Some Attorneys Given Pause by 'Gray Area' Between State, Federal Cannabis Policies

Nine years after the New Mexico Legislature legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, the state's lawyers are feeling uneasy about clients involved in the cannabis industry.

The New Mexico State Bar Association, citing federal drug laws and rules of professional conduct prohibiting lawyers from assisting clients in committing a crime, is cautioning attorneys on representing medical cannabis growers and dispensaries.

An opinion from the association's Ethics Advisory Committee published this week comes as businesses and regulatory groups navigate the legal gray area surrounding the licensed growing and selling of a product the federal government still classifies as a Schedule I narcotic.

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