS AND MUSCLE RELAXERS, AND WHEN I WOULD TAKE THOSE, IT WOULD KIND OF LAY ME OUT FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. SO I DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. AND I'M ABLE TO ACTUALLY COME HOME FROM WORK AND MAYBE TAKE A PIECE OF CANDY AND THEN ACTUALLY PREPARE DINNER AND BE COMFORTABLE BEING ON MY FEET. >> THERE ARE THOSE CASES WHERE PEOPLE SAY, I'VE DECREASED MY OPIOID USE OR I HAVE GONE OFF OF OPIATES, BUT IT'S REALLY RARE. >> I'VE BEEN A MEDICAL MARIJUANA USER FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS NOW.

I WOULD SAY I USE IT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. THIS IS MORE OF A INDICA STRAIN, WHICH IS USED MORE FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT. THE MORE YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS, THE BETTER YOU CAN REGULATE HOW MUCH YOU CAN TAKE AND HOW MUCH IT IMPACTS YOU. >> THE DIFFICULTY WITH THE MEDICAL CANNABIS SYSTEM, THE WAY IT'S SET UP, IS ON THE ONE HAND NOT A GREAT AMOUNT OF RESEARCH OR GUIDANCE, AND ALSO, WHEN SOMEBODY SIGNS UP FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM, I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY TAKE, HOW MUCH THEY TAKE, OR HOW THEY USE IT. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY GET AT THE DISPENSARY. SO IT PUTS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN A BIT OF A TOUGH POSITION. CHILD, IF IT IS HELPING THIS PERSON THROUGH END OF LIFE, IF IT IS HELPING SOMEBODY, MAYBE THEIR MS ISN'T PROGRESSING AS MUCH OR THEIR GLAUCOMA ISN'T PROGRESSING AS MUCH, WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE. >> THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL VERY CLOSED MINDED TO IT, BUT THEN YOU MEET SOMEBODY, YOU GET THE CHANCE

TO MEET A KID THAT HAS 100 SEIZURES A DAY, AND YOU GROW CBD FOR HIM AND HE STOPS HAVING SEIZURES, THAT TO ME IS WHY I DO THIS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T ARGUE THAT. THERE'S NO POLITICIAN IN THE WORLD WHO CAN TELL ME THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING MEDICINE. I'M ABLE TO GO HOME, SMOKE A JOINT, EAT DINNER, SLEEP WELL. IT TAKES CARE OF MY BACK PAIN, IT TAKES CARE OF MY KNEE PAIN. I'M ON MY FEET FOR 10, 11 HOURS A DAY, AND A JOINT CURES THAT. I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ADVIL, I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IBUPROFEN 800. I CAN SMOKE A JOINT, AND I DON'T WAKE UP WITH A HANGER OVER. I DON'T WAKE UP SICK LIKE ALCOHOL DOES TO PEOPLE. >> THE OTHER THING THAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT EDIBLES TAKE ABOUT AN HOUR TO START WORKING, WHEREAS THE SMOKEABLES START WORKING IMMEDIATELY. >> THE TIME IT TAKES AN EDIBLE TO TAKE EFFECT IS REALLY HOW LONG IT TAKES TO ABSORB THROUGH THE INTESTINES. SO IT COULD BE ANYWHERE

FROM, LET'S SAY, 30 MINUTES UP TO AN HOUR, AN HOUR AND A WE HEAR A LOT OF VARIATION, WHICH IS PART OF THE CONCERN AND PART OF THE RISK WITH EDIBLES. IF SOMEBODY IS USED TO SMOKING OR VAPORIZING AND HAVING AN EFFECT WITHIN LET'S SAY A MINUTE OR TWO, AND THEN THEY TAKE AN EDIBLE AND 20 MINUTES LATER THEY'RE NOT FEELING ANYTHING, THEY MIGHT TAKE MORE THINKING IT'S TOO LOW OF A DOSE, ETC. AFTER A FEW HOURS, IT CATCHES UP WITH THEM AND THEY HAVE ESSENTIALLY OVERDOSED AND ARE MORE INTOXICATED THAN THEY WANTED TO BE. >> WHEN I GET HOME FROM WORK, TYPICALLY I WILL TOKE ON THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES. THIS IS THE VAPE. AND THEN I WILL EAT A PIECE OF CANDY, AND THIS WILL HOLD ME THROUGH UNTIL THE CANDY KICKS IN. AND THEN I SHOULD BE OKAY FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT AND I'LL BE ABLE TO SLEEP WELL. >> IT'S VERY VARIABLE HOW LONG IT LASTS, AND THAT HAS TO DO MOSTLY WITH THE ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION. SO FOR INSTANCE, THROUGH SMOKING IT OR VAPORIZING IT, BECAUSE IT GOES INTO OUR LUNG AND RIGHT INTO OUR BLOODSTREAM, THAT MAY HAVE AN ACTION ANYWHERE FROM THREE, LET'S SAY, TO FIVE OR

SIX HOURS, WHEREAS IF SOMEBODY EATS A CANNABINOID, THEN IT IS ABSORBED VERY SLOWLY THROUGH OUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM AND IT CAN ACT MUCH LONGER BECAUSE OF ITS SLOW ABSORPTION, CAN ACT FOR 10, 15, 20, 30, EVEN 40 HOURS, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH IS TAKEN AND HOW WELL IT IS ABSORBED THROUGH THE INTESTINES. >> RIGHT HERE IS OUR MOMS. MOST OF THE PROPAGATION THAT WE DO IS FROM CLONING. WE HAVE PROBABLY ABOUT 80 STRAINS REPRESENTED IN THIS PARTICULAR ROOM. THIS ROOM IS EARLY IN THE FLOWER. YOU CAN SEE THE PLANTS ARE JUST STARTING TO PRODUCE THEIR FLOWERS. THIS IS ONE OF OUR OLDER ROOMS, SO IT'S OLDER TECHNOLOGY. SO, THIS IS INDICATIVE MORE OF OUR CURRENT GROW

METHODOLOGY FOR INDOORS, NOT QUITE 2000 SQUARE FEET. WE'RE USING PLASMA LIGHTS, LOTS OF AIR FLOW, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TAGS ARE ATTACHED, AND THIS TAG WILL STAY WITH THE PLANT THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE. WE TRACK EVERY SINGLE ONE. WE CAPTURE PROBABLY ABOUT A MILLION POINTS OF DATA. IT'S PRETTY AMAZING. THIS ROOM HAS A LONG WAY TO GO, PROBABLY ANOTHER, BASED ON THE LOOKING AT THEM, PROBABLY ANOTHER SIX WEEKS. >> WE CONTROL ALL OF THE VARIABLES, THE TEMPERATURE, LIGHT, HUMIDITY, CO2, AIR EXCHANGE. ALL OF THAT CAN BE DONE INSIDE OF HERE, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY REPLICATE A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT AND GROW BASICALLY AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO A PERFECT CANNABIS PLANT. >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO InFOCUS, WE'RE BRINGING YOU THE DOCUMENTARY FILM NEW MARIJUANA. NOW, LET'S TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO CHECK IN ON THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM IN NEW MEXICO WITH JOURNALIST PETER ST. CYR. PETER, THANKS FOR COMING. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> YOU'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK ON THIS. I JUST WANT TO SAY RIGHT OFF THE TOP, WHAT ARE WE WORKING WITH ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

