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New Mexico Governor Vetoes Industrial Hemp Bill

Greg Jordan
/
Creative Commons

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have allowed the growing of industrial hemp for research and development.

It was the second time she has vetoed such a measure. Martinez issued a release noting the veto but did not give a reason for it. However, after her previous veto in 2015 she said she was concerned about the fact that hemp is illegal under federal law. Hemp is related to marijuana but not psychoactive. Meanwhile, Utah legislators approved and sent to Governor Gary Herbert a bill to allow research into the use of medical marijuana. The Salt Lake Tribune reports the measure would create a review board to make recommendations about future policy.

Gail Binkly is a career journalist who has worked for the Colorado Springs Gazette and Cortez Journal, and was the editor of the Four Corners Free Press, based in Cortez.
Tom Yoder is the Executive Director at KSJD and the Sunflower Theatre. He co-produces the Raven Narratives live storytelling project and podcast, produced the podcast "Fieldwork: Misadventures at the Edge of Science", and often hosts interviews on KSJD.
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