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How to get a medical card in New Mexico.

  1. 1

    Register online with Leafwell

    It’s quick and easy! Plus, all of your data and medical records are secure on our state-of-the-art telemedicine platform.

  2. 2

    Discuss Medical Marijuana with Your Doctor

    This consultation fee is $99. Once you’ve completed the enrollment paperwork, you’ll be connected to a New Mexico physician. The process is simple and HIPAA-compliant. Once approved, your physician submits your details online to the state.

  3. 3

    Apply to the New Mexico Program

    Complete the government application online within 90 days. We’ll provide you with all the information you need.

  4. 4

    Receive Your Card from the State

    Your physical medical marijuana card will be sent to you via mail within 35 days of your submission. Most cards arrive much sooner, but when the government is experiencing high volume, patients may have to wait a little longer. The state is working on digital cards, but they are not available as of yet.

    The card is valid for three years, but you will need to meet with a Leafwell physician every year to recertify that your qualifying condition is still applicable. Please note that cards are issued by the state, not Leafwell.

Benefits of Getting a New Mexico Medical Card

Retail sales of cannabis began on April 1, 2022 with the opening of the first recreational adult use stores. A 12% excise tax applies in addition to regular sales taxes. The excise tax will increase 1% each year beginning in 2025 until reaching 18% in 2030.

Medical patients have lower taxes to pay. The excise tax of 12% on recreational cannabis sales does not apply to medical cannabis for qualified, registered patients.

Higher possession limits – 8 oz. for medical patients, compared to 2 oz. for recreational.

About Medical Marijuana in New Mexico

New Mexico was the first state to enact a medical cannabis law in 1978. However, there have been some slow developments in applying over the past few years.

Applications take some time to be approved and the mailing time is longer than many states. However, Leafwell is here to help smooth the journey as much as possible for you, including providing certifications from state-licensed physicians.

Telehealth or telemedicine is available in New Mexico for new and existing patients.

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How to qualify

There are four simple steps to seeing a Leafwell provider in New Mexico:

1. Register with Leafwell online
2. Speak to a New Mexico licensed physician
3. Get approved and complete the state application online
4. Receive your card in the mail from the state approximately 30-35 days later.

  1. Information to caregivers
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    For minor patients under 18 or those over 18 but need a caregiver due to their condition, a caregiver can be designated to apply on their behalf.

Medical Conditions

There is an ever-expanding list of conditions that qualify a patient for a medical marijuana card in New Mexico:

Any other chronic or persistent medical symptom that either substantially limits a person’s ability to conduct one or more of major life activities as defined in the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or if not alleviated, may cause serious harm to the person’s safety, physical, or mental health.

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Possession and Growing

Here are the current possession limits that a medical marijuana card permits in New Mexico:

  • 230 units over a rolling three month period

This is a confusing way of categorizing cannabis products unique to New Mexico. A unit varies according to the product, making calculating how much you can have difficult. Here are the unit guidelines:

  • Dried flower: 1 unit = 1 gram
    • 230 units = about 8 oz of dried flower
  • Edibles, tinctures, topicals: 1 unit = 200mg

Recreational use is now legal in New Mexico as of April 1st, 2022, but adults (aged 21 and over) can only possess 2 ounces. They can grow up to six mature plants for personal use.

Home cultivation of up to 16 plants (four mature, 12 immature) may be grown if the patient has the appropriate license.

To apply for a Personal Production License (PPL), you will need to complete a Medical Cannabis Personal Production Application and submit it with a $30 license fee. Fee waivers are available according to federal poverty guidelines.

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Caregivers

Medical Marijuana patients in New Mexico can have a caregiver.

Patients must be 18 to qualify for a medical marijuana card and obtain a physician’s certificate in New Mexico.

  1. 01

    For minor patients under 18 or those over 18 but need a caregiver due to their condition, a caregiver can be designated to apply on their behalf.

  2. 02

    A patient’s practitioner designates the primary caregiver as necessary to manage the well-being of a qualified patient concerning the medical use of cannabis.

  3. 03

    The primary caregiver must be a resident of New Mexico, and the caregiver must be 18 years of age or older.

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Reciprocity

New Mexico has an uneasy relationship when it comes to medical marijuana reciprocity. Recent law changes barred reciprocity with other states, but this law has been challenged and ruled as “unlawful.” As of July 1, 2021, New Mexico must recognize and allow out-of-state patients with valid medical marijuana cards.

