Hobbs mayor: City not joining legal marijuana movement

Officials in the southeastern New Mexico city of Hobbs say the growing trend of legalizing or decriminalizing of marijuana isn’t coming to their town anytime soon.

The Hobbs News-Sun reports Hobbs Mayor Sam Cobb said this week the city will comply with state and federal laws and it doesn’t have the authority to decriminalize marijuana.

Lea County Drug Task Force Commander Sean Roach says marijuana is still illegal and the task force will work to enforce the law.

The Lea County Commission last year unanimously passed a resolution to go on record they oppose legalization of recreational marijuana.

Last week, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller signed an ordinance making possession of small amounts of marijuana no longer a criminal offense.

Ten states and Washington, D.C. have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.