Planning should continue on a state-run production and distribution system for medical marijuana, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says.

The Associated Press reported Aug. 18 that the state Health Department has balked at its implementation role in a new medical-marijuana law, which New Mexico Attorney General Gary King said could open the agency up to federal prosecution.

Richardson said that the department should continue to plan for full implementation of the law but did not commit to instituting a state licensing, production and distribution system for medical marijuana. The state is supposed to issue regulations by October.

New Mexico's law is the only one in the U.S. that calls for the state to produce and distribute medical marijuana. Richardson has written to President Bush urging him to allow states to implement medical-marijuana laws without fear of federal prosecution.