New Mexico patients were once barred from applying to medical marijuana programs from other states. However, this has been deemed illegal, so New Mexico medical marijuana cards can now be recognized and honored by other states that allow for medical marijuana reciprocity.

The following states accept or recognize out-of-state medical marijuana cards:

  • Arizona
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • Oklahoma
  • Puerto Rico
  • Rhode Island
  • US Virgin Islands
  • Utah
  • Washington, D.C.
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Frequently asked questions in New Mexico

How much does a New Mexico Medical Marijuana certificate and card cost?

Medical marijuana certificate letter on its own = $99 at Leafwell

State application fee = $0

Renewal fee = $99

Plus, now you can sign up with a friend and each save 10% on your consultation with Leafwell.

What medical conditions qualify for a Medical Marijuana Card in New Mexico?

In New Mexico, the following conditions may qualify you for a medical marijuana certificate and card:

  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease
  • Anxiety
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Cancer
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Damage to the Nervous Tissue of the Spinal Cord (with the objective neurological indication of intractable
  • spasticity)
  • Epilepsy/Seizure Disorder
  • Friedreich’s Ataxia
  • Glaucoma
  • Hepatitis C Infection currently receiving antiviral therapy
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Hospice Care
  • Huntington’s disease
  • Inclusion Body Myositis
  • Inflammatory Autoimmune-mediated Arthritis
  • Intractable Nausea/Vomiting
  • Lewy Body Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  • Opioid Use Disorder
  • Painful Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Severe Anorexia/Cachexia
  • Severe Chronic Pain
  • Spasmodic Torticollis (Cervical Dystonia)
  • Spinal Muscular Atrophy
  • Ulcerative Colitis
What do I need to know about applying for my Medical Cannabis Card in New Mexico online?

There are four simple steps to seeing a Leafwell provider in New Mexico:

  1. Register with Leafwell and speak to a New Mexico licensed physician online.
  2. Get approved and receive the hard copy of your certificate in the mail in 7-10 days.
  3. Complete the state application and mail your application and certificate to the state.
  4. Receive your card in the mail from the state 30 days later.
How old do I have to be to apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in New Mexico?

You must be at least 18 years of age in order to apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in New Mexico. Caregivers must also be 18 years of age.

Can I be/have a caregiver for a medical marijuana patient in New Mexico?

Yes, medical marijuana patients in New Mexico can have a caregiver. To apply as a caregiver, follow this process:

  1. Have a physician complete the necessary sections of the application during the patient consultation
  2. Complete the Medical Cannabis Caregiver Application
  3. Complete a nationwide background check (this document must be mailed in with your application)
  4. Mail in the the completed documents to the state program
How do I apply for the state program in New Mexico?

Note that each card is valid for 3 years but you must re-certify with a Leafwell physician every year to provide proof that your medical condition still qualifies you as a medical cardholder. 

Before you start, have these supporting documents ready:

  • A clear (face visible) copy of your current New Mexico Driver’s License or New Mexico photo ID. Temporary New Mexico Driver’s License and photo IDs are acceptable.

Getting Your New Mexico Medical Marijuana Card

Your Leafwell physician will have passed all required details to the New Mexico Department of Health following your appointment. Within 24 hours you will receive an email from the state.  At that time, you can continue with the stateside of the application process.

The following video walks you through the next steps. Click here.

  1. Create an Account with the New Mexico Department of Health Cannabis Program online.
    1. Upon completion, you will be directed to check your email account for an email from the state
    2. To verify your email and confirm registration, simply click on the blue link found in the email. This action will take you back to the NMDOH patient portal home page.
  2. Log in to the patient portal.
  3. Complete and submit an official state application.
  4. After you apply 
    1. The Medical Cannabis Program may take 4-6 weeks from the date a complete application is received at the MCP office to approve or deny the application. An additional 5 business days are allowed to process and issue the registry identification cards.
    2. It is recommended that applications be submitted 45 to 60 days before expiration to avoid problems obtaining or possessing medical cannabis.

Note that each state card is valid for 3 years but you must re-certify with a Leafwell physician every year to provide proof that your medical condition still qualifies you as a medical cardholder.