Last verified: March 2026
A Border Patrol interior checkpoint operates on I-25 between Radium Springs and Rincon, north of Las Cruces. All northbound traffic is stopped. Cannabis is illegal under federal law regardless of your New Mexico receipt. Since February 2024, over $350K has been seized from licensed cannabis businesses at these checkpoints. Full checkpoint guide.
Las Cruces: Southern NM's Cannabis Hub
Las Cruces is New Mexico's second-largest city, home to New Mexico State University (NMSU), and the commercial center of the Mesilla Valley in southern New Mexico. It sits on I-25 roughly 45 miles north of the Mexican border and 40 miles north of El Paso, Texas.
The city's cannabis market serves a mix of local residents, NMSU students (21+), and Texas visitors crossing from El Paso. Several established operators have locations here:
- Ultra Health — One of the state's largest operators with a Las Cruces location
- Pecos Valley Production — Southern NM chain with multiple locations
- PurLife — Multi-location operator serving the Las Cruces market
- Everest Cannabis Co. — Growing presence in southern NM
The I-25 Checkpoint Problem
This is the single most important thing to understand about cannabis in Las Cruces: if you buy cannabis here and drive north on I-25, you will pass through a federal checkpoint.
The Border Patrol interior checkpoint between Radium Springs and Rincon (about 35 miles north of Las Cruces) stops all northbound traffic. These checkpoints are operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection under federal authority. Cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, and CBP agents have seized cannabis from vehicles — including from workers transporting inventory for licensed New Mexico cannabis businesses.
Since February 2024:
- $350,000+ in cannabis seized from 14+ licensed businesses
- Workers have been detained, fingerprinted, and entered into federal drug trafficking databases
- Ultra Health relocated production operations north to avoid the checkpoint
- The ACLU has challenged the seizures; Governor Lujan Grisham contacted DHS
- CBP has refused to change its policy
Some travelers take NM-185 or other back roads to avoid the I-25 checkpoint. Be aware that CBP also operates checkpoints on other southern NM highways, including I-10 west of Las Cruces, US-70 near Alamogordo, and NM-185 south of Rincon. There is no guaranteed checkpoint-free route north from Las Cruces.
Border Proximity & the El Paso Connection
Las Cruces sits roughly 40 miles from El Paso, Texas (population 680,000+). Texas possession of over 2 ounces is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail, and any amount of cannabis concentrate is a felony. This makes Las Cruces a natural draw for Texas visitors — but returning to Texas with cannabis is a serious criminal risk.
For Texas visitors: purchase and consume in Las Cruces. Do not attempt to bring cannabis back across the state line.
Getting Around Las Cruces
I-25 is the primary north-south corridor (with the checkpoint caveat above). I-10 runs east-west, connecting to Deming and Tucson (west) and El Paso (southeast). US-70 connects Las Cruces to Alamogordo and White Sands. The city itself is navigable by car, with most dispensaries along Main Street, Lohman Avenue, and the Telshor Boulevard commercial corridor.
For in-depth cannabis education, dosing guides, safety information, and research summaries, visit our partner site TryCannabis.org
Related on this site: Albuquerque Cannabis Guide, Santa Fe Cannabis Guide, Southern NM & Border Region Cannabis....