Community | February 06, 2010 | 1 comment

NM House panel shelves tax on medical marijuana

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JackHerer
A proposal to tax medical marijuana in New Mexico ran into strong opposition on Friday and a House committee shelved the measure.

The proposal would impose a 25 percent tax on the value of marijuana grown for medical purposes.

A 2007 law allows people with certain medical conditions to get relief by using marijuana. About 1,000 patients are registered with the state.

One of those patients, Paul Culkin of Albuquerque, told lawmakers he spent $800 a month for two ounces of medical marijuana. The 30-year-old Army veteran suffers from post traumatic stress disorder.

A tax would increase prices, Culkin said, and "this would cause me to go out on the street" to buy cheaper marijuana.

"We don't want to drive patients to the black market," said Reena Szczepanski of Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico, who lobbied for the medical marijuana law.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/35153289
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