Golden Roots Faces License Revocation and Hefty Fines in New Mexico Over Cannabis Regulation Violations

ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico regulatory authorities have dealt a significant blow to Albuquerque’s cannabis industry, revoking the license of local firm Golden Roots and imposing a nearly $300,000 fine. This punitive action is the result of allegations that the company, operating under the name Cannabis Revolution Dispensary, had both unlawfully procured and improperly transported cannabis products.

The monetary penalty correlates directly with profits the company accrued while purportedly in possession and distribution of illicit products.

Regulators began to grow suspicious when, a mere two months after obtaining their licenses, Golden Roots sought approval to introduce mature, harvested, and dried plants into their inventory system. Such a rapid timeline raised eyebrows at the state’s Cannabis Control Division (CCD), given that cannabis plants typically necessitate longer than two months to achieve full maturity.

Upon inspection of Golden Roots’ cultivation premises, state compliance officers reported a conspicuous absence of any discernible operational cultivation activities. Further investigations purportedly caught the firm in the act of relocating mature and harvested cannabis plants away from the primary site.

CCD Director Todd Stevens expressed strong censure of Golden Roots’ behavior, emphasizing its apparent “blatant disregard for the Cannabis Regulation Act” and underscoring the stringent legal expectations for all licensed entities in the state. “Our compliance officers will continue performing daily inspections, following up on complaints, and working to remove all bad actors from the New Mexico cannabis industry,” Stevens stated in a recent press release circulated by KRQE.

While Golden Roots had sought an evidentiary hearing in the previous month, records indicate that no company representatives made an appearance.

Golden Roots’ current predicament establishes it as the third business in New Mexico to experience license revocation in light of regulatory breaches. However, it stands alone as the first to grapple with substantial financial penalties for such infractions.