“New Mexico Cannabis Cowboys: Modern-Day Desperados in the Legal Marijuana Era”
Once relegated to the shadows of back alleys and dimly lit street corners, the cannabis industry in New Mexico has undergone a dramatic transformation since the legalization of recreational marijuana two years ago. Today, there are 13 times more cannabis stores than Starbucks in the state. However, despite stringent laws and regulations, a dark cloud looms over the industry, which is plagued by a thriving black market, rampant criminal activity, and the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars.
“It sounds like complete lawlessness, but the reality is it’s more true than not,” remarked Duke Rodriguez, CEO of Ultra Health, the largest licensed cannabis operation in New Mexico. Will Glaspy, Executive Director of New Mexico HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas), stated, “The industry is running amok.” State Rep. Bill Rehm added, “We gave a storefront to the drug cartel when we passed recreational marijuana.”
Evidence of this troubling trend can be seen across the state, from Clovis to Santa Fe, and Albuquerque to Torrance County. The sheer volume of cannabis-related violations has left regulators at New Mexico’s Cannabis Control Division powerless to combat the illicit activities. “It’s horrible. This is not the vision I have for New Mexico,” expressed State Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Joseph Cervantes. “We know there’s crime—massive crime worth millions of dollars—right under our nose, and we’re not willing to do anything about it,” he added.
A prime example of this situation is the El Baile Event Center, a drug marketplace in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill that specializes in the sale of illicit cannabis products. Every Friday, dozens of vendors gather at this Central Avenue location to openly sell a variety of outlawed items, including gummies, flower, bootleg edibles, and vapes. “When I walked in, it was mind-blowing. The shocker is how blatantly open it was being conducted,” Rodriguez commented after touring El Baile. “There were folding tables with products ranging from infused Rice Krispies to drinks and every imaginable item for sale. There’s no reporting of gross receipts tax, no payments of cannabis excise tax, and completely unsafe and untested products.”