WHERE ARE WE? HOW MANY PATIENTS? HOW MANY GROWERS? WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN THE FUTURE? LET'S START THERE. WHERE ARE WE RIGHT NOW? >> THE PROGRAM IS IN ITS 9th YEAR, AND BASICALLY, WE'RE STILL NOT QUITE AS BIG AS OTHER STATES, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER 25 STATES ESTABLISHED, BUT NEW MEXICO CONTINUES TO SEE REALLY UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH. IN THE LAST YEAR, AN 81% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WHO ARE REGISTERED IN THE PROGRAM, AND IT'S RIGHT NOW AROUND 30,000. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2013, IT WAS ONLY LESS THAN 10,000 PATIENTS. SO IT IS CONTINUING TO GROW. WE HAVE 12 NEW PRODUCERS. THEY GOT THEIR LICENSES AWARDED LATE LAST YEAR IN OCTOBER. >> WHAT'S THE TOTAL THERE, OVER THOSE 12 NEW, WHAT'S THE TOTAL? >> NOW THE TOTAL, WE HAVE 35 GROWERS, AND THEY ARE EACH ALLOWED TO GROW ABOUT 450 PLANTS. NOT EVERYONE PURCHASED THE RIGHT TO GROW 450 PLANTS. IT'S REALLY EXPENSIVE.

$90,000 TO GROW 450 PLANTS. WHICH MEANS, THOUGH, THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING 15,800 PLANTS TO MEET THE NEW DEMAND OF THOSE INCREASING NUMBER OF PATIENTS, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO HAVE 13,800 PLANTS THIS YEAR. >> THAT'S INTERESTING. ON THE POLICY SIDE OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND OTHER ENTITIES ARE PLAYING A BIT OF CATCH-UP HERE. THAT KIND OF DEMAND, THAT'S A GROSS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T HANDLE. WHERE ARE WE ON THAT SIDE OF IT? WHERE IS DOH ON MEETING THAT DEMAND? >> THIS SUMMER, THEY IRRITATED A LOT OF PEOPLE. THEY WERE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME PROCESSING REGISTRATIONS AND RENEWALS, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CRITICISM, I THINK WELL FOUNDED, BECAUSE IN TRADITIONAL BUSINESS YOU CAN START TO FORECAST AND LOOK, AND WHEN THEY GO ON TV AND THEY SAY, THERE WAS NO WAY TO PREDICT IT, THAT SEEMS UNREALISTIC, BECAUSE THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY A WAY TO USE BASIC MANAGEMENT TOOLS TO PREDICT IT. AND WHILE PEOPLE WERE DELAYED, THEY WERE BEING

TOLD TO GO BACK BASICALLY TO THEIR DOCTOR AND ASK TO BE PUT BACK ON NARCOTICS, OPIATES OR WHATEVER TO DEAL WITH THEIR PAIN, RATHER THAN THE LESS TOXIC THC. WHAT WE'RE SEEING, THOUGH, IS THAT AS THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS INCREASE, UNLESS THERE IS A RULE CHANGE, THE SUPPLY IS GOING TO BE FIXED, AND SO IT JUST DOESN'T WORK. SO THERE'S ALSO A WAY TO PREDICT, YOU KNOW, IF THE PATIENTS -- RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ABOUT 1.2% OF THE POPULATION IN NEW MEXICO ARE REGISTERED AS PATIENTS. BUT AS PEOPLE BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND START HEARING ABOUT RESEARCH THAT SHOWS HOW IT WORKS, AND AS DOCTORS GET MORE TRAINED AND FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE AND ARE ALLOWED BY THEIR MEDICAL GROUPS TO START REFERRING PEOPLE TO THE PROGRAM, AN ECONOMIST HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO SAYS THAT ABOUT 30% OF THE POPULATION, OR 630,000 PEOPLE COULD QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM IN ONE OR

MORE OF THE 21 CONDITIONS THAT YOU CAN QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM. >> THAT WAS AN INTERESTING POINT, BACK WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM, WAS THE QUALIFYING CONDITIONS. IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A STRUGGLE TO GET THAT EXPANDED OVER TIME. WHERE DO WE STAND NOW ON THAT? A LOT OF FOLKS FELT LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS EARLY ON. >> THE PROCESS TO GET A NEW MEDICAL CONDITION ADDED, YOU HAVE TO WRITE A PETITION AND GO IN FRONT OF A MEDICAL THEY'VE APPROVED NOW -- IN NEW MEXICO, THERE'S A TOTAL OF 21 CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED. AND I KNOW THAT LATER THIS FALL, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER BIANNUAL MEDICAL ADVISORY MEETING, AND I'VE HEARD THAT THERE WILL BE A PETITION TO INTRODUCE CANNABIS FOR USE IN TREATING PEOPLE WITH OPIATE ADDICTIONS AND DISORDERS, BECAUSE CANNABIS IS A GOOD WAY TO TREAT PAIN AND A NICE WAY OFF OF OPIATES WHEN PEOPLE ARE OVERDOSING AND DYING FROM

THOSE. >> I'VE READ THAT. WE'VE GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT. LET ME ASK YOU THIS: WHERE ARE WE HEADED WITH THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM HERE? ARE YOU FEELING LIKE IN YOUR REPORTING THAT WE'RE GETTING TO SOME KIND OF PARITY WHERE ENOUGH GROWERS WILL MEET THE DEMAND AT SOME POINT? ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE AT SOME POINT SOON, OR ARE WE ALWAYS GOING TO BE BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL A LITTLE BIT? >> WELL, THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS TAKEN AN APPROACH AND HAS A PHILOSOPHICAL VIEW THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE STERN REGULATIONS, BUT THOSE STERN REGULATIONS ARE REALLY CRUEL BECAUSE THEY'RE BONE-HEADED. IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE OUT THAT IF THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ARE INCREASING BY 81% A YEAR, THAT CAPPING THE NUMBER OF PLANTS THE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GROW IS GOING TO WORK. >> WE'LL HAVE YOU BACK, PETER ST. CYR. THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS, BY THE WAY, YOU DO A LOT OF GOOD STUFF ON THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW, LET'S GO BACK TO THAT FILM, NEW MARIJUANA, AND HEAR ABOUT HOW CHANGES IN THE PROCESSING OF MARIJUANA MIGHT IMPACT PEOPLE WHO USE THE DRUG, ESPECIALLY TEENS. OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO

