Cannabis Consulting Firm in New Mexico
Table of Contents
Updated July 2021 | New Mexico recently legalized Adult-use cannabis, and licensing opportunities will be available soon. More specifically, we have reason to believe that the State will begin accepting applications for cannabis licenses in New Mexico this summer. So, if you want to start a cannabis business in New Mexico, now is the time to start preparing. In this article, our cannabis consulting firm in New Mexico provides you with an overview of the market and applying for licenses. Our New Mexico Cannabis Consultants also offer some expert advice on winning a cannabis license in New Mexico. After you read the article, feel free to reach out to our New Mexico cannabis consulting experts about getting a head start on your application.
Adult-Use Market in New Mexico 2021
The governor of New Mexico signed a bill to legalize a potential $425 million adult-use marijuana market.
With that, residents of New Mexico are demanding equity and criminal justice within the bill. Within this bill, the commission, the department of environment, and the department of agriculture will regulate and license cannabis businesses. Our cannabis consulting firm in New Mexico can assist you with application writing so that you can win a license.
It is never too early to start your application for a cannabis business in New Mexico. For more information on how you can win a cannabis license in New Mexico, contact our cannabis experts at Quantum 9.
Current Medical Cannabis Market in New Mexico
As of now, 4.37 percent of New Mexico’s population are registered, medical marijuana patients. Medical marijuana sales in New Mexico reached $180 million in 2020 and sales are expected to reach $220 million in 2021.
Adult-Use Cannabis Licenses in New Mexico
New Mexico shall offer different cannabis licenses for their adult-use market. Our Cannabis Consultants in New Mexico took the liberty to list the license types below:
- (1) Cannabis Producers
- (2) Cannabis Producer Microbusiness
- (3) Cannabis Manufacturers
- (4) Cannabis Retailers
- (5) Cannabis Couriers
- (6) Vertically Integrated Cannabis Establishments
- (7) Integrated Cannabis Microbusinesses
- (8) Cannabis Testing Laboratories
- (9) Cannabis Consumption Areas
- (10) Cannabis Servers
- (11) Cannabis Training and Education Program
- (12) Cannabis Research Laboratories
These licenses are valid for 12 months and can be renewed annually. No license shall be transferable or assignable from a licensee to another person.
All of these licenses allow you to perform different tasks. Contact our cannabis consulting firm in New Mexico for more information on these licenses so you can apply for the one that best fits your business needs. Additionally, the division does not limit the type or number of licenses that a licensee may be issued. Also, multiple licenses can occupy a single licensed premise, and the division shall not place a restriction on the number of licenses occupying a single-licensed premise.
Below our Marijuana Consultants in New Mexico provide a brief description of each of the adult-use cannabis licenses in New Mexico.
(1) Cannabis Producer License in New Mexico
First, a Cannabis Producer License in New Mexico is essentially a cannabis cultivation license. In other words, a New Mexico Cannabis Producer License allows you to cultivate and sell cannabis flower, seeds, and seedings to other cannabis establishments in New Mexico. It also allows you to transport your unprocessed cannabis products to other cannabis establishments in New Mexico.
Our New Mexico Cannabis Consultants included the exact definition of Cannabis Producer Licenses below:
A “cannabis producer” means a person that:
- (1) cultivates cannabis plants;
- (2) has unprocessed cannabis products tested by a cannabis testing laboratory;
- (3) transports unprocessed cannabis products
only to other cannabis establishments; or - (4) sells cannabis products wholesale.
If you’re interested in applying for a cannabis producer license, feel free to reach out to our New Mexico Cannabis Application Writers to learn how we can help you achieve your goals.
(2) Cannabis Producer Microbusiness License in New Mexico
Similar to the Cannabis Producer License, New Mexico will also issue a Cannabis Producer Microbusiness License.
More specifically, the cannabis producer microbusiness license means a cannabis producer at a single licensed premise that possesses no more than two hundred total mature cannabis plants at any one time.
(3) Cannabis Manufacturer License in New Mexico
As defined by our cannabis consulting firm in New Mexico, a Cannabis Manufacturer license in New Mexico allows you to conduct cannabis extractions and manufacture cannabis products, including concentrates, cannabis-infused products, and more.
To be clear, New Mexico’s definition of a Cannabis Manufacturer License means a person that:
- (1) manufactures cannabis products;
- (2) packages cannabis products;
- (3) has cannabis products tested by a cannabis testing laboratory; or
- (4) purchases, acquires, sells, or transports wholesale cannabis products to other cannabis establishments.
Does producing cannabis products interest you? If so, speak to our New Mexico Cannabis Consultants on how to best position yourself for winning a Cannabis Manufacturing License.
(4) Cannabis Retailer License In New Mexico
Next, the New Mexico Cannabis Retailer License is the only license that allows you to sell cannabis and cannabis products directly to consumers. Our Marijuana Consultant in New Mexico included the definition provided by the state: a “cannabis retailer” means a person that sells cannabis products to qualified patients, primary caregivers, or reciprocal participants or directly to consumers.
(5) Cannabis Courier License In New Mexico
To our cannabis consultants, New Mexico has decided to allow the delivery of cannabis directly to consumers. In order to deliver cannabis, you must apply for and win a Cannabis Courier License.
As defined by New Mexico, a “cannabis courier” means a person that transports cannabis products to qualified patients, primary caregivers, or reciprocal participants or directly to consumers.
Our New Mexico cannabis application writers have helped entrepreneurs win delivery and transport licenses in the multiple U.S. States. Our New Mexico Marijuana Consultants have the expertise and resources that can increase your chances of winning a license while also saving you time. If you’d like to speak with one of our cannabis consultants in New Mexico about how to win a Cannabis Courier license (or any license in this post), please feel free to reach out for a free consultation.
