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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

New Mexico Mulls Benefits of Legalizing Cannabis

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Monday, August 19, 2019   

SANTA FE, N.M. – Earlier this year, New Mexico authorized state agencies to regulate the hemp industry, and now it appears poised to tackle the growing interest in legalization of cannabis.

Economist and marijuana market consultant Kelly O'Donnell recently told a task force established by the governor that demand for cannabis products has far outpaced expectations in neighboring Colorado.

O'Donnell says New Mexico could find itself in a similar position if lawmakers legalize recreational marijuana.

"There's a good economic case to be made for doing this if you do it right,” she states. “There is potential for job creation and higher tax revenue."

O'Donnell estimates the annual revenue for state and local governments in New Mexico could hit $120 million in five years depending on the tax structure and regulatory policy.

A bipartisan bill to legalize recreational marijuana passed the New Mexico House this year, but stalled in the Senate before the legislative session ended.

O'Donnell maintains more adults in the state will use marijuana if it's legal and considered socially acceptable.

She says it also could increase the number of out-of-state visitors, especially from Mexico and Texas, which has not indicated it will legalize marijuana anytime soon.

"Would it increase tourism?” she raises. “Probably, but it's certainly not going to rival some of our larger economic sectors."

O'Donnell notes that in addition to a boost in tourism, legalized cannabis could add at least 10,000 new jobs to the state's agriculture and retail sectors.

Of the people who traveled to Colorado between 2013 and 2018, 25% listed cannabis as a reason for their visit, according to the state's tourism agency.


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