This week marks the end of our fourth season of Growing Forward! Time has definitely flown by over the course of the last two-plus years, and we appreciate all the support and listenership during our initial seasons. We'll be back again later this Fall as we kick off Season Five. In our final episode of this season, though, we took our show on the …

In our most recent episode, we explored the challenges Native American Tribes and Pueblos face when trying to get into the cannabis industry in New Mexico. Because the plant is still federally illegal, Sovereign Nations are finding creative ways to get in on the business, including the two intergovernmental agreements Governor Michelle Lujan Grisha…

Compacts are a term you may have heard connected to Tribal gaming operations like casinos. They are agreements that Sovereign Nations make with a State government, and often include revenue sharing between the two entities. And now, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham recently announced intergovernmental agreements with two Pueblos related t…

This week's episode hearkens back to a simpler time in Network Television: the good old fashioned crossover episode. Hosts Andy Lyman and Megan Kamerick are joined by the creative team behind the podcast NM CannaCast to talk about the state of the cannabis industry in New Mexico just a little over one year after the passing of the Cannabis Regulati…

The focus of this podcast has always been to take a look at recreational use cannabis as a legitimate business and industry. And the financial challenges are many. In our most recent episode (Season 4, Episode 5) we looked at the issues news businesses face securing loans and basic banking services when dealing with a product that is still consider…

Getting into the legal recreational-use cannabis industry creates several unique challenges. Maybe none a bigger hurdle than securing financing. As we have touched on before in this podcast, banking options remain limited because of the federal status of cannabis. But that just scratches the surface of the potential financial stumbling blocks for n…

Starting up a new business is a tall order for any entrepreneur. But that challenge is ratcheted up even more in a burgeoning industry and one that is focused on a product still rife with stigma. In this episode of "Growing Forward" we talk to some folks trying to make their way in this new industry, while also elevating diversity and opportunity. …

Now that legal recreational-use cannabis sales are up and running in New Mexico, the spotlight once again turns to the testing process. Co-host Andy Lyman has done a lot of great reporting on a testing dispute that has already made it into the New Mexico courts system. He and Megan Kamerick break down the debate, and summarize the court proceedings…

The day many had been waiting for finally arrived on Friday, April 1st, 2022. That was the day legal recreational-use cannabis sales started in New Mexico, after the state legislature passed the Cannabis Regulation Act in 2021. According to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's office, business was indeed booming over the inaugural weekend. The state r…

The clock is ticking to the start of legal recreational-use cannabis sales in New Mexico. April 1st at noon is the first time people can buy cannabis without having a medical card. So, how ready is the state for this new industry? We check in with Kristen Thomson, Director of the New Mexico Cannabis Control Division, to find out. Specifically, the …

This week, we wrap up Season 3 of the podcast with a grab bag of topics. For starters, we introduce you to the state's first ever Director of the Cannabis Control Division. Kristen Thomson has spent years in the industry, mostly in Colorado, as a lobbyist. Hosts Andy Lyman and Megan Kamerick find out why she wanted to take on this job, and how she …

This time on Growing Forward, we get an update on the rolling out of the cannabis industry in New Mexico, and hear what the public thinks about the process to date. This special episode comes from our friends at KUNM radio, and a recent Let's Talk New Mexico episode. The show was hosted by our co-host Megan Kamerick and our other co-host Andy Lyman…

There was big news this week on the cannabis front in New Mexico. As our co-host, Andy Lyman first reported, the state has now issued its first cultivation license. This is no doubt a big step for the recreational market in New Mexico, but it still leaves countless other applications in limbo with time running out to get plants in the ground in tim…

The clock is ticking down for people hoping to break into the state's forthcoming recreational cannabis market. Would-be producers are still weaving their way through the licensing process, and that path has been anything but smooth so far. This week, we talk to three different business owners, who all share similar frustrations about navigating th…

The idea of consumption areas have been a potential under New Mexico's medical cannabis program for a while, but the state has yet to see a single designated consumption site set up. Part of that has to do with the COVID-19 pandemic, but could it also have something to do with confusion over exactly what constitutes a consumption area, and what the…

This time on Growing Forward, we look at how the start of a recreational cannabis market in New Mexico is affecting local home and garden stores. Co-hosts Andy Lyman and Megan Kamerick visit AHL Garden Center in Albuquerque. They learn all about the equipment involved in the different kind of grows, from indoor to outdoor, and all the way to hydrop…

Did you know that in some circles, we're closing in on the season known as 'Croptober'? Seems like the perfect time to really dive into the ins and outs of growing cannabis. This week, we kick things off with advice and insights from a man who knows a thing or two about growing crops. Dave Dewitt is a food historian, novelist and the self-proclaime…