(6) Vertically Integrated Cannabis Establishments in New Mexico
At this point, our New Mexico Cannabis Consultants have described the various cannabis licenses in New Mexico for a specific operation in the cannabis value chain. However, there exists a marijuana license in New Mexico that allows you to combine multiple of the activities the licenses listed above.
With that, Cannabis Consultants in New Mexico present to you the Vertically Integrated Cannabis Establishment license. A Vertically Integrated Cannabis Establishment in New Mexico allows you to perform the activities of a:
- (1) a cannabis courier;
- (2) a cannabis manufacturer;
- (3) a cannabis producer; and
- (4) a cannabis retailer.
This license type is for those who want to operate at a larger scale and experience the benefits from the economies of scale. However, the start-up costs for this license type are likely to be significantly higher than other cannabis operations.
Local Jurisdiction Control
The department also creates certain rules and regulations for cannabis business licenses in New Mexico. Local jurisdictions make rules for cannabis establishments that can sometimes be restrictive. For example, a local jurisdiction can require that any cannabis establishment that provides a cannabis consumption area be located a certain distance away from any schools or daycare centers.
However, although local jurisdictions have the ability to regulate cannabis businesses, they are not able to:
- Prevent any licensed person from transporting cannabis products on public roads
- Completely prohibit the operation of a cannabis business license
- Prohibit or limit signage that identifies a business as a cannabis establishment
- Require a cannabis establishment or cannabis consumption area be located more than 300 feet from a school or daycare that existed when the cannabis establishment or consumption area was licensed
- Require an existing cannabis licensee to relocate to new premises
- Lastly, the jurisdiction is not able to prohibit an adult New Mexican from growing cannabis within their home
Cannabis Business Plan for New Mexico
In order to obtain a marijuana business license in New Mexico, you need to apply for a license. Our Cannabis Consultants in New Mexico expect licenses to be limited and competitive, which is why we recommend our cannabis consulting services to help you write a successful business plan so that you can get the business that you want.
Here are some of the rules that the commission creates in regards to marijuana licenses in New Mexico:
- Procedures for the issuance, renewal, suspension, or revocation of licenses
- Qualifications for licensure that are directly related to operation plans
- Security requirements for the establishment
- Inspection of a cannabis establishment
- Recordkeeping and tracking of cannabis
- Labeling and language for cannabis labels
- Rules for advertisements
In addition, the commission prioritizes that you run your cannabis business in a safe and efficient manner. So, when you apply for a cannabis business license and write your business plan, there is information that you must have. This includes:
- How you will keep up with health and safety standards
- Standards for quality control and the inspection and testing of cannabis
- Standards for food and product safety
- A plan for how the business will be safe and sustainable for the environment
- Standards for natural resource protection, water quality, water supply, hazardous materials, pesticide use, and wastewater discharge
All of the above information can make or break your application. Contact our cannabis consulting firm for additional assistance on these business plans.
Expected Timeline for Cannabis Licensing in New Mexico
To begin with, the bill includes a few dates that include cannabis licensing procedures in New Mexico. Our New Mexico Cannabis Consultants expect the State to begin processing cultivation license applications no later than Sept. 1, 2021, and retail sales to begin no later than April 1, 2022.
No later than January 1, 2023, the commission in New Mexico shall develop a plan to encourage racial, ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity among the licenses. From this bill, we can expect social equity to be an important part of the application. Our cannabis consulting firm in New Mexico has experience in application writing and social equity provisions. As always, contact us for additional assistance on your application.
When it comes to the number of cannabis licenses available in New Mexico, the department will monitor the supply and demand of cannabis products produced in New Mexico by licensees. With this, they shall make sure that medical marijuana patients in New Mexico have enough products for their needs.
Additionally, the division will also establish application and licensing fees applicable to licenses for commercial cannabis activity and activity related to the medical marijuana market in New Mexico. Reach out to one of our New Mexico Cannabis Consultants to learn more about the expected timeline.
New Mexico Annual Cannabis Licensing Fees
Our New Mexico Cannabis Consultants provide a summary of the Annual Licensing Fees below. Each type of Adult-use cannabis license in New Mexico has its own unique fees.
Additionally, a licensee cultivating commercial cannabis plants shall be assessed an additional annual fee of $10 per mature cannabis plant at the time of licensing.
Additional Information on New Mexico Cannabis Market
Personal Cannabis Use Rules in New Mexico
Any person over the age of 21 can possess and use cannabis products in New Mexico. Individuals can have no more than 2 ounces or 16 grams of concentrates on them. You can not consume cannabis products outside of your private residence.
The bill also includes a section where they state that it is unlawful to sell cannabis without a license. Additionally, they include a plethora of consequences for those who violate the age limit or sell cannabis unlawfully.
License Caps and Limitations
Except as otherwise provided in the Cannabis Regulation Act, the division shall not limit the number of licensed premises a licensee may occupy or operate under a license.
Transferring Licenses
No license shall be transferable or assignable from a licensee to another person. The division shall not allow a person that is licensed as any type of cannabis establishment other than a cannabis research laboratory to hold, directly or indirectly, a cannabis testing laboratory license.
Conclusions from our Cannabis Consulting Firm in New Mexico
Finally, a legal recreational market in New Mexico is likely for the next year. Follow our page to keep up with the latest news so you can apply for a cannabis license when the time comes. It’s never too early to start preparing. In fact, you increase your chances of winning by preparing early. Thus, we encourage you to reach out to our cannabis application consultants as soon as possible to learn how we can drastically increase your chances of winning a license.
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