Posted at: 06/03/2009 6:11 PM
Updated at: 06/04/2009 7:30 AM
By: Jeremy Jojola, Eyewitness News 4; Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

Medical marijuana grower to begin distribution

For the first time, the only state-approved grower of medical marijuana is about to dispense the drug in New Mexico.

For the past two years, New Mexico patients allowed to smoke marijuana have had to rely on their own supply or get it illegally from dealers. But a state-approved grower based somewhere in Sandoval County is about to start distributing the drug.

Health Department spokeswoman Deborah Busemeyer is not allowed under the law to reveal who or where that grower is, but she said the producer is working on a supply right now.

"Hopefully patients will be able to get medical marijuana from that producer by the end of summer," she said.

An article in the online edition of the Santa Fe Reporter revealed the county of the grower and that there are nearly a dozen possible locations for marijuana "growhouses," from Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Silver City, to as far south as Eddy County�where potential pot farmers have applied to grow legally.

The article mentions the information was found through public records requests and information from other state agencies.

The state won't confirm the information in the article, but tells Eyewitness News there are 11 other non-profits waiting to get approval to grow.

"Our program is doing what it's intended to do, which is relieving people's suffering. So the people who are in our program are really sick. They have chronic, debilitating conditions, and they can't get relief from anywhere else but medical marijuana," Busemeyer said.

To get approval from the state to grow, you first must be a non-profit with a doctor on staff. There has to be a strong security system in place. Growers are also under several limitations, like how many plants can be grown.

As of now, there are 372 New Mexicans who are qualified to use medical marijuana.