UPDATED FRIDAY AFTERNOON!

I SAY NO TO POT! Public Health Organizations Call on New Mexico Lawmakers to Protect Clean Indoor Air Laws; Express Concern Over Cannabis Regulation Act

The chemicals in marijuana have been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, heart failure and atrial fibrillation in observational studies. New Mexico is looking in all the wrong places for revenue. Look to God, not man.

FGGAM NEWS JUST RECEVED THIS NEWS RELEASE:

Public Health Organizations Call on Lawmakers to Protect NM’s Clean Indoor Air Laws; Express Concern Over Cannabis Regulation Act

All New Mexicans deserve to live, work, study and play in smokefree environments

ALBUQUERQUE – March 26, 2021— As Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham is planning to call a special session to pass the Cannabis Regulation Act, a coalition of leading public health groups across New Mexico joined together to urge lawmakers to protect the state’s smokefree air laws, cautioning against the potential dangers of the this legislation. The group, including the American Cancer Society-Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), American Heart Association, American Lung Association in New Mexico, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, Campaign for Tobacco Free-Kids and New Mexico Allied Council on Tobacco issued a letter to lawmakers and Governor Lujan-Grisham stating the following:

“As leading public health organizations, we want to express significant concerns with the Cannabis Regulation Act. The Cannabis Act would roll back protections in the Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act by allowing marijuana smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes, indoors in licensed marijuana establishments.

“Our organizations have long fought for laws and policies to make our communities in New Mexico and across the country smokefree. All Americans deserve to live, work, study and play in smokefree environments. By implementing smokefree environments, all workers and patrons can be protected from the dangers of all types of secondhand smoke, including marijuana smoke.

“Secondhand marijuana smoke contains many of the same toxins and carcinogens found in tobacco smoke. These toxins can cause lung irritation, asthma attacks, and make respiratory infections more likely. Exposure to secondhand marijuana smoke can exacerbate health problems especially for people with respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, or COPD. The chemicals in marijuana have also been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, heart failure and atrial fibrillation in observational studies.

“In 2007, New Mexico took a tremendous step forward for public health when it passed the Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act, which eliminated smoking in almost all public places and workplaces in the state.

As states consider legalizing cannabis, our organizations have strongly urged decisionmakers to ensure current smokefree laws are protected.  The smoking or aerosolizing of marijuana should be prohibited anywhere that tobacco use is currently prohibited.  Decisionmakers must ensure that the smokefree environments that have been created continue to offer protection from secondhand marijuana smoke for workers and patrons.

“Unfortunately, the Cannabis Regulation Act would significantly roll back the Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act. Of particular concern are sections that include wording for “cannabis consumption areas” and exemptions to the clean indoor air act. Decriminalizing marijuana should not roll back smokefree protections and bring smoking of cannabis indoors to public places and businesses. Every worker deserves a smokefree workplace.

“Nobody should have to breathe secondhand smoke, including secondhand marijuana smoke, while earning a paycheck. To best protect public health, we encourage the state legislature not to roll back the Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act by allowing marijuana to be smoked, including through e-cigarettes, inside any workplaces, including licensed marijuana establishments.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Amber Herting

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Phone: 508-450-8690

E-mail: amber,herting@cancer.org

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New Mexico is the State with the 6th Worst Unemployment Rate Recovery – WalletHub Study

With the U.S. gaining 379,000 jobs in February and the national unemployment rate at 6.2% compared to the nearly historic high of 14.7% at the peak during the coronavirus pandemic, WalletHub today released updated rankings for the States Whose Unemployment Rates Are Bouncing Back Most.

In order to identify the states whose unemployment rates are bouncing back most, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on five key metrics that compare unemployment rate statistics from the latest month for which we have data (February 2021) to key dates in 2019 and 2020.

Below, you can see highlights from the report, along with a WalletHub Q&A.

