SANTA FE – A pubic hearing has been delayed on a petition to open up New Mexico’s medical marijuana program to ailing pets.
New Mexico’s medical cannabis advisory board declined to hear the proposal Tuesday because a quorum of board members was not in attendance or available by phone.
Chairwoman Laura Brown was the only board member to attend the meeting in person and apologized when several agenda items were postponed for at least 30 days.
An anonymous petition would allow marijuana prescriptions for dogs with epilepsy. The petitioner contends that authorizing cannabis for animals would minimize the danger of animal abuse by regulating the use of medical marijuana with pets and provide new treatment tools to veterinarians.
No state has expressly authorized medical pot for pets, though regulatory proposals have been discussed in New York and California. Cannabidiol-infused products derived from hemp and marijuana are widely marketed to pets.
About 78,000 people participate in New Mexico’s medical marijuana program for conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
The state Legislature is expected to consider new proposals to legalize recreational marijuana in January.
Discussion also was postponed Tuesday on a petition to allow marijuana for attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome, anxiety disorder and Tourette’s syndrome.
