Recreational marijuana sales booming in this state, lots of out-of-state customers
By Sasha Lenninger
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HOBBS, New Mexico (KOAT) — New Mexico sold more than $5.2 million worth of marijuana in the first weekend of April.
On April 1, recreational cannabis became legal in New Mexico and stores were filled with customers.
More than $1.6 million in medical marijuana was sold across the state and more than $3.5 million in recreational use was sold.
In Hobbs, dispensaries were busy, with lines wrapped around buildings.
“We saw about a 3,000% increase in our sales Friday,” said Jordan McIlroy, the sales director at Bryan’s Green Care. “We had a line waiting for the doors to open. Once the doors opened, they were lining up in the store and actually wrapped around the outside of our building around the corner.”
PurLife is about a block down the street. It also had a very hectic weekend.
“It has been amazing. Business is booming. Everybody has a smile on their face,” said Chelsea Daniel, a manager with PurLife. “There were super long lines. Sometimes it got up to like a 30-minute wait to a 45-minute wait.”
The city of Hobbs is less than five miles from the Texas border and both dispensaries are roughly two miles from the Texas state line.
“Seventy percent of our customers over the weekend were from Texas,” McIlroy said. “In terms of that conversation with the Texas patients, just remind them that once they get into Texas with the product they purchased from us, it will be considered illegal.”
PurLife also saw an increase in out-of-state customers and has been trying to keep up with the demand.
“We’ve actually had to hire new drivers to help with the demands from our growers. Most of our growers are located in Albuquerque,” Daniel said.
Both dispensaries said, with being so close to Texas, they do expect to be busy, but not as much as opening weekend.
“It was historical and in the end, it’s the only time it’s ever going to happen. The first day of recreational cannabis sales is the only time it’s ever going to happen. There’s other things like 4/20 that’s going to be a big day, but it won’t be like opening day was,” McIlroy said.
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