This week on New Mexico in Focus, we bring you the documentary “New Marijuana,” and include interviews with several professionals for perspectives on marijuana’s potential risks and benefits.

NMiF host Gene Grant sits down with filmmaker Chris Schueler to share some insights about how he approached the issues in the film, including how changes in marijuana over the years have created a more powerful drug, and how medical cannabis patients are using the drug to manage chronic pain. We’ll also hear the latest on management of New Mexico’s medical marijuana with journalist Peter St. Cyr.

NMiF correspondent Gwyneth Doland interviews Jessica Gelay, policy coordinator of the Drug Policy Alliance in New Mexico, and MacKenzie Allen, a retired deputy sheriff who worked in Los Angeles and Seattle. He was a training officer and an undercover narcotics detective, and is also a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, or LEAP.

Studio Guests:
MacKenzie Allen, retired deputy sheriff and member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
Jessica Gelay, policy coordinator of the Drug Policy Alliance in New Mexico
Peter St. Cyr, a journalist with the Santa Fe Reporter
Chris Schueler, director of the documentary “New Marijuana”

Correspondent:
Gwyneth Doland

Line Panelists:
(no Line this week)

Host:
Gene Grant

New Mexico in Focus is involved, informed, in-depth media airing weekly on New Mexico PBS. The program debuts Friday nights at 7 p.m. on NMPBS 5.1 and appears online at www.newmexicoinfocus.org. The show rebroadcasts on NMPBS 5.1 Sundays at 7 a.m. and on NMPBS 9.1 on Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Episode 1013 airs Sept. 23, 2016, at 7:00 PM

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This week on New Mexico in Focus, Senator Tom Udall gives us an update on new federal chemical safety regulations that he advocated for in Congress in recent years. We also hear from Dr. Cheryl Willman, director and CEO of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center.

It’s Navy Week in Albuquerque. We also stop by a ceremony this week that honors Native American service members in the U.S. Navy.

And host Gene Grant and the Line opinion panelists discuss the spike in voter registrations, frozen FEMA funds, and ideas for dealing with our state’s budget crisis.

Guests:
U.S. Senator Tom Udall

Correspondents:
Sarah Gustavus

Line Panelists:
Tom Garrity, Garrity Group PR
Sophie Martin, attorney and editor of DukeCityFix.com
Stephen Spitz, host of New Mexico People Places and Ideas on KUNM
Harry Van Buren, professor in UNM Anderson School of Management

Host:
Gene Grant

The Producer of NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS is Sarah Gustavus. Associate Producer is Kathy Wimmer. Funding for this program was provided in part by the McCune Foundation Communications Fund, Santa Fe Community Foundation.

Episode 1012 airs September 16, 2016 at 7:00pm on Ch.5.1