Fearing it could result in the federal prosecution of state employees, the Richardson Administration said on Wednesday that it won’t comply with the portion of the new medical marijuana law that requires the state to oversee the drug’s production and distribution.
“The Department of Health will not subject its employees to potential federal prosecution, and therefore will not distribute or produce medical marijuana,” Dr. Alfredo Vigil, the department’s secretary, told the Associated Press.
The department will continue certifying patients to possess marijuana under the terms of the new bill. At least two dozen have been approved since the law took effect July 1, the news service reported.
But Attorney General Gary King warned last week that state employees could face federal charges for producing and distributing the drug, and he can’t defend them in criminal cases.
Under the law, patients can produce a three-month supply of the drug and can grow their own plants.