WORRY ABOUT, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE'S CYBER ISSUES, RIGHT, THERE'S CELLPHONES, THERE'S ALCOHOL, THERE'S DRIVING. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER TOPIC, AND THIS TOPIC DOESN'T -- THIS IS A TOPIC THAT YOU SHOULD BE DISCUSSING ANYWAY, WHETHER YOU'RE IN A REGULATED MARKET OR NOT, BECAUSE I CAN PROMISE YOU, THIS STUFF IS AVAILABLE. >> THE BOTTOM LINE IS, HOW DO YOU GET THEM NOT TO USE? HOW DO YOU DO THAT? >> THIRTY YEARS OF SCARE TACTICS, AND WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN INEFFECTIVE. RESULTED IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CYNICISM AMONG KIDS SO THAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE VERY SKEPTICAL ABOUT WHAT ADULTS TELL THEM ABOUT DRUGS. >> I THINK OVERALL WHAT I'M SEEING IS, WE HAVE TAKEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN TABOO AND THAT WE'VE BEEN BRAIN WASHED FOR HOWEVER MANY YEARS ABOUT, AND WE'RE

FINALLY STARTING TO UNRAVEL THAT A LITTLE BIT. DRUGS IN THEIR SOCIETY TO BEGIN WITH. THERE ARE ONLY TWO COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ALLOW THE ADVERTISING OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. WE DO, AND NEW ZEALAND DOES. WE CONSTANTLY HAVE THIS MESSAGE THAT DRUGS ARE GOOD, DRUGS ARE GOOD FOR YOU. YOU RARELY SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF GETTING HIGH OR GETTING DRUNK ON TV OR IN MOVIES, AND KIDS LEARN AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. THEY LEARN FROM ALL THESE DEPICTIONS. AND WHAT THEY LEARN IS THAT YOU CAN FOOL AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND GET AWAY WITH IT. >> I THINK ANY KIND OF DRUG EDUCATION HAS TO BE INTERACTIVE. THEY HAVE TO DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH. YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS ABOUT THIS STUFF. >> WE KNOW THAT YOUNG TEENS ARE INFLUENCED BY THE PHOTOS

THAT THEY SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO IN OUR STUDY WE WANT TO GO SEE TEENS IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND CODE THEIR SNAPCHAT STORIES AND SEE HOW PREVALENT SMOKING WEED, HOW PREVALENT THAT IS IN THEIR STORIES, AND SEE IF THEY'RE INFLUENCED BY IT. >> I THINK THE WHOLE THING IS JUST OPINIONS. >> WE DESIGNED THE COURSE TO BE STUDENT LED, SO THE STUDENTS DID THEIR OWN RESEARCH ON DIFFERENT TOPICS PRESENTED TO THEIR PEERS. >> AND FOR THIS STUDY, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SEE THE PREVALENCE OF, LIKE, ALCOHOL, NICOTINE, AND MARIJUANA RELATED CONTENT. >> I PERSONALLY EXPECT TO FIND A LOT OF MARIJUANA USAGE WITHIN SNAPCHAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT TEENS THINK IT'S OKAY TO POST IT ON SNAPCHAT BECAUSE THEY THINK IT GOES AWAY. >> WHAT DOES SOCIAL MEDIA, LIKE, ACTUALLY BRING TO TEENAGERS THAT'S POSITIVE.

>> SO WE LEARNED ABOUT HOW BEING EXPOSED TO STIMULI CAN IMPACT OUR ATTITUDES ABOUT THEM. JUST BEING EXPOSED TO SOMETHING CAN MAKE US MORE FAVORABLE TO IT, AND PARTICULARLY IF THAT THING THAT WE'RE EXPOSED TO IS ASSOCIATED WITH PEERS OR PEOPLE THAT WE FIND LIKEABLE. IT CAN IMPACT OUR ATTITUDES, OUR ESTIMATES OF WHETHER SOMETHING IS NORMAL OR ACCEPTABLE, AND CONSEQUENTLY OUR BEHAVIOR. >> WE'VE DONE PRACTICES IN THE CLASS WITH SNAPCHAT ACCOUNTS, AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY CODED SOME WITH POT AND WITH VAPING, AND IT JUST SEEMS NORMAL NOWADAYS. >> IT'S RIDICULOUS. I'VE NEVER DONE THIS, I SWEAR, LIKE LOOKED THIS UP. >> MARIJUANA MANIA. >> SEE, THERE'S THIS, TOO. >> SOME GUY LIKE HUGGING A MARIJUANA PLANT. >> GOOD NIGHT BOWLS. >> YEAH. >> A REALLY, REALLY BIG JOINT.

>> THAT'S A HUGE JOINT. >> THAT CAN'T BE REAL. >> EVERYONE WAS JUST GETTING IT. >> TEENS THINK THAT THERE'S NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF, SO THAT'S WHY I THINK USAGE HAS GONE UP, WHEREAS IN TOBACCO YOU HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING LUNG CANCER AND THERE'S A LOT OF HEALTH RISKS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT. BUT THERE ISN'T MUCH RESEARCH DONE ON MARIJUANA, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY TEENS THINK IT'S OKAY TO SMOKE IT. >> I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS, AT LEAST THAT I KNOW, I DON'T THINK THEY REALLY REALIZE HOW COMMON IT IS NOWADAYS. I THINK THEY'RE KIND OF IN THE DARK WITH IT. >> SINCE THERE'S SO MUCH AMBIGUITY ABOUT MARIJUANA AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A LOT OF RESEARCH DONE ON IT, THEY'RE JUST KIND OF SCARED OF IT ALMOST. THEY DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOOD OR BAD. SO I THINK THEIR STANCE ON MARIJUANA IS JUST CONFUSED. I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS ARE, TOO. >> ATTITUDES ARE CHANGING, AND AMONG ADOLESCENTS THERE'S DEFINITELY BEEN SHIFTS IN ATTITUDES ACROSS THE LAST DECADE THAT AT A MINIMUM CORRELATE WITH LEGAL

CHANGES. IT, WE ARE MAKING IT SAFER. WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT FALLING IN THE WRONG HANDS. AND MAKING SURE IT'S GOING THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS, YOU'RE LIMITING THE AVAILABILITY TO UNDERAGE KIDS. >> WHAT KIDS UNDERSTAND IS THAT YOU HAVE ILLEGAL DRUGS FOR WHICH YOU GET ARRESTED AND INCARCERATED, AND THEN YOU HAVE LEGAL DRUGS, WHICH UNLESS YOU'RE UNDERAGE YOU DON'T GET ARRESTED FOR. THAT THE REASON THAT CERTAIN DRUGS ARE LEGAL AND ILLEGAL HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH THE HEALTH IMPACT ON THEM. IF WE WERE ONLY LOOKING AT HEALTH AND DECIDING WHICH DRUGS WERE GOING TO BE LEGAL AND WHICH WERE GOING TO BE ILLEGAL, WOULDN'T CIGARETTES >> WHAT I TELL PARENTS IS, THERE'S NO REASON TO HAVE THE BIG TALK ANYMORE. YOU CAN HAVE 100 LITTLE TALKS, BECAUSE YOU'RE WATCHING SOMETHING ON TV, OR

