Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
The Gonzales family is setting up shop in Clovis, New Mexico.
"I'm able to see a lot of people, I'm able to hear those stories that say, 'I've been having multiple seizures a year and since I've gotten my card i don't have any,'" said Mario Gonzales.
Mario Gonzales and his father are the owners of a medical cannabis farm. They became licensed in 2010 and have been serving eastern New Mexico since then.
"We were blessed to be one of the first non-profit producers to have a complete application. My father has a strong agricultural background in ranching, as well as a large scale tomato greenhouse operation. I have a strong understanding of the specialized care that cannabis requires to attain the medical grade," said Gonzales.
Their business, Budding Hope, makes home deliveries to patients across the eastern part of the state.
"Statewide, typically, we see about I would say probably about 150 people a week," said Gonzales.
Now, their business is taking a turn- as they open a retail outlet in Clovis. They expect it to be ready by spring.
"In Clovis, there's a large concentration of patients. The city of Clovis is under-served. There's really.. some producers do come by, I think, once a month - we're here with regularity," said Gonzales.
Medical cannabis use is regulated by the state of New Mexico. The legislation was passed in 2007 under the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act. Some of the conditions that are approved for use are glaucoma, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
However, there are still strict regulations regarding medical cannabis they say have an effect on their patients.
"It's not so much the anti-cannabis sentiment, it's more about the regulations that we're put under, the inability to serve patients as they should be served due to a plant count of 150 currently," said Gonzales.
Clovis city officials say they didn't have much involvement in the retail outlet opening.
"The only input that the city would have is once the business determines or establishes a location that they're required to get a business registration from the city finance department, but all other licensing requirements and regulatory functions are handled by the state," said Joe Thomas, Clovis City Manager.
In fact, they say they don't believe having a medical cannabis retail outlet will have much of an impact on the city.
"I don't anticipate that it would," said Thomas.
Law enforcement says having medical cannabis around doesn't present many issues.
"We really haven't seen a lot of it here. There's been a lot of few instances, but the ones we've come across have been a legitimate card holding medical marijuana user," said Sgt. Daron Roach, Clovis patrol sergeant.
The Gonzales family says they think opening the retail outlet will make a difference in the community.
"Especially in this part of the state... you get a lot of people that are... they don't use cannabis. They're not marijuana users. Theyre not users, They're not potheads. They're none of those things. They're very normal people. They come from all walks of life," said Gonzales.
All individuals wanting to apply to be a licensed non-profit producer must apply as a registered non-profit business. Those proposals go through a strenuous review process.
Gonzales says there are hundreds of applications that don't get approved, which is why he and his father feel lucky to be one of the few producers in the state.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical cannabis retail outlet opening in Clovis : News : ConnectAmarillo.com
Author: Adria Iraheta
Contact: Contact Us : About : ConnectAmarillo.com
Photo Credit: The Associated Press
Website: ConnectAmarillo.com - Latest local news, weather and high school sports from Amarillo
"I'm able to see a lot of people, I'm able to hear those stories that say, 'I've been having multiple seizures a year and since I've gotten my card i don't have any,'" said Mario Gonzales.
Mario Gonzales and his father are the owners of a medical cannabis farm. They became licensed in 2010 and have been serving eastern New Mexico since then.
"We were blessed to be one of the first non-profit producers to have a complete application. My father has a strong agricultural background in ranching, as well as a large scale tomato greenhouse operation. I have a strong understanding of the specialized care that cannabis requires to attain the medical grade," said Gonzales.
Their business, Budding Hope, makes home deliveries to patients across the eastern part of the state.
"Statewide, typically, we see about I would say probably about 150 people a week," said Gonzales.
Now, their business is taking a turn- as they open a retail outlet in Clovis. They expect it to be ready by spring.
"In Clovis, there's a large concentration of patients. The city of Clovis is under-served. There's really.. some producers do come by, I think, once a month - we're here with regularity," said Gonzales.
Medical cannabis use is regulated by the state of New Mexico. The legislation was passed in 2007 under the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act. Some of the conditions that are approved for use are glaucoma, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
However, there are still strict regulations regarding medical cannabis they say have an effect on their patients.
"It's not so much the anti-cannabis sentiment, it's more about the regulations that we're put under, the inability to serve patients as they should be served due to a plant count of 150 currently," said Gonzales.
Clovis city officials say they didn't have much involvement in the retail outlet opening.
"The only input that the city would have is once the business determines or establishes a location that they're required to get a business registration from the city finance department, but all other licensing requirements and regulatory functions are handled by the state," said Joe Thomas, Clovis City Manager.
In fact, they say they don't believe having a medical cannabis retail outlet will have much of an impact on the city.
"I don't anticipate that it would," said Thomas.
Law enforcement says having medical cannabis around doesn't present many issues.
"We really haven't seen a lot of it here. There's been a lot of few instances, but the ones we've come across have been a legitimate card holding medical marijuana user," said Sgt. Daron Roach, Clovis patrol sergeant.
The Gonzales family says they think opening the retail outlet will make a difference in the community.
"Especially in this part of the state... you get a lot of people that are... they don't use cannabis. They're not marijuana users. Theyre not users, They're not potheads. They're none of those things. They're very normal people. They come from all walks of life," said Gonzales.
All individuals wanting to apply to be a licensed non-profit producer must apply as a registered non-profit business. Those proposals go through a strenuous review process.
Gonzales says there are hundreds of applications that don't get approved, which is why he and his father feel lucky to be one of the few producers in the state.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical cannabis retail outlet opening in Clovis : News : ConnectAmarillo.com
Author: Adria Iraheta
Contact: Contact Us : About : ConnectAmarillo.com
Photo Credit: The Associated Press
Website: ConnectAmarillo.com - Latest local news, weather and high school sports from Amarillo
