New Mexico’s medical marijuana program in numbers

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – A recent report sheds some light on how many people are taking part in New Mexico’s medical cannabis program, which helps patients with a wide range of conditions.

The latest numbers, from May 2023, show there are more than 100,000 patients enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program. So, what are the key conditions they’re treating with cannabis?

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By far, the most common qualifying condition in New Mexico is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Over 55,000 individuals list PTSD as their primary qualifying condition.

Severe chronic pain is also common, with more than 29,000 patients using cannabis to treat pain. Far less common are a wide range of other conditions, such as cancer (nearly 5,000 patients), sleep apnea, anxiety, Parkinson’s Disease, Autism Spectrum Disorder – and many more.

Recently, New Mexico added insomnia to the list of eligible qualifying conditions. But the statistics don’t yet show an uptake of people treating insomnia with cannabis.

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Patients enrolled in the state’s cannabis program range in age from under 21 to over 70 years old. The patients are roughly evenly distributed between 21 and over 70, but there are more 31 to 40-year-olds in the program than there are people of other ages.