Part of the Cannabis Control Act, passed by the New Mexico Legislature during a 2021 Special Session, included the creation of a Regulatory Advisory Committee. The group is a cross section of people with expertise or interest in this new industry, but none of the members can have direct financial interests in that industry. The 17-person panel has …

The New Mexico Cannabis Control Division has officially started accepting cannabis cultivation license applications, after finalizing the industry rules for that segment of the industry. Already more than 400 applications have been filed. Learn more about that in co-host Andy Lyman's latest report for New Mexico Political Report. Now, the attention…

Testing will be an integral part of the new recreational cannabis industry in New Mexico. But, it hasn't received a lot of attention so far. In fact, the state is largely in limbo right now when it comes to testing standards. The last attempt at updating cannabis testing rules promulgated by the state Department of Health, for medical cannabis, was…

The wheels are moving fast in the process of setting up a legal cannabis industry in New Mexico. Recently, the Department of Regulation and Licensing announced the membership of the Cannabis Regulatory Advisory Committee, which will weigh in on the most up to date rules for producers, which are nearing finalization. Those rules will pave the way fo…

The excitement about a new cannabis industry in New Mexico is palpable, as we learned in our last episode of "Growing Forward." But, the questions about how it will all work as just as plentiful. In this episode we learn more about the timeline for rulemaking and the issuing of licenses. We also talk to some folks interested in getting into the bus…

The Green Rush is on here in New Mexico, now that the wheels are in motion for a legal cannabis industry. Rules are still being written and refined, but those wanting to get into the business are working fast and furious. This week, we kick of our third season by meeting some of those people interested in getting into the industry. Our team visited…

We join you for a special update, with information about court action involving taxes and medical cannabis sales. Our co-host Andy Lyman has the very latest on New Mexico Political Report, but basically a decision is now in the hands of the State Supreme Court on the issue of whether taxes on medical cannabis sales should have been deductible prior…

This week, we share a Facebook Live AMA (Ask Me Anything) where our hosts Andy Lyman and Megan Kamerick asked questions our listeners had for Superintendent Linda Trujillo of the Regulation & Licensing Department and Kim Chavez Cook, the lead appellate attorney for the New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender about the roll-out of cannabis reg…

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has officially signed the bill that will legalize adult-use recreational cannabis for New Mexicans. So... Now what? In this special episode of Growing Forward, our hosts Andy Lyman and Megan Kamerick sat down to chat with the Governor about what lies ahead for this new industry and what exactly needs to be done to ensure…

Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson made national headlines back in the 90s by publicly advocating for the legalization of adult use cannabis. His comments were made years before the state even set up a medical cannabis program. And still today, it is one of the top things that Johnson is known for, both here in New Mexico and nationally. In a …

It's (almost) official. Recreational use of cannabis will be legal in New Mexico. After a two-day special session, lawmakers approved the cannabis regulation bill – HB 2 – which now heads to the Governor's desk for her signature. So, to put a bow on cannabis legalization, our hosts Andy Lyman and Megan Kamerick chatted with two of the bill sponsors…

Another busy day in the Roundhouse, as lawmakers once again took up the legalization of adult use cannabis in New Mexico. At the time the Growing Forward team recorded this update, much of the work had been completed, and just minutes after we finished recording the Senate passed House Bill 2 the Cannabis Regulation Act by a vote of 22 to 15. The H…

Day one of the 2021 Special Legislative Session saw several proposals introduced dealing with the legalization of adult use cannabis in New Mexico. There are competing bills in the House and Senate, known as the Cannabis Regulation Act (in the House it is House Bill 2, and in the Senate, Senate Bill 3). Both are being treated very differently, with…

Legalizing recreational cannabis was the hot ticket item of the recent New Mexico legislative session, but the last ditch effort to get it done – House Bill 12 – went up in smoke. Now, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is calling for a special legislative session to once and for all address legalization head-on. In this episode of Growing Forward, ou…

With just over a week left in the legislative session, lawmakers are racing against the clock to get recreational cannabis legalized in New Mexico. Hosts Andy Lyman (NM Political Report) and Megan Kamerick ( KUNM & NMPBS) sat down with Representative Andrea Romero to talk about one of her bills that might make the cut before it's too late. Episode …

Hosts Andy Lyman (New Mexico Political Report) and Megan Kamerick (NMPBS & KUNM) discuss the cannabis legalization efforts during the current 60-day legislative session. The pair starts off the episode by updating us with what's new in the current proposals with Santa Fe Reporter Editor and Publisher Julie Ann Grimm, followed by a deep dive into th…

