Summer sales have spelled big money for New Mexico's cannabis industry.
As of June 2026, the state has officially surpassed $2.35 billion in cannabis sales — more than $1.7 billion in adult-use recreational sales and nearly $643 million in medical sales, according to the New Mexico Regulations and Licensing Department's (NMRLD) Cannabis Reporting Online Portal (CROP)
. The latest numbers represent a boost of almost $150 million since March.Second-quarter numbers show the cannabis industry continues to be a boon for New Mexico since medical sales were legalized in April 2022 and, even more so, recreational sales were legalized in April 2024.
Funds generated through New Mexico's legal cannabis program are used to support local business owners and
contribute excise tax dollars to communities across the state, with each city and county operating cannabis dispensaries getting a portion of monthly proceeds.
While Albuquerque continues to lead the state in cannabis sales for the second quarter of 2026, the industry remains a big-time moneymaker for cities along the Texas-New Mexico border. In the last four years, Chaparral has raked in nearly $43 million in cannabis sales, Santa Teresa has cleared $4.2 million and Sunland Park — the sales leader along the border and second in the state — has topped $204.5 million.
Second quarter sales
The following is a breakdown of the top three cities for cannabis sales between April and June 2026:
April
- Albuquerque: More than $10.1 million in recreational sales and nearly $4.4 million in medical sales for a total of roughly $14.5 million.
- Sunland Park: More than $5.6 million in recreational sales and over $237,400 in medical sales for a total of more than $5.8 million.
- Las Cruces: Over $2 million in recreational sales and nearly $774,000 in medical sales for a total of more than $2.7 million.
May
- Albuquerque: Nearly $10.2 million in recreational sales and almost $4.3 million in medical sales for a total of roughly $14.5 million.
- Sunland Park: More than $5.5 million in recreational sales and nearly $224,000 in medical sales for a total of more than $5.7 million.
- Las Cruces: Nearly $2 million in recreational sales and more than $729,000 in medical sales for a total of roughly $2.7 million.
June
- Albuquerque: More than $9.6 million in recreational sales and over $4.1 million in medical sales for a total of roughly $13.7 million.
- Sunland Park: Nearly $5.2 million in recreational sales and more than $196,700 in medical sales for a total of more than $5.3 million.
- Las Cruces: More than $1.9 million in recreational sales and over $711,300 in medical sales for a total of more than $2.6 million.
Texas-New Mexico border town sales
While none saw numbers similar to those in Sunland Park, which continues to thrive in large part because of customers just over the border in El Paso, cities and towns along the Texas-New Mexico border saw strong numbers in the second quarter of 2026.
Chaparral, a town of roughly 17,000 located along the Texas-New Mexico border, continues to see revenue growth. The city collected around $3.2 million in recreational and medical sales during the second quarter of 2026, an increase of more than $200,000 over the first quarter.
Santa Teresa, which raked in roughly $445,000 in the first quarter, nabbed more than $508,000 in the second quarter.
During the same period, Ruidoso saw more than $1.75 million in sales, just shy of first-quarter sales. Nearby Alamogordo saw more than $2.7 million in recreational and medical cannabis sales.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: New Mexico cannabis industry hits $2.35 billion mark
