NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The New Mexico Environment Department is doing what it can to regulate deceptive hemp products sold in stores by issuing an emergency ruling to ban the manufacturing of synthetic cannabinoids in New Mexico. “They’re putting something in their body without knowing what it is and without understanding what the effects may be. We believe that puts people at a significant health risk,” said John Rhoderick, Deputy Cabinet Secretary of Administration, New Mexico Environment Department.
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Synthetic cannabinoids are products chemically altered to give similar effects to THC and are often sold at convenience stores with little regulation. This issue was at the center of a Larry Barker investigation, exposing the problem of cannabis products being identified as hemp, allowing them to be sold anywhere. A bill from last legislative session aimed to make it illegal for synthetic cannabinoids to be made or sold in New Mexico, but that bill failed.
NMED’s new rule bans the manufacturing of these products in New Mexico, but the department acknowledged it doesn’t stop out-of-state manufacturers from selling their products here. “That problem still remains. But this is critical enough, we felt it necessary to move forward with the emergency rule to make sure that New Mexico manufacturers are not contributing to the problem and to raise the awareness,” said Rhoderick.
Over the next few months, NMED will hold hearings and trainings on the new rule. They hope to get another version of their bill passed this next session.
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