YOU'RE AT THE MOVIES, AND THERE ARE SCENES OF DRUG USE, OR VIOLENCE, OR SEX, OR WHATEVER, AND TALK ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? WHY DID THEY DO THAT? WHY IS THE ANTI-HERO ALWAYS SMOKING CIGARETTES? WHY DO PEOPLE GIGGLE ABOUT MARIJUANA USE AND THERE'S NEVER ANY HARMFUL EFFECTS? YOU KNOW, NOBODY GETS INTO AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. I THINK THE IDEAL TIME IS ACTUALLY WHEN THEY'RE PRETEENS, WHEN THEY'RE 7, 8, 9, 10, BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL IN YOUR POCKET. THEY STILL LOVE YOU. IF YOU USE MARIJUANA, I GUARANTEE YOU YOUR KIDS WILL FIND OUT. THEY WILL FIND OUT, AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO OWN UP TO IT. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO -- KIDS NEED TO SEE YOU AS BEING HUMAN, AS BEING

CAPABLE OF MAKING MISTAKES. SO USE THAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO SAY, LOOK, I MADE SOME MISTAKES WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, OR WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BIT OLDER. I OCCASIONALLY SMOKED MARIJUANA. IT WASN'T A GOOD IDEA THEN, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A GOOD IDEA NOW. WHAT'S OUT THERE NOW IS 20 OR 25 TIMES MORE CONCENTRATED THAN WHAT WE USED, SO WE'RE TALKING ALMOST ABOUT A DIFFERENT DRUG. AND HEALTH TESTS ANYWHERE FROM 20% THC TO 25%. WHAT THAT DOES IS THEN BREAKS IT DOWN TO ABOUT 75% TO 85% WHEN WE EXTRACT ALL THE THC TURF BEANS OFF THE PRODUCT. >> "I PLEDGED IN MY CAMPAIGN TO END THE WAR." >> IN THE 1960s, YOU HAVE THIS EXPLOSION OF A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

THIS WAS SOMETHING ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIETNAM WAR, THE SOLDIERS THERE USING IT, AND THE DRUG REALLY BECAME ASSOCIATED WITH THE ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT ATTITUDES. THIS WAS A CHALLENGE TO NIXON AND OTHER AUTHORITIES. AND WHAT NIXON DID, BASICALLY, WAS INTRODUCE THIS VERY BELLIGERENT LANGUAGE OF THE WAR ON DRUGS, AND HE INCREASINGLY FUNDED THAT. THE 1970s WAS INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN CENTRAL AMERICA IN TERMS OF SUPPRESSION OF DRUG PRODUCTION. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONTROLLING INTERNATIONAL SUPPLIES DURING THE 1970s SHIFTED A LOT OF THE EFFORT IN THE UNITED STATES TOWARDS INDOOR PRODUCTION, AND THE MAIN REASON PEOPLE STARTED GROWING SHORTER PLANTS INDOORS IS YOU COULD GROW IT IN YOUR CLOSET. >> IT COMES OUT HERE, AND IT'S WEIGHED, AND WHEN IT'S WEIGHED, THE WEIGHT IS RECORDED ON THE TAG, AND THEN IT'S ENTERED INTO THE COMPUTER ONCE IT STARTS GOING THROUGH THE HARVEST

PROCESS. WE'LL TAKE THE TOP PART OF THE PLANT AND TRIM THAT BY HAND, THE MIDDLE PART OF THE PLANT WILL GO THROUGH OUR AUTO TRIMMER, AND THE BOTTOM PART OF THE PLANT, ALL THESE LITTLE NUGGETS, WE DON'T WASTE ANY TIME TRIMMING THOSE, THOSE GO RIGHT TO THE HASH PILE. SO THOSE WILL BE EXTRACTED FOR OIL. ALL THE LITTLE LEAVES ON HERE WILL ALSO BE SAVED AND THOSE WILL GO THROUGH THE EXTRACTION PROCESS, AS WELL. >> EVERY FLOWER HAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SMELL, TASTE, HIGH, WHETHER IT'S A SATIVA OR INDICA, IT'S GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS FOR WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, WHETHER IT'S RECREATIONAL OR MEDICINAL. >> SO WE'LL START HUMIDIFYING, AND THIS REALLY IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, JUST LIKE A CIGAR OR AN AGED WINE OR AN AGED LIQUOR. WE TRACK EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF THIS PLANT, AND SO EVEN THE WASTE HAS TO BE TRACKED. ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO OUR EXTRACTION, AND WE'LL MAKE BEAUTIFUL OILS OUT OF THAT FOR PATIENTS AND CUSTOMERS. >> THIS IS LIVE RESIN. WHAT IS IT IS A WHOLE PLANT FRESH FROZEN PROCESS. THE PLANT IS CUT AND THE DAY

IT IS CUT, IT IS FROZEN IMMEDIATELY AND RAN WITHIN 24 HOURS OF ITS NEW LIFE. SO WE CAN USE IT IN VARIOUS WAYS FROM VAPING TO DABBING TO PUTTING IT ON TOP OF A BOWL OF FLOUR. I MEAN, THERE ARE COUNTLESS WAYS TO DO IT. THE MOST EFFECTIVE I WOULD SAY IS VAPING OR DABBING, AND WHAT THAT IS, IS IT'S A TEMPERATURE AROUND 400 TO 700 DEGREES WHERE IT VAPORIZES THAT COMPLETE OIL, AND YOU'RE GETTING THE FULL EFFECT, FULL ENTOURAGE EFFECT. YOU'RE GETTING THE TASTE, THE HIGH, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT COMES ALONG WITH THE TURF BEANS. >> ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT DRUG. YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF HOW POWERFUL MARIJUANA IS NOW COMPARED TO WHAT PEOPLE USED IN THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES. >> AND THERE IS STILL A LOT THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT MARIJUANA FUNCTIONING, BUT

CLEARLY IT EFFECTS PEOPLE'S BRAINS, IT EFFECTS YOUR SHORT-TERM LEARNING. >> IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DO INFORMATION, IN A WAY THAT WE CAN ACCESS IT. SO ADOLESCENCE, WHEN OUR BRAINS ARE DEVELOPING, WHEN OUR BRAINS ARE DOING THE FRONTAL FORMATIVE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, IS PROBABLY THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME TO BE USING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. >> NOW MOVE YOUR HEAD SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. >> WE DID A BATTERY OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS FOR THESE KIDS, AND WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO WAS TO LEARN AND MEMORIZE A LIST OF WORDS THAT WE READ TO THEM OVER FOUR LEARNING TRIALS. WE ALSO ASKED THEM TO MEMORIZE A SHORT STORY AND REMEMBER A COMPLEX FIGURE. WE GAVE THEM ALL THESE STIMULI OVER MULTIPLE TRIALS, AND THEN WE WAITED 20 MINUTES WHILE THEY WERE DOING OTHER TASKS TO SEE HOW WELL THE INFORMATION HAD GOTTEN IN. WELL, THE FIRST ISSUE WAS

THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO LEARN AS WELL. THEIR SCORES ON THE FIRST TRIALS WERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STUDY. THESE KIDS DIDN'T DO WELL. THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO RECALL THE INFORMATION OR RECOGNIZE THE INFORMATION AT THE END. THESE WERE THE KIDS THAT WERE THE MARIJUANA USERS. THESE WERE THE ONES WHO HAD THE MOST TROUBLE LEARNING AND REMEMBERING IN THE STUDY. AND THE MORE MARIJUANA THEY USED, THE WORSE THEIR LEARNING AND MEMORY WAS. IT WAS HIGHLY STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. OTHER RISKS, TOO. SO FOR INSTANCE, THE RESEARCH REALLY SHOWS THAT THE YOUNGER SOMEBODY IS WHEN THEY START TO USE IT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY USE IT HEAVILY, AND IF THEY HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY OF PSYCHOSIS OR A PERSONAL HISTORY, SO THEY HAVE GENES FOR THIS, IT ALSO INCREASES THEIR RISK OF DEVELOPING SCHIZOPHRENIA, WHICH IS A LIFELONG ILLNESS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A CURE FOR AND CAUSES VERY >> EVERY PSYCHIATRIST, TO BE BOARD CERTIFIED, EVERY TEN YEARS YOU HAVE TO BE RE-EXAMINED, AND SO ON THAT

TEST WAS THAT QUESTION. WHAT DRUG IS MOST LIKELY TO TRIGGER A SCHIZOPHRENIA. AND IT'S CANNABIS. MORE THAN AMPHETAMINES, MORE THAN COCAINE. COUNTERINTUITIVELY, HALLUCINOGENS DON'T REALLY SEEM TO INCREASE THE RISK AT ALL. BASED ON A RECENT STUDY WHERE THEY LOOKED AT 108 DIFFERENT GENES ASSOCIATED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, THE MORE OF THESE GENES THAT YOU HAVE, THE BIGGER EFFECT CANNABIS USE IN ADOLESCENCE HAS ON YOUR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. OBVIOUSLY MILLIONS OF KIDS SMOKE POT AND DON'T GET SCHIZOPHRENIA, BUT SCHIZOPHRENIA IS SUCH A BAD ILLNESS, PEOPLE GET SICK AND THEY STAY SICK FOR THEIR WHOLE LIFE. THE BEST FIGURE IS ABOUT.7% OF THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD WILL GET SCHIZOPHRENIA. SO IF YOU COULD PREVENT THAT FROM DOUBLING, INCREASING BY 50%, BY JUST PUTTING OFF UNTIL ADULTHOOD, THAT WOULD BE WORTH IT. >> THIS RISK OF DEVELOPING THAT APPEARS TO BE LARGEST IF YOU START USING IN YOUR TEEN YEARS AS OPPOSED TO

LATER. USING SUBSTANCES WITH ABUSE POTENTIAL BEFORE AGE 19 SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGES THE TRAJECTORY IN TERMS OF SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND RELATIONSHIPS, ETC. ALSO, TEENS ARE MORE IMPULSIVE AND MORE RISK-TAKING AS A WHOLE, AND SO ANY TYPE OF INTOXICATION INCREASES THE RISKS OF GETTING INTO TROUBLE DOING THAT, WHETHER IT IS UNSAFE SEX PRACTICES, WHETHER IT IS UNSAFE DRIVING OR NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT. THESE SOUND KIND OF MINOR, BUT THEY CAN BE LIFE-CHANGING FOR A TEEN. >> IT DOES APPEAR THAT IT PROBABLY INCREASES YOUR RISK FOR DOING OTHER DRUGS, ALSO, PROBABLY THROUGH THIS CHANGE IN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. >> NOT EVERYBODY THAT SMOKES POT GETS ADDICTED, BUT THE POINT IS, SOME PEOPLE DO. IT, AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMETHING HARDER CAME AVAILABLE TO HIM BECAUSE DRUG DEALERS ARE IN IT FOR THE MONEY.

AND IF YOU GET THEM HOOKED ON SOMETHING STRONGER, THEY ARE A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE. EVENTUALLY WITH MICHAEL, HE WAS OFFERED A PILL, AND ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS CONTACT HIS DRUG DEALER THAT HE BOUGHT THE POT FROM, AND THEN IF HE DIDN'T HAVE THE STRONGER STUFF AVAILABLE, SOMEONE ELSE DID. EVENTUALLY, IT TOOK HIS LIFE. IT STARTED WITH MARIJUANA. >> STUDIES SHOW THAT ABOUT 11% OF PEOPLE WHO USE CANNABIS WITH ANY REGULARITY CAN DEVELOP A CANNABIS USE DISORDER, OR WHAT WE CALL AN ADDICTION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A WELL-DEFINED DIAGNOSIS. AND THEN PEOPLE WHO USE IT ON A DAILY BASIS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER, HAVE ABOUT DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THAT RATE OF DEVELOPING AN ADDICTION. >> IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOT MARKET THIS OR HAVE THIS BE AVAILABLE TO TEEN USERS, JUST LIKE ALCOHOL, JUST LIKE CIGARETTES. DRIVE, AND THERE'S A

RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH AGE, RIGHT? >> WE HAVE ALL OF OUR STRAINS, AFTER EVERY BATCH, TESTED FOR BOTH THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF THC AND CBD. WE DO HAVE STRAINS LIKE CHARLOTTE'S WEB AND R4 THAT DON'T HAVE THC IN THEM. WE HAVE ABOUT 200 STRAINS ON FILE. SO WITH THAT, WE CAN DO ALL TO CREATE THOUSANDS OF STRAINS, IF WE WANT TO, OVER >> PLACE YOUR LEFT FOOT ON THAT IMAGINARY LINE. PLACE YOUR RIGHT FOOT IN FRONT OF IT. MAKE SURE YOUR HEEL TOUCHES YOUR TOE. >> FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ON PEOPLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABIS BECAUSE THEY FORGET YOUR INSTRUCTIONS. LIKE WE DO HAVE WITH ALCOHOL, THERE'S NO ACTUAL TEST TO SAY, WELL, SOMEONE IS IMPAIRED BY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF NANOGRAMS, SO WE

HAVE TO RELY ON THE THE SCENE AND THEIR FIELD SOBRIETY TESTING. >> WE SEE LEGALIZATION SWEEPING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT THERE ARE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES TO IT. CLASSES CALLED MARIJUANA DUI INVESTIGATIONS, AND ONE OF THE COMPONENTS, PERHAPS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL COMPONENT, IS THE GREEN LAB. >> I WANT TO WELCOME YOU GUYS TO OUR GREEN LAB TONIGHT. WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU GUYS CAME OUT AND DID THIS. THESE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN GEARED FOR MANY YEARS TO SMELL IT AND THINK THERE'S A CRIME GOING ON, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE ANYMORE. SO THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS CLASS IS REALLY, IS THAT PERSON IMPAIRED TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY SHOULD BE ARRESTED OR PROSECUTED, OR IS THERE A LEVEL OF COMFORT IN SAYING, THIS PERSON IS ACTUALLY OKAY TO DRIVE. >> WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF VOLUNTEERS COME IN AND DOSE. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEET THEM BEFORE THEIR DOSE. >> I WORK FOR EASTER SEALS. I WORK WITH DEVELOPMENTALLY

