ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) – The City of Roswell will not be selling recreational marijuana on Friday like the rest of the state. Ultra Health, one of the largest distributors of recreational marijuana in the state, says of its 42 locations, the Roswell store will not be selling recreational marijuana.
“What they did was kind of creative, but very offensive to the industry,” said Duke Rodriguez, the President, and CEO of Ultra Health, “We can’t be open had midnight, April 1 or sometime during that day absolutely disappointing.”
Industry leaders complain that Roswell’s rules are too strict. Currently, the city has a series of ordinances in place that would prohibit the sales of recreational marijuana 300 feet from a school, daycare, retirement home, and gas station.
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“So, they basically crafted an ordinance to exclude everybody from participating. Again, in the adult program, the MediCal program is all grandfathered, but the adult program, it’s on the outs in the city of Roswell for certain until the approval of variants, which is in the process,” Rodriguez said.
The city says they aren’t against recreational marijuana. “The same application process applies if you wanted to start a new business as well. We would help you with your site selection, we would help you find a place that that would work. But it is going to be up to you,” said Kevin Maevers, Community Development Director for the city of Roswell.
The city says they got their first applications for sale, just last week. Those applications are submitted to the committee and city council which could be a six-week process if things go smoothly.
The city says it hopes to have the first applications completed by May. “We’re good to go. All we need is people to come see me. And we’ll work it through the process,” Maevers said.
The city of Roswell does have eight shops that sell medicinal marijuana that could add sales of recreational marijuana. Now the city of Roswell has resisted recreational pot sales in the past. The state does not allow cities to opt for recreational pot sales.
