New Mexico is expanding its medical cannabis program to include people suffering from adverse effects of opioid use.
Health Secretary Kathyleen Kunkel added opioid use disorder to the list of qualifying conditions for patients who can participate in the program.
She also approved the addition of Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder and three degenerative neurological disorders.
New Mexico joins at least eight states — from Maine to California — that already recognize opioid dependency as a qualifying condition, either explicitly or within the bounds of significant medical conditions.