This week, we want to share some of the great work from our colleagues over at KUNM Radio, where co-host Megan Kamerick also works as an on-air host. She helmed this week's "Let's Talk New Mexico" call-in show, which focused entirely on the push for cannabis legalization during the 2021 legislative session. Co-host Andy Lyman from the New Mexico Po…

If lawmakers approve the legalization of recreational cannabis in this year's legislative session, the issue of education and training for industry workers and medical professionals will be a top priority. This week on "Growing Forward" we dive back into this important issue. Hosts Andy Lyman (New Mexico Political Report) and Megan Kamerick (NMPBS …

We kick off season 2 of "Growing Forward" where we left off with season 1: the 2021 Legislative Session. The Legislature convened on Tuesday, January 19th to kick off the 60-day session, which will be unlike any of us we have ever experienced before. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers will do their work mostly remotely and the publ…

In this special bonus episode of "Growing Forward," we investigate some of the concerns that still exist around cannabis use and the potential legalization of recreational use in New Mexico. Dr. Brant Hager, a Psychiatrist at UNM, reached out to us recently to point out some of those risks and concerns, in relation to both recreational and medicina…

This week, we conclude Season 1 with a good 'ole batch of holiday leftovers. We covered a lot in this first season, but there are still plenty of issues left to discuss when it comes to New Mexico's existing medical cannabis program and the potential for a recreational-use market if lawmakers approve legalization in 2021. Hosts Andy Lyman and Megan…

Going into a cannabis dispensary can be confusing. Not only do patients juggle the many strangely-named strains of the plant, but they also have to figure out how to ingest it. Do they smoke the bud? Use a topical cream? A wax concentrate? Well, this week on “Growing Forward,” our crew grabbed their mics (and masks) for a field trip to a local Albu…

A missing piece of most cannabis conversations in New Mexico, whether it has to do with medical or the potential for legalization of recreational- use, is how Indigenous Communities are impacted. It's a complicated scenario, especially when you consider the 23 Tribes in our state are all sovereign nations. This week on "Growing Forward" we dive int…

The clock is officially ticking, if New Mexico wants to legalize recreational-use cannabis. That's because voters in Arizona approved a measure last week, legalizing the drug in another neighboring state. Lawmakers and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham will no doubt make it a top priority for the 2021 session, but there are many questions still to be…

This week, Arizona voters approved an initiative to legalize recreational cannabis in that state. Hosts Andy Lyman and Megan Kamerick talk to Arizona Republic reporter Andrew Oxford about what that initiative entailed and what impacts it may have on New Mexico's push to also legalize recreational cannabis in the upcoming 60-day session. --- Send in…

This week, we go back to school on cannabis education. And, we're not just talking about understanding how to get your medical card and how the plant can help alleviate pain and discomfort or even, potentially, help a person kick an addiction to opiates. It also has to do with how much cannabis dispensary employees should know about medical conditi…

This week on "Growing Forward" we are truly pulling back the leaves, exploring more about the cannabis plant itself. Have you ever wondered how the plant works? Do you know what terpenes are? You will after listening to this episode! We'll also discuss other important issues, what goes into growing cannabis, and what it means for one of New Mexico'…

This time on Growing Forward we take a closer look at those people running the medical cannabis program, and how legalizing recreational cannabis would impact how they do business. This includes manufacturers and dispensary owners. It's a diverse group of people at the heart of this industry, and includes some surprise names. We'll also delve into …

The push for the legalization of recreational cannabis has really picked up in recent years in the New Mexico legislature. In this week's episode, we look back at those efforts to date, and the strategy behind the legislation proposed in past sessions. We talk to lawmakers and advocates about how that legislation addresses complicated issues like r…

The debate over medical cannabis use in New Mexico goes back to the 1970s. But it really cranked up in the 1990s, when former Governor Gary Johnson came out in support of legalization and decriminalization. It was a controversial stance at the time, but was coupled by the early stages of a push for legislation creating a medical cannabis program. T…

"Growing Forward" is a podcast dedicated to covering the cannabis industry in New Mexico. Right now that only includes the medical program, but lawmakers are inching closer to legalizing recreational cannabis as well. Before we dive into all the intricacies and nuances of legalization, we wanted to take a step back and give you the history of how w…

Growing Forward is a journalistic endeavor designed to cover the cannabis industry in New Mexico. Season 1 officially premieres on Tuesday, September 29th. The podcast is a collaboration between New Mexico PBS and New Mexico Political Report, with funding provided by the New Mexico Local News Fund. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.sp…