Arizona’s Neighbor Adds Anxiety as a Condition for Marijuana

State officials have approved anxiety as a qualifying condition for New Mexico’s medical cannabis program.

The New Mexico Medical Cannabis Advisory Board cited that up to 25% of New Mexico’s adult population could be experiencing the effects of anxiety. The ruling takes effect January 1, 2023.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that the new law, which could expand the medical marijuana program to help thousands of new patients, came about after two advisory board members petitioned the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Advisory Board to add anxiety as a qualifying condition.

One local woman said she hopes the new law will reduce the need for benzodiazepines, a common pharmaceutical drug prescribed for anxiety disorders with the potential for dependency and negative side effects. She also hopes it will encourage more discussions between patients and doctors about the marijuana’s use, especially because strong stigmas and misinformation still exist about it.

New Mexico legalized recreational marijuana in April 2022, two years after Arizona legalized it.