DISABLED ADULTS. I'VE BEEN DOING THAT KIND OF WORK FOR A LONG TIME. I JUST MOVED HERE IN JULY. >> SO THEY GET TO SEE HOW THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR AFFECT IS, HOW THEY WALK, HOW THEY TALK, JUST A SHORT CONVERSATION JUST TO SEE HOW THEY PRESENT. THEN THEY LEAVE THE HOTEL, THEY GO AND DOSE. SO THIS EVENING, WE HAVE FOUR VOLUNTEERS. THE FIRST VOLUNTEER IS GOING TO BE TAKING 150 MILLIGRAM CHOCOLATE EDIBLE, AND THEN WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER TAKE THREE DABS OF CONCENTRATES THEY USE TO INHALE THE CONCENTRATE. AND THEN FOR OUR THIRD VOLUNTEER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE BONG HITS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY SMOKE JUST ONE JOINT. WE GIVE THEM A FULL SPECTRUM OF EVERYTHING. >> THE FIRST TIME I EVER SMOKED, 14. THE FIRST TIME I STARTED SMOKING ON A REGULAR BASIS, I WAS PROBABLY 20. BUT I HAVE A CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITION, SO IT'S EITHER

THAT OR TAKE FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT PRESCRIPTIONS. I HAVE FIBROMYALGIA. >> PROBABLY WHEN I WAS 13. 7th GOING INTO 8th GRADE. LOOKING BACK, WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, IT DEFINITELY WASN'T SAFE. ESPECIALLY LIKE YOUNG KIDS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GETTING IT FROM. >> WHAT IT'S CUT WITH. >> YEAH. THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME SHADY KIDS, WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY COULD HAVE LACED IT WITH. BUT, YEAH, NOW WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT'S COMING FROM AND IT'S PURE. >> THERE'S NOTHING SHADY ABOUT IT ANYMORE. >> THIS IS YOUR VAPORIZER PEN. SO THIS IS WHAT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO HEAT UP THE OIL, THE CONCENTRATE THAT'S IN THE VIAL HERE, AND IT'S TOTALLY CHARGEABLE VIA ANDROID USB. AND THEN THIS YOU FILL UP WITH THE CONCENTRATE. THERE'S WAX, THERE'S SHATTER, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO GOING TO BE CO2 HASH OIL, OR HONEY OIL, BECAUSE IT PARALLELS SIMILAR IN LOOK TO HONEY, BASICALLY. >> ANYTHING FROM BUTTER TO SODAS TO CANDIES, CEREALS, JUICES, HOT CHOCOLATE.

ANY FOOD PRODUCT YOU CAN GET. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET THE BASIC BUTTER. I'VE LITERALLY GOTTEN THE BUTTER AND JUST SMEARED IT ON TOAST AND ATE CINNAMON TOAST FOR BREAKFAST. IT'S CANNI-BUTTER. >> YOU WOULDN'T DRIVE NOW, OR DOES IT MATTER? >> I'D DRIVE RIGHT NOW. >> YOU WOULD OR WOULDN'T? >> I WOULD. >> BECAUSE IT DOESN'T IMPAIR YOU? >> NO, IT MAKES ME MORE -- >> ALERT. >> -- ALERT, AWARE. >> I FOCUS BETTER. >> LESS DISTRACTED THAN SEEING PEOPLE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON THEIR PHONES, EATING, YELLING AT THEIR KIDS. >> THEY COME BACK IN, AND THE OFFICERS RUN THEM THROUGH THE ROAD SIDES. >> WHILE FOCUSING ON THE TIP OF MY FINGER, YOU'RE GOING TO FOLLOW MY FINGER WITH YOUR EYES AND YOUR EYES ONLY. DON'T MOVE YOUR HEAD. >> OKAY. >> DO YOU UNDERSTAND? >> GOTCHA. >> THE WAY WE SET IT UP IS, THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THIS PERSON? WOULD YOU ARREST THEM? WOULD YOU NOT ARREST THEM? WOULD YOU SEND THEM ON THEIR WAY? I THINK WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART IS THAT

MARIJUANA IMPAIRMENT IS NOT ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT. >> THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE MANEUVER, I WANT YOU TO PLANT YOUR FEET, HANDS DOWN BY YOUR SIDE. >> WITH MARIJUANA IMPAIRMENT, IT'S MOSTLY MENTAL IMPAIRMENT. >> BASED ON THOSE, I WOULD TAKE YOU INTO CUSTODY IF YOU WERE DRIVING. >> THINK MORE DISTRACTED DRIVING INSTEAD OF DRUNK DRIVING. >> DRIVING ITSELF IS A DIVIDED ATTENTION TASK. WHEN YOU DRIVE, YOU HAVE TO OPERATE THE PEDALS, YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO TRAFFIC. >> SO IF WE'RE TALKING TO YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY MIGHT SAY, WELL, MARIJUANA IMPAIRED DRIVING, IT'S SAFER THAN ALCOHOL. AND WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS, SUBSTANCES, THEY JUST IMPAIR DIFFERENTLY. >> IT'S A MUCH SLOWER THE BIGGEST THING WITH CANNABIS IS TIME AND DISTANCE DISTORTION. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE STOPPING PRIOR TO THE STOPLIGHT, THEY'RE DRIVING VERY SLOW. >> BECAUSE IT'S MENTAL, I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE AS CONSCIOUS ABOUT IT, NOR IS A FRIEND GOING TO LOOK

AND SAY, OH, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO GIVE ME THE KEYS. IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO ASSESS. AND AGAIN, I DON'T LIKE THEM SAYING, WELL, IT'S SAFER THAN ALCOHOL. WELL, THAT'S A DANGEROUS RISK TO TAKE WHEN YOU'RE GETTING BEHIND A MULTI-THOUSAND POUND POTENTIAL WEAPON. >> PUT YOUR ARMS STRAIGHT BEHIND YOU, LIKE AN AIRPLANE. BEHIND YOU, SIR. THERE YOU GO. AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE. >> REAGAN'S POLICIES REALLY BECAME MUCH HARSHER IN TERMS OF BOTH THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF IT, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THE PENALTIES ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG CRIME VIOLATIONS. SO DURING THE 1980s IS WHEN YOU HAVE THE MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCING. THAT'S REAGAN'S CONTRIBUTION

TO THE WHOLE EFFORT. AND THIS CONTINUED UNDER CLINTON AND THE FIRST BUSH. YOU KNOW, I'M AN ACADEMIC. I TEACH AND I DO RESEARCH. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WITH PROHIBITION IS THAT IT HAS REALLY STIFLED RESEARCH OF ALL SORTS. >> THE FUNNY THING IS, THIS PLANT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. WHY WEREN'T WE RESEARCHING IT BEFORE? THE ONLY REASON NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S A HOT TOPIC IS BECAUSE PEOPLE SEE THAT THERE'S VALUE TO THE PRODUCT. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON. >> NOW THAT I JUST HAVE A LITTLE PIECE OF CANDY, I GET THE PAIN RELIEF, I GET THE RELAXATION, AND I'M ABLE TO GO ABOUT MY LIFE AND STILL HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE. >> THE RESEARCH IS INADEQUATE, AS A WHOLE, ESPECIALLY ON THE PLANTS. >> THE MORE MARIJUANA THEY USE, THE WORSE THEIR LEARNING AND MEMORY WAS. >> SO THERE ARE ABOUT 80 OTHER CANNABINOIDS THAT ARE

