(The Center Square) – The Cannabis Dispensary License of Paradise Distro, LLC, a cannabis retailer in Albuquerque, was revoked by the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department on Thursday.
Cannabis Control Division compliance officers found numerous violations which were enumerated in the Final Decision and Order including:
Illegal Purchase and Sale of CannabisImproper Acceptance of Cannabis Product without a Shipping ManifestSales of Illegal and Improper Cannabis Product Inaccurate Sales RecordsInaccurate and Missing Cannabis Finished Product LabelingInaccurate Tracking of Cannabis Sales
Cannabis products that were not native to New Mexico, and edibles “displayed for sale” were found at the dispensary bearing California stampings, in clear violation of New Mexico law which forbids the sale of Cannabis products from outside of the state and sidesteps the state’s BioTrack system intended to trace the products’ history.
“In the interest of public safety, the department is holding true to the intent of the Cannabis Regulation Act and taking action upon licensees that have violated the law,” said New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department Superintendent Linda Trujillo.
The evidentiary hearing was held on April 27. The hearing officer overseeing this case found sufficient evidence of the violations identified by the Division and signed over the recommendation of revocation on June 30, 2023. No one from, or representing Paradise Distro attended the hearing.
“Based on these Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law,” the final decision said, “ the Department orders (the) …license revoked.”
Paradise Distro, LLC was ordered to immediately cease all commercial cannabis activity and given 14 days to surrender their license. Remaining legal products may be sold to another licensed retailer during the two week period.
“This revocation should serve as a warning to those selling or receiving out-of-state cannabis products. Our compliance officers are ramping up inspections and we will work to remove bad actors from within the New Mexico cannabis industry,” Trujillo warned.
This is the first license revocation NMRLD has issued to a cannabis business.
