On March 13, New Mexican Senate Bill 135 passed the House floor by a 60-1 vote. Previously, it had passed the Senate floor and the Judiciary Committee by a sweep of unanimous votes. The bill seeks to license and regulate naturopathic doctors within the state, aiming to join other states in the four corners area. The bill is now expected to go to New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham’s desk to be signed into law.
The bill has garnered a lot of media attention due to events such as The Run, as well as its support from the New Mexico Medical Society and the New Mexico Medical Board. If Governor Grisham signs SB 135 into law, New Mexican Naturopaths would be allowed to diagnose and treat patients, as well as perform physical exams or order lab work. This is fitting, as most naturopaths are highly trained, completing their pre-med requirements, passing multiple board exams, and intense study of Western treatments alongside alternative ones. By licensing and setting a state-wide standard, the public can better differentiate between naturopaths that have been rigorously trained and those who have not.
“I believe the tools that I was given [through training] helps me to have greater balance in treating my patients”, stated Dr. Juliette Sweet, president of the New Mexico Association of Naturopathic Physicians and Ayurvedic consultant for Rebel Herbs, “this bill is critical in rural communities because just access to healthcare in general can be very challenging”. She runs a clinic in Alburquerque, and also makes house calls across northern New Mexico.
Dr. Sweet helps her patients by blending naturopathic, Western and Ayurvedic practices together to provide individualized treatment plans for her patients. “Ayurveda is a beautiful philosophy”, she stated, “It’s the idea that we are inseparable from nature. It teaches us that we all hold a unique makeup and allows us to come to a place of greater acceptance of ourselves and also of others.”
Now, Dr. Sweet is celebrating the progress for New Mexican naturopaths, stating Wednesday, “Naturopathic Medicine for New Mexico! Thank you to all of the individuals who came before us and worked toward the same goal. Not only have we progressed our profession together, but we have changed history. May we continue helping as many people as we can and spreading this much needed medicine."
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