[420 Girl]

New Mexico has become the first state in the country to license marijuana dealers. Officials say dealers are under stringent regulations.

It took about a year and half, but the New Mexico Health Department has ironed out a plan to deal with the complex and legally thorny issue of how to make and get medical marijuana to qualified patients.

"This has been the hardest piece of the program. We really needed to proceed carefully and thoughtfully because we're the only state to take this step," said Deborah Busemeyer of the Department of Health.

New Mexico is the first state to license non-profit organizations to do the growing and distribution. Any group that wants to do it will have to clear a lot of hurdles, Busemeyer said.

"They need to have security measures. We have monitoring requirements they have to have a non profit board overseeing it that includes a doctor," she said.

Any non-profit that gets a license will be able to grow up to 95 plants and keep a supply of useable marijuana. Individuals can also grow their own if they get a state license. They can grow four mature plants and 12 seedlings and posses up to six ounces.

There are 207 New Mexicans who have already been approved by the state to use medical marijuana.

"People should realize that these are patients who are very sick and they have chronic debilitating conditions and they can't get relief anyway else," Busemeyer said.

Right now, there are seven conditions that can qualify a patient to get medical marijuana, including suffering from cancer, AIDS and MS.

New Mexico and 12 other states have legalized medical marijuana usage. But laws in those states do not supersede federal law, which still doesn't recognize medical marijuana.

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