With the success of recreational sales of cannabis in New Mexico, medical users are upset that they are not getting more exclusive access. Some medical users say that many dispensaries are selling out of all products, which means the patients do not have access to their medicine.
"We don't matter anymore," medical marijuana patient Stefanie K. told KOB 4. "It's all about the money signs, the dollars."
Stefanie uses medical marijuana to treat her anxiety. "I don't do it to party," she said. "I don't do it to go out and dance. I don't get high. I don't laugh. I do it because it makes my pain go away."
Long-time medical marijuana users like Stefanie have complained about the long lines, higher prices, and lack of specific products since recreational marijuana sales became legal on April 1.
"There's different types" of marijuana, Stefanie told KOB 4. "There's sativa, there's indica. Some people can't use one or the other; I cannot use sativa. They were out of the one I wanted. If they're supposed to be holding some back for patients, they should be holding some back for every single thing they have per patient."
How to deal with medical marijuana users to make sure their needs are met is among the issues that will need to be worked out. Otherwise, growers and politicians are calling early sales successful.
After generating an estimated $5 million during the first weekend of sales, another $1.6 million in sales was brought in the following Friday and Saturday, according to the Cannabis Control Division.
Ellie Besancon, executive director of Green Goods, told KOB 4 she's expecting another big surge in sales for April 20 or 4/20 – known as a holiday for celebrating the smoking of marijuana.
"Our stores are very well stocked right now," Besancon said. "I do anticipate that there will be a supply crunch at some point in the near future. We'd like to get over the 4/20 hump and just see how successful that is, and then sort of gather ourselves up, pick ourselves up out of the dust, and kind of take another inventory of what we have."
Stefanie eventually got the strain of marijuana she needed at a medical-only location, but fears they will become extinct.
"They're telling us we should keep our cards, even though it's recreational," she told KOB 4. "For what reason? What are we getting? What perks are we getting? We don't get to get in line in front of anybody. We don't get to pay less prices. We don't get better weed. No, we get nothing."
Green Goods is among the dispensaries trying to find a balance between recreational and medical products available, due to limited shelf space. That will be easier to look at once the enthusiasm for the recent legalization dies down.
"One of the things we've done in our Green Goods and Red Barn locations is to create display cases, whereby we have only recreational offerings and only medical offerings," Besancon said. "We wanted to take into account that there might be a frustration level with our loyal patients who didn't want to contend with long lines because they knew what they wanted."
