POT GROWER SHORTAGE FORCES PATIENTS TO SEEK ALTERNATIVES

New Mexico's medicinal marijuana program is running
dry.

The state has only 11 growers to satisfy the demand of the 2,000
patients prescribed cannabis for chronic illness.

This position leaves many patients rationing medication or turning to
the illegal market, while the state wants to ensure that its program
for growing cannabis remains legal, said Len Goodman, executive
director of NewMexicann, a nonprofit organization that grows medicinal
marijuana.

Goodman said his company distributes to about 750 patients but said he
cannot provide enough for all of them.

"There are not enough licensed producers to handle the patients, and
it's been this way since the program was instituted," he said.
"Patients can't get sufficient medicine for their needs."

Deborah Busemeyer, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health, said
the state hadn't anticipated the high demand.

"We did recognize that the supply was not going to be enough for the
patients in our program," she said.

After medical marijuana was legalized in New Mexico in 2007, it took
the state two years to authorize marijuana growers. In March 2009, the
first nonprofit organization was approved to grow marijuana. In
November, four more were authorized, with each organization being
allowed to grow 95 plants.

Busemeyer said legal tensions are partially responsible for the slow
authorization of nonprofit marijuana growers.

"Because this program is legal under state law and illegal under
federal law, it takes more consideration in putting it together and
making sure it's going to work for New Mexico," Busemeyer said. "We
have to go through the process really slowly and thoughtfully, because
if we don't develop a program that is sustainable, that gives patients
access to the medicine they need without jeopardizing safety of the
patients, producers and public, we could jeopardize our entire program."

On July 9, the state authorized six more medical cannabis producers to
help meet the growing need.

But Goodman said it will take anywhere from three to five months for
the newly licensed providers to begin selling their product, and it
still will not be enough to accommodate the 100 to 200 patients
Busemeyer said are approved every month.

In response to the shortage, Goodman said NewMexicann's adopted a
"first-come, first-serve" distribution method, with limits on how much
patients can buy at one time.

Meanwhile, Marcus Lucero, president of the UNM Students for a Sensible
Drug Policy, said his organization is working to reform New Mexico
medicinal marijuana laws that to will help ensure that patients
prescribed cannabis can get it when they need it.

"The government needs to keep its promise to the patients and help
them get their medication," Lucero said. "You can go to Walgreens and
get any other type of medicine if you have an illness. Why can't you
do the same with dispensaries?"

Gaining growing permission also requires an immense amount of
paperwork and planning, Busemeyer said. Potential providers must have
a board of directors, consisting of a medical provider and patients.

Goodman said there is no law stating patients must buy marijuana from
licensed dispensaries.

"Some simply do without because they don't want to buy illegally, even
though it's OK for them to do that," Goodman said. "They'll suffer
through it. There are also plenty who say, 'I can't do this,' and go
to try and find a street source."

Patients can grow their own plants or buy from street dealers,
Busemeyer said.

"That's not our business," she said. "Our patients are eligible to
possess medical marijuana under state law, and how they get it is up
to them."

But Lucero said street dealers are not a viable alternative to
licensed dispensaries.

"It's very dangerous when you're dealing with any type of drug
dealer," Lucero said. "You have people doing deals in parking lots and
back allies instead of pharmacies, where the marijuana is controlled,
regulated and assured to be of high quality."