JUST NOT WELL STUDIED OR UNDERSTOOD. >> HEMP IS A MIRACLE PLANT, AND THE POTENTIAL IT HAS, IT >> THERE WERE MANY CONCERNS RAISED IN THE FILM NEW MARIJUANA. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW IN SO GET IN TOUCH WITH US AT NewMexicoInFocus.org. OR FIND US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK. WITH ME NOW TO REFLECT ON THESE ISSUES IS MACKENZIE ALLEN, A RETIRED DEPUTY SHERIFF WHO WORKED IN LOS ANGELES AND SEATTLE. HE WAS A TRAINING OFFICER AND AN UNDERCOVER NARCOTICS DETECTIVE. HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST PROHIBITION, OR L.E.A.P. ALSO WITH US IS JESSICA GELAY, WHO IS THE POLICY COORDINATOR FOR THE DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE IN NEW MEXICO. WELCOME TO THE SHOW. >> THANK YOU. >> NICE TO BE HERE. >> JESSICA, I WANT TO START

WITH YOU. WHY SHOULD WE LEGALIZE MARIJUANA? >> WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING ME, GWYNETH. IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE ARE IN A MAJOR BUDGET CRUNCH IN THE STATE. BEYOND A CRUNCH REALLY. IT'S A TRUE CRISIS. AND MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION REPRESENTS A REAL BOTH INNOVATIVE AND PROVEN WAY TO GROW OUR ECONOMY. SO REALLY, I THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE AN OPTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE, BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY FEW OTHER OPTIONS, AND THIS IS ONE THAT A SISTER STATE JUST TO OUR NORTH IS SEEING REALLY GREAT SUCCESS WITH. $140 MILLION IS GOING TO SCHOOL EDUCATION THIS YEAR. WE COULD REALLY USE THAT IN NEW MEXICO. >> WE COULD PROBABLY MAKE A LOT OF TAX MONEY IF WE BECAME A HUB FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PORNOGRAPHY. BUT ISN'T THERE AN ARGUMENT AGAINST DOING SOMETHING PEOPLE FIND IMMORAL AND DESTRUCTIVE JUST FOR THE MONEY? EXACTLY WHAT IS IMMORAL ABOUT GROWING A PLANT AND

USING IT. THIS IS AN AGRICULTURAL CROP, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY ACTUALLY IS TRUE TO OUR VALUES AND WOULD GROW OUR ECONOMY IN A REAL WAY. IT'S AN ACTUAL FIBER THAT WE CAN TURN INTO A COMMODITY AND BE USED FOR A MILLION DIFFERENT PURPOSES, FROM TEXTILES, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEMP, TO RECREATIONAL ADULT USE, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MARIJUANA. I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USING FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND IT'S LESS THAN 100 YEARS SINCE WE MADE IT ILLEGAL. IT'S REALLY A FALSE CONSTRUCT. >> SO IN TERMS OF THE INTERACTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE KNOW THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY SPEND A LOT OF TIME DEALING WITH OFFENSES RELATED TO MARIJUANA. IF WE LEGALIZED IT HERE IN NEW MEXICO, WHAT EFFECT WOULD THAT HAVE ON THE OFFICERS OUT THERE ON THE STREET? >> I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL TO THINK OF HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THE ENTIRE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT

SPEAKING JUST TO STREET WHICH I SPENT YEARS DOING, THE FIRST THING IT WOULD DO, IF IT'S COMPLETELY LEGALIZED, AS OPPOSED TO DECRIMINALIZED, IF IT'S LEGALIZED, IT'S GOING TO TAKE AWAY WHAT MANY OFFICERS USE AS PROBABLE CAUSE TO ADVANCE FURTHER ARRESTS, FURTHER INVESTIGATION, LEADING OFTEN TO MORE ARRESTS OF MORE SERIOUS OFFENDERS. IT'S THE FIRST STEP, AND A LEGITIMATE STEP. SO THAT WOULD BE GONE. BUT HAVING SAID THAT, WHAT WOULD IT DO TO THE COURT SYSTEM, WHAT WOULD IT DO TO THE PRISON AND JAIL POPULATIONS, WHAT WOULD IT DO THE BUDGET THAT'S NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THOSE THINGS? IT WOULD FREE UP THE COURTS DRAMATICALLY, IT WOULD FREE UP PRISON SPACE, AND WOULD GIVE US MUCH MORE ROOM TO LOCK DOWN PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE LOCKED DOWN, VIOLENT CRIMINALS, INSTEAD OF LETTING THEM OUT EARLY BECAUSE OF OVERCROWDING SITUATIONS. THERE WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT IN MANY ASPECTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. >> AND YOU'RE SAYING WE WOULD SAVE MONEY BY NOT HAVING TO ARREST THESE PEOPLE, RUN THEM THROUGH TRIALS, AND THEN KEEP THEM IN JAIL OR PRISON?

>> WE WOULD SAVE A TON OF MONEY. IT WOULD EASE UP THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, WHICH YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE HAS RECENTLY BEEN IN THE NEWS REGARDING CUTTING BACK ON WHAT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE. EVERYTHING IS OVERWHELMED. >> WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING, AS YOU SAID JESSICA, WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN COLORADO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK SOME PEOPLE WERE KIND OF SURPRISED AND UPSET ABOUT WAS THESE EDIBLE GUMMY BEAR CANDIES, THINGS LIKE THAT, THE BRIGHTLY COLORED YUMMY LOOKING THINGS GETTING INTO THE HANDS OF KIDS WHO END UP IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM BECAUSE THEY'VE EATEN WHAT IS A FAIRLY POWERFUL DOSE. HOW IS IT THAT LEGALIZATION WOULD MAKE KIDS SAFER? >> SURE. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE, IF THE KIDS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BUY IT, THEY'RE NOT BEING CARDED RIGHT NOW IN THE SAME WAY THAT THEY ARE WITH ALCOHOL. SO IF YOU REGULATE IT, THEN WHERE CHILDREN WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PURCHASE IT.

