Green day: One year later

It's apparent one year after New Mexico allowed the sale of recreational marijuana on April 1, 2022, that it led to dramatic effects on Tucumcari.

Ten cannabis dispensaries have opened in the city, and an 11th is under construction on South Mountain Road.

According to data from the state's Cannabis Control Division, Tucumcari has seen more than $4 million in sales of recreational and medical marijuana in one year. The city has seen more than 68,000 transactions during that time, averaging about $59 per purchase.

Scott Crotzer, director of the Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce, said one of the most welcome trends legal weed has brought is a significant number of long-vacant buildings in town are used by cannabis-based businesses.

"I've noticed all the buildings they gone into, except for a couple, have been completely redone," Crotzer said. "I think that's a huge positive. Most of these buildings were not being used."

Crotzer also noted several cannabis businesses, including the newest, Lifted Fine Cannabis Boutique, boast colorful murals.

"Even the tourists who aren't cannabis-driven, they will go to see the murals," he said. "That adds to their time here. I think that's a huge plus, and the visitors think it's a huge plus, too. I haven't heard anything negative from tourists."

Crotzer said Tucumcari's cannabis businesses are socially active and treat their employees well.

"They're trying to get involved in the community, as well - cleanup projects, stuff like that," he said of cannabis stores. "Every one of them is interested in making a difference here. They're all wonderful people to deal with.

"I hear they're great places to work," Crotzer added. "Several of the employees have told me they finally have found a place where they're treated with respect and love it there."

The numbers

According to the Cannabis Control Division, Tucumcari has seen $3.31 million in adult-use sales, or recreational, of marijuana from April 1, 2022, through March 2023.

Tucumcari also saw more than $775,000 in medical marijuana sales, taking the total to nearly $4.1 million.

That means about 81% of Tucumcari sales are adult-use - significantly higher than the state average of 66%.

Other cities close to Texas (where recreational weed still is illegal) also have seen higher-than-usual adult-use sales. Those include Clayton (91%), Hobbs (80%), Tatum (83%), Texico (92%) and Sunland Park (88%).

Perhaps syphoned off by nearby Texico, Clovis' 63% adult-use sales are below the state average, as is Portales' 43%.

An associate at the Puff on 66 dispensary in Tucumcari acknowledged two-thirds of his store's sales are from the Texas market.

Michael Hicklin, co-owner of Puff on 66, said his store's location on historic Route 66 makes it more tourist-driven.

"One of our advantages we have is a lot of people are traveling Route 66, and they stop by because they're curious," he said.

Tucumcari's monthly sales have largely stabilized at over $300,000 total since July, though it broke a record for adult-use sales of more than $371,000 and medical sales of over $90,000 in March.

Based on the city's 3.25% sales tax on recreational marijuana, it is due more than $100,000 from from the first year of sales. An email to the state's Taxation and Revenue Department on how much of that sales-tax revenue was distributed to the city went unanswered.

City finance manager Rachelle Arias said during a city commission meeting Thursday she estimated pot sales would generate $135,000 in tax revenue during the fiscal year that ends in June.

The city hasn't committed on what to do with that money and has been conservative in its yearly budgets regarding that revenue.

Quay County's share from recreational pot sales would be about $52,000.

Al Patel, owner of Downtown Dispensary, would like answers.

"My question is: What is happening to all these tax dollars collected in City and County? How is it being used?" he wrote in an email.

City manager Paula Chacon said marijuana sales-tax revenue simply is funneling into the city's general fund. She acknowledged city commissioners might decide to dedicate it to a certain area at a later date.

The only other place in Quay County that's recorded marijuana sales is Logan, which has seen about $97,000 in total cannabis revenue since sales first began there in July.

Another dispensary is planned at the New Mexico-Texas border village of Glenrio.

All of New Mexico has seen more than $487 million in cannabis sales from 10.3 million transactions since recreational marijuana sales began.

The future

One thing that frustrated New Mexico dispensaries during the initial months of legal recreational sales was a lack of marijuana supply.

Hicklin and Leif Gray, co-owner of Buds n' More Dispensary with his wife, city clerk Angelica Gray, both said that problem is easing.

"We're getting a lot more product now compared to when we first opened, and the price may be going down," Gray said, adding that his business is doing well.

Buds n' More was the first Tucumcari dispensary to open, the day legal sales began April 1 last year. Since that time, it has recorded more than $1 million in sales, the most in the city.

Patel said his Downtown Dispensary also is doing well.

"We added one new full time staff member. It helps that we are the only one in the downtown area," he emailed. "We are looking to take over the whole building and become the 'Walmart' of dispensary that sells every THS product available."

Patel, however, believes the Tucumcari marijuana market may be reaching a saturation.

"Yes, too many for everyone to survive," he wrote. "We will reach a point where each dispensary will start to cut each other's prices, cannibalizing each other. I hope the locally owned businesses will stay in business. I feel three of the corporate-owed will close soon."

The Cannabis Control Division's online database indicates at least two marijuana growers operate in Quay County, but they total fewer than 200 plants.

A few Tucumcari Public School board members last year expressed concern legal weed might adversely affect students. But superintendent Aaron McKinney said that effect hasn't been apparent.

"I don't think it's been up as far as I'm concerned," he said of marijuana issues among the student body. "We've always had some issues, but I don't know if those issues are up.

"I went to these shops at one point just to see what products they have," McKinney added. "They told me it's mostly older people (as clients). Not a lot of young people are coming in."

The effect on local crime also hasn't been apparent. Police Chief Patti Lopez checked data for police and emergency calls from April 1, 2022, to late March of this year and compared it to the same period from April 2021.

She said she saw quite a few animal calls in the past year (possibly an after-effect of a fatal dog mauling in February), plus alerts from ankle monitors and Crime Stopper calls.

The total number of calls rose to 9,187 compared to 8,067 in the previous year. Many in the total are for non-violent and non-drug cases, however.

Also, the nation in the past year was coming back to a sense of normal activity after emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.