El Pasoans react to marijuana dispensary on Texas state line – El Paso Inc.
PurLife Dispensary is in New Mexico, but only just. In Texas, recreational marijuana is illegal.
PurLife is near neighborhoods and has sparked concerns among some residents.
El Paso Inc. Reporter
PurLife Dispensary is in New Mexico, but only just. In Texas, recreational marijuana is illegal.
Gary Boudreaux was taken aback when he noticed a cannabis dispensary near his neighborhood along Country Club Road.
The 78-year-old, who has lived in Country Place with his wife Judy for 45 years, thought it was only a matter of time before the business was shut down, since marijuana is illegal in Texas.
To his surprise, the PurLife Dispensary – at 900 Country Club Road – sits just outside Texas on the state line. It’s in Sunland Park, N.M., where recreational marijuana is legal.
“I thought it was weird, because it fronts on to Texas,” said Boudreaux, who is vice president of the Country Place Community Association. “I thought it was odd that the only access to it would be from Texas.”
Anyone entering or leaving the dispensary has to cross the Texas-New Mexico state line on Country Club Road.
In a statement, the company said it worked with the city of Sunland Park and the New Mexico Cannabis Control Division to obtain licensing and approval.
“We made sure our new location meets every state and local requirement, and we continue to operate in full compliance with all New Mexico cannabis laws,” the company said. “We obtained all the required permits and licenses, completed background checks and inspections, and maintained ongoing communication with regulators to ensure we’re always meeting or exceeding every legal standard.”
The PurLife Dispensary, which opened in December in a former veterinary clinic, is part of a New Mexico-based cannabis chain with 17 locations. The company opened its first location in 2015.
PurLife advertises in El Paso, including on a digital billboard on eastbound Interstate 10, near TopGolf and UTEP.
PurLife is near neighborhoods and has sparked concerns among some residents.
One 30-year Country Place resident, who serves on the homeowners association board and asked not to be named, said the association had contacted the city and El Paso Police Department about the dispensary.
“We had a meeting with the police department and the commander of the Westside Regional Command Center in November at the steps of the substation on Osborne Drive,” he said, adding the department told residents they would investigate it.
El Paso Inc. reached out to the El Paso Police Department, which said only that marijuana is illegal in the state of Texas.
City Rep. Alejandra Chávez, who represents District 1, said she is aware of how close PurLife is to the state line and has heard from residents in her district who live nearby.
Chavez said she contacted the city of Sunland Park about the dispensary.
“At this point, what I have done is communicate to our local police department that the dispensary is now open, just so that they can hopefully monitor the area a little closer and ensure that my constituents who live in that area remain safe,” Chavez said. “I cannot speak to what could happen in the future, but what I do know is we’ll closely monitor these types of developments that could impact the safety or quality of my constituents.”
Lupe Mares, 67, who has lived in Country Place for three decades, said the dispensary has not been as disruptive as she first expected. She has not seen a lot of traffic.
“I do wonder if people are a little leery about going in and then bringing things back into Texas,” Mares said. “Then, for a lot of these dispensaries, you hear about individuals like veterans going for medicinal use. I have a few friends who would go to buy ointment for their joints.”
Email El Paso Inc. reporter Luis Rios at lrios@elpasoinc.com or call 915-534-4422 ext. 132.
El Paso Inc. Reporter
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Obviously Country Place is Right Wing Conservative, by calling the El Paso police!
For sure they thought ICE was going to make an arrest. And maybe even something else. The new Pot store is right smack on the Dona Ana and El Paso County Line.
Greg Abbott has to reconsider legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana.
Sunland Park is raking in Millions$$$$ in pot revenue! El Paso only has one very small pot store, it’s legal because of Hemp being legal in Texas. Yet pot is still illegal, what gives? Just Legalize it, and be done with.
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