Paul, 

Tomorrow at noon, legislators are headed back to Santa Fe to start closing a budget gap expected to grow to $500 million in two years (along with the governor's political "gotcha" crime bills).

That news has legislators looking at a lot of new options to diversify our state’s economy and even naysayers are taking a second look at formerly taboo ideas and that got us thinking: Is it time to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in New Mexico?

Two years ago, we teamed up with the Drug Policy Alliance to put marijuana policy questions on the ballot in New Mexico for the very first time.

After a lot of work educating voters and organizing communities, voters in Albuquerque and Santa Fe made it clear: it’s time to change the law.

Since then even skeptics have taken notice of new studies showing that:

• A legalized, regulated and taxed marijuana industry in New Mexico could create 11,400 new jobs and add $412 million in new revenue for our economy

• Colorado now brings in twice as much tax revenue from marijuana for education and public safety than it does from alcohol.  If we follow that model, that could mean more than $40 million in new revenue for New Mexico (which we need for education, public safety and healthcare, among other things).

• New Mexico would save at least $33 million in courts, police and corrections costs associated with marijuana prosecutions

• State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino has sponsored a Constitutional amendment like this for several sessions, but without a grassroots voter-led effort to push it it has never quite gotten far enough.

That’s a lot of jobs we need and revenue we don’t have to pay for services New Mexicans are demanding more of.

So we’re asking you: is it time to pass a Constitutional amendment to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in New Mexico?

Take the Voter Survey now.
Legislators are watching 

Don't have a Facebook account? That's ok!  You can weigh in on this web survey.

We’ve already talked to legislators who promised they’ll be watching closely. And if we find strong support, we’ll build the campaign to get it started.  

We’ve already shown that we can build a voter campaign for marijuana policy, but it takes a LOT of work and a LOT of resources to do. We’re in, are you?

- Pat

Believe in this issue?  Share with voters in your own networks to help build momentum!

Oh yea!  Bringing new revenue is long-term campaign for us here in New Mexico, but we haven't taken our eye off issues at hand.  We're delivering our petition opposing the Death Penalty to Governor Martinez and legislators tomorrow at the opening of the Special Legislative Session. We already have almost 2,000 signatures just from people sharing by email and online. If you haven't signed, now's your last chance to show your opposition to this dumb, distracting idea.