>> YOU MEAN, KIDS RIGHT NOW WHO ARE BUYING POT FROM THEIR FRIEND AREN'T CARDED AS OPPOSED TO A LEGAL SYSTEM WHERE THEY DO HAVE TO SHOW A CARD? >> RIGHT, EXACTLY. SO IF IT WAS AT A STORE, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PURCHASE IT. THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE TOBACCO, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL. MARIJUANA IS EASIER TO GET BECAUSE IT'S ILLEGAL. SECONDLY, EDUCATION IS A MUST. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND LABELING. AND WE'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM COLORADO. COLORADO HAS LEARNED A LOT FROM COLORADO. AND THEY'VE PUT THINGS IN PLACE NOW SO THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE STRINGENT LABELING REQUIREMENTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THESE ITEMS. BUT JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, KIDS SHOULDN'T BE GETTING INTO THIS, JUST LIKE THEY SHOULDN'T BE GETTING INTO YOUR LIQUOR CABINET. AND AS KIDS ARE TAUGHT THAT THEY NEED TO STAY OUT OF IT, IT'S JUST LIKE ANY OTHER THING THAT WE MIGHT NOT WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE A PART OF, WE CAN TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS BEST AND ASK THEM TO BEHAVE RESPONSIBLY AND TEACH THEM WHAT THEY CAN DO TO KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE.

>> TRUST BY VERIFY. SO TELL THEM NOT TO TOUCH THE STUFF, AND THEN PUT IN A LOCKED CABINET. >> RIGHT. >> CAN I MAKE A QUICK COMMENT. WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF THIS. THIS IS, INDEED, A HEALTH AND PUBLIC AWARENESS I'M OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER IN THE '50s WHEN CIGARETTES WERE LEGAL, DOCTORS WERE ON TV DOING ADS WITH THEIR WHITE COATS AND THEIR STETHOSCOPES HAWKING CIGARETTES. WELL, IT'S TAKEN ALMOST 50 YEARS, BUT PEOPLE FINALLY, FOR THE MOST PART, IN MANY INSTANCES HAVE GOTTEN THE MESSAGE ABOUT SMOKING. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. WE ARE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO CRIMINALIZE OUR WAY OUT OF THIS. >> LET ME ASK YOU, WE LIVE IN A STATE WITH INCREDIBLY HIGH RATES OF DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED, WE HAVE TREMENDOUS PROBLEMS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE. HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW LEGALIZING MARIJUANA WOULD NOT AGGRAVATE THOSE PROBLEMS. >> WELL, THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT NO ONE IS EXCUSING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OR IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR BEHIND THE USE OF WHAT WOULD BE A LEGAL SUBSTANCE. SO IF SOMEONE IS DOING

ROBBERIES OR BURGLARIES OR EVEN SHOPLIFTING, ANY KIND OF OFFENSE, TO SUPPORT A DRUG HABIT OF ANY TYPE OF DRUG, THEN YOU PUNISH AND ADDRESS THAT BEHAVIOR. BUT IF IT'S A VICTIMLESS THING, IF I'M SITTING AT HOME -- BY THE WAY, I'VE NEVER USED ANY OF THESE DRUGS. I DON'T ADVOCATE IT. MY DRUG OF CHOICE IS A VODKA MARTINI OR A GLASS OF WINE. BUT UNDERSTAND, THOSE ARE DRUGS. BUT IF I'M SITTING AT HOME AND WANT TO GET MYSELF STONED, AND I'M NOT HURTING ANYBODY, I'M NOT ON THE ROAD, I'M NOT ENDANGERING ANYBODY, THAT IS TRULY A VICTIMLESS CRIME, AND IT'S A CRIME NOW. >> BUT WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, HAVING QUICK AND EASY ACCESS TO A NEW WAY TO GET HIGH, WOULDN'T THAT AGGRAVATE THAT PROBLEM? >> YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT TEMPORARILY, BUT THERE'S A BIG FORBIDDEN FRUIT FACTOR IN THIS. WHEN THINGS ARE HARD TO GET, THERE'S THIS INTEREST IN PURSUING IT. WHEN YOU GO A CONCERT AND SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT MARIJUANA, EVERYBODY STARTS TO, OR SOME PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE START TO CHEER, IT'S SO IMMATURE. IT'S BECAUSE IT'S FORBIDDEN AT THE MOMENT.

AND IT IS INDEED A HEALTH AND PUBLIC AWARENESS ISSUE. >> I'M THINKING ABOUT GARY JOHNSON RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE HE'S OUR FORMER GOVERNOR AND HE'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT ON THE LIBERTARIAN TICKET. THE LIBERTARIAN PLATFORM ENDORSES LEGALIZATION OF ALL DRUGS. BUT ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT THE DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE MAKES IS, LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND THEN PUT IN A RIGOROUS SYSTEM OF REGULATION AND TAXATION. AND I CAN HEAR KIND OF A RECORD SCRATCH FOR GARY JOHNSON AT THAT POINT SAYING, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE A RIGOROUS MORE BIG GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN HERE. HOW CAN WE DO THIS WITHOUT CREATING THIS OTHER GIANT GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY? >> WELL, I THINK ONE THING IS THAT WE WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE, LIKE REGULATION AND LICENSING. WE CREATE A SYSTEM WHERE THE POLICY WOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY WORKING IN GOVERNMENT, AND PERHAPS CREATE A NEW

A NEW DEPARTMENT. THE REGULATION, I THINK, IS -- YOU KNOW, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE VARIOUS TYPES OF PLAYERS WHO MIGHT WANT TO ENTER INTO THE MARKET. SO HAVING LICENSES FOR COTTAGE CULTIVATORS AS WELL AS GROUPS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DOING INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OF HEMP, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, SO THAT WE HAVE SPACE FOR FAMILY BUSINESS TO BE IN THE MARKET AND WE PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF OUR NEW MEXICO FARMERS AND AGRICULTURE FOLKS BY DOING THAT. >> WE ONLY HAVE ONE MORE MINUTE, BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU, MAC, GIVE ME THE ELEVATOR SPEECH THAT YOU USE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO PERSUADE A FELLOW OFFICER, HEY, THIS IS THE WAY TO GO, THIS IS WHY WE SHOULD DO THIS, YOU SHOULD JOIN ME BECAUSE, WHY? >> THE BOTTOM LINE IS, PROHIBITION HAS NEVER WORKED. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT THE LATE '20s AND EARLY

'30s IN THIS COUNTRY. ALL IT DOES IS EXTEND CORRUPTION AND MAKE MONEY FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BLACK MARKET. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A BLACK MARKET IN AN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE. IF WE OUTLAWED FRENCH FRIES -- >> DING! I HAVE TO GET OFF AT THIS FLOOR. JESSICA, GIVE ME THE SAME SPEECH THAT YOU WOULD GIVE IF YOU FOUND YOURSELF LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN THE ELEVATOR WITH A GROUP OF STATE LAWMAKERS. >> THIS IS AN OPTION THAT WE MUST LOOK AT IN ORDER TO GROW NEW MEXICO'S ECONOMY. MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION IS PROVEN AND INNOVATIVE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEW MEXICO NEEDS. >> THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WITH US, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOUR SPEECHES. >> THANKS FOR INVITING US. >> I'M GENE GRANT. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO InFOCUS. NOW, YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO OUR DISCUSSIONS THIS WEEK ABOUT MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION ON OUR WEBSITE, NewMexicoInFocus.org. AND AS ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND ENGAGED. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK,