By Noah Alcala Bach
Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Bernalillo County commissioners voted unanimously to expand the county’s policy on cannabis use Tuesday night.
The item was introduced to the commissioners at their Nov. 12 meeting, sponsored by the commission’s vice chair, Eric Olivas. He led the charge in hopes of adopting a policy so that most county employees could use cannabis off the clock.
Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada was absent at that meeting — when the legislation was introduced — but on Tuesday voted and voiced support for it.
“I agree with this, and I think it’s high time,” Quezada said.
Olivas advocated for firefighters and first responders in particular to be able to use cannabis.
“These are folks that are seeing and hearing a lot of traumatic things or experiencing things that ... most of us don’t experience once in a lifetime and they’re dealing with it, maybe day in and day out,” Olivas said. “This allows them to work with their physicians, with whoever they receive health care from, to find the best alternative, the best medicine for them.”
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The previous policy for the county didn’t outright ban employees from using cannabis off the clock but did leave a gray area around it. New Mexico legalized cannabis medically in 2007 and recreationally in 2022.
While the changes increase the number of county employees who can consume cannabis off the clock, it won’t apply to all employees
County employees required to carry a firearm or hold a commercial driver’s license can be tested for cannabis randomly and before beginning employment. Those who work for the county in federally funded jobs would not be able to use it because cannabis has not been legalized federally.
It was the second to last item Quezada would vote on — Tuesday was his final meeting as a second-term commissioner.
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