Single day sales exceeded $1.1 million and over 16,500 patients served statewide

(Albuquerque) – New Mexico’s Medical Cannabis Program sold a record $1.1 million worth of cannabis on Friday, April 20, which is known around the world as a day to celebrate and honor the use of cannabis. Ultra Health, New Mexico’s #1 Cannabis Company, finished the day with over $150,000 in sales, an 84 percent increase over the previous year’s holiday.

More than 16,500 patients were served statewide out of the 50,954 active cardholders reported by the New Mexico Department of Health as of March 31, 2018.

Last year on April 20, the program saw $800,000 in sales with 34,909 registered patients in the program at the end of March 2017. An estimated 165 pounds of cannabis was sold on Friday compared to 124 pounds sold on April 20, 2017.

Despite the origin of the cannabis holiday being widely debated, the day gives patients using cannabis an opportunity to commemorate their freedom to choose a natural alternative to relieve the debilitating conditions they face. The holiday is widely celebrated among friends and peers, which also provides for social well-being.

The World Health Organization’s definition of health has remained unchanged since 1948 as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Twenty-nine states have acknowledged the physical and mental benefits of cannabis by approving the medical use, and nine states have gone further by allowing the social use.

“Any responsible use of cannabis that improves the lives of New Mexicans is a healthy use,” said Duke Rodriguez, CEO and President of Ultra Health®. “There is no greater duty to the prosperity of society at large than contributing to the physical, mental and social well-being of our people. Safe and regulated cannabis is a gateway to healthier communities in the state.”

Although the 420 holiday served as the highest single-day sales in the Medical Cannabis Program’s 10-year history, the availability of medical cannabis in the regulated market pales in comparison to the estimated availability of marijuana on the black market in New Mexico.

While the regulated market sold 165 pounds on Friday, the unregulated black market is estimated to have sold 503 pounds. The black market in New Mexico is expected to generate more than $400 million annually.

“Rather than obstruct the progress of the Medical Cannabis Program, decision-makers need to support actions to expand the program’s availability, encourage patient choice and emphasize safety to reduce reliance on the black market,” Rodriguez continued. “All courses need to prioritize compassion and affordability for the medical patients choosing cannabis as an effective protocol to better health.”