• New Mexico is one of 31 states with a Medical Cannabis Program (MCP).
• The Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act (LECUA) became law in 2007. The LECUA allows for the use of medical cannabis to provide New Mexicans with debilitating conditions relief from symptoms relating to these conditions. In New Mexico, there are 22 qualifying conditions to become a patient in the Program.
• Timely review and approval of applications is important to ensure patients have safe access to medicine. Patient enrollment has increased substantially. About 44,000 patients were enrolled in the Medical Cannabis Program at the start of fiscal year 2018. At the beginning of FY19, there were approximately 54,850 patients enrolled. Each week, the Program approves about 1,300 applications then prints and mails patient registry cards to each patient.
• During FY19-Q1, the Program processed 16,223 applications with 99.0% of completed applications processed within 30 calendar days of receipt. The average processing time for completed applications in FY19-Q1 was 18 days.
• During FY19-Q1 the Program managed multiple staff shortages and ensured patients' cards were processed within 30 calendar days.  

• Patients and their families; caregivers
• Advocates
• Licensed non-profit producers (LNPP)
• Medical Cannabis Advisory Board
• Approved couriers, manufacturers, and laboratories
• Legislature
• Medical and Nursing Boards
• Medical practitioner associations
• NMDOH
• State and local law enforcement
• BioTrack seed to sale software

• Assisting patient applicants in their submission of complete applications.
• Streamlining the approval process for applications.
• Hiring additional employees as staff have depart and as MCP applications increase.
• Creating application forms that are fillable by computer so they can then be printed and signed.
• Establishing a process for applications to be submitted electronically (by computer).
• Educating the community, including medical providers and members of the public, about the Program and on how to submit complete applications.

• Hire new staff as quickly as the hiring process allows.
• Refine the streamlined application approval process and identify ways to make the renewal process more fluid.
• Using phone calls and the fax machine to keep patients informed and receive documents in a timely fashion.

• Q1:
  • Post three vacant positions. Complete - positions were posted and hiring lists were received.
  • Process 98% of all applications received within 30 calendar days of receiving a completed application. Completed - 99.5% of all applications were processed within 30 days of receipt.
• Q2:
  • Interview for three vacant positions.
  • Post any vacant positions.
  • Process 98% of all applications received within 30 calendar days of receiving a completed application.
• Q3:
  • Post any vacant positions.
  • Interview candidates as needed.
  • Review streamlined application approval process and identify ways to make the renewal process more fluid.
  • Process 98% of all applications received within 30 calendar days of receiving a completed application.
• Q4:
  • Post any vacant positions.
  • Interview candidates as needed.
  • Process 98% of all applications received within 30 calendar days of receiving a completed application.

Patient enrollment increased markedly over the course of FY18. At the end of FY17, there were 44,403 patients enrolled in the program. At the end of FY18 the Medical Cannabis Program (MCP) reported a total of 54,857 patients enrolled in the program. MCP printed 63,445 cards which includes both new and re-enrolling patients. Ninety-nine percent of all cards were printed within 30 days of the receipt of a completed application. The average processing time for patient cards was 11 days.