Unemployment Recovery in New Mexico (1=Most Recovered, 25=Avg.):

• 55.60% Change in Unemployment (February 2021 vs February 2019)
  • 78,354 unemployed people in February 2021 vs 50,355 in February 2019;
  • 20th worst recovery in the U.S. .
• 57.44% Change in Unemployment (February 2021 vs January 2020)
  • 78,354 unemployed people in February 2021 vs 49,768 in January 2020;
  • 18th worst recovery in the U.S.
• 59.14% Change in Unemployment (February 2021 vs February 2020)
  • 78,354 unemployed people in February 2021 vs 49,236 in February 2020;
  • 21st worst recovery in the U.S.
• 259.86% Change in Not Seasonally Adjusted Continued Claims (February 2021 vs February 2019)
  • 36,026 continued claims in February 2021 vs 10,011 in February 2019;
  • 5th worst recovery in the U.S.
• 8.2% Unemployment Rate (February 2021)
  • 5th highest unemployment rate in the U.S.

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/states-unemployment-rates/74907/

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TO BE CLEAR! When Governor Lujan Grisham became Governor we stopped getting any news releases from the New Mexico Governors office. I have called and not even a call back. However, I do get emails from the Governor to donate to her cause!!!! We also do not getting any press releases from the Democrat Senate and House.

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The latest press releases from the New Mexico GOP Senate:

Senate Republican Leaders’ Statement Regarding Special Session

SANTA FE – New Mexico Senate Republican Leaders today released the following statement in response to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s call for a Special Session:

“Once again, the Governor is sacrificing the best interests of New Mexicans to accommodate the special interests of her big donors. While she waited months to call a Special Session to address the COVID crisis, she has now announced a Special Session on marijuana less than a week after the Legislature adjourned.”

“Marijuana legalization does not constitute a public emergency and a Special Session is not a tool for a governor to extend a Legislative Session. With overwhelming Democratic majorities in both the Senate and House, the Governor had two months to pass her agenda. The fact that certain bills failed does not justify a $50,000 per day, taxpayer funded Special Session, with other added security costs.”

“Adding further insult to injury, the Governor has scheduled the Special Session during Holy Week exactly one year after she shuttered churches on the eve of Easter Sunday. This snub against New Mexicans of faith, including many Legislators, is disrespectful and inexcusable.”

Republican Leader, Senator Greg Baca (District 29-Bernalillo and Valencia)

Republican Whip, Senator Craig Brandt (District 40-Sandoval)

Republican Caucus Chair, Senator Mark Moores (District 21-Bernalillo)

Senator Cliff Pirtle Introduces Compromise Cannabis Legislation Ahead of Special Session

SANTA FE – Senator Cliff Pirtle (District 32-Chaves, Eddy, and Otero) today announced a compromise cannabis legalization bill ahead of Tuesday’s Special Session. After several years of work and refinement, this bill has bipartisan support and addresses many of the concerns from law enforcement, local governments, and other stakeholders.

Senator Pirtle issued the following statement regarding his bill:

“This bill represents countless hours of work across the aisle and with the community. If the Governor insists on forcing this issue by calling a Special Session, this is the sensible and prudent solution to cannabis legalization. This bill enhances public safety measures and guarantees that our farmers have a low barrier to market entry to support our agriculture community. This bill is the only piece of legislation with bipartisan support. The Governor and the Legislative Leadership want cannabis legalization and this is the bill to quickly get it done.”

TO BE CLEAR! When Governor Lujan Grisham became Governor we stopped getting any news releases from the New Mexico Governors office. I have called and not even a call back. However, I do get emails from the Governor to donate to her cause!!!!

FGGAM just received this news release from the New Mexico GOP House:

MLG pushing for ‘holy grail’ pot bill, while blocking Easter holiday again for second year

Santa Fe, NM- House Republican Leader Jim Townsend (Artesia), Whip Rod Montoya (Farmington), and Caucus Chair Rebecca Dow (TorC) questioned Governor Lujan Grisham’s decision to put Easter on the backburner again. Last year the governor’s administration was fiercely criticized after closing churches on Easter Sunday. Now, just days before Palm Sunday, the Governor continues to show her contempt for Holy Week and its significance to traditional New Mexicans. She has once again decided to preempt the Christian holiday, but this time it is to pass her “holy grail” pot legislation.

“Does she realize that it’s Holy Week? We’ll likely end up working through Good Friday or possibly Easter Sunday.” said House Republican Whip Rod Montoya (Farmington). “The governor’s priorities and those of average New Mexicans are 180 degrees out of phase. The public is not in a mad panic to get recreational marijuana legalized, especially when it will cost taxpayers $83,000 a day to do it.”