Two years ago New Mexico legalized recreational marijuana. At the time, the law contained a provision requiring federal FBI criminal background checks for high-level marijuana business owners.
However, KRQE News reports a technicality in the law prevented the background checks from occurring — and lawmakers in New Mexico have failed to address the issue.
As a result, virtually none of New Mexico’s marijuana business owners have passed a federal background check as lawmakers intended. That has opened the door for criminal enterprises to infiltrate New Mexico’s marijuana industry.
The story is significant, because last year voters in Arkansas rejected a recreational marijuana measure that would have specifically prohibited the State of Arkansas from requiring criminal background checks for many marijuana business owners. New Mexico’s experience shows just how devastating that could have been for Arkansas.
Watch this news story from KRQE to learn more.
