New Mexico Plant count increases ahead of New Mexico marijuana sales

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico regulators have doubled the number of marijuana plants that licensed growers can cultivate as the state prepares for recreational sales to start this spring, officials announced Tuesday.

Increasing the plant count makes sense “to ensure that everyone can maximize the benefits of a thriving cannabis industry,” said state Cannabis Control Division Director Kristen Thomson.

The division also needs to ensure that supplies remain consistent for the tens of thousands of New Mexicans who participate in the state’s medical marijuana program.

But some marijuana industry players are concerned that the change is too little and too late to meet demand because of the time it takes time to put in place the needed infrastructure and for plants to grow.

Officials with Ultra Health, the state’s largest cannabis producer, told the Albuquerque Journal that the rule change likely wouldn’t significantly change the amount of cannabis that will be available by April. It typically takes around 5½ months to get a plant in the ground and ready for harvest. [Read More @ AP.com]