CONCORD — The 2024 campaign to legalize recreational use of marijuana cleared its first major hurdle, with the House of Representatives giving it initial approval Thursday.
The House cast an unrecorded — or "division" — vote of 239-141 in favor of the amended measure (HB 1633).
House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, referred it to the House Finance Committee for review.
The legislation will return to the House for action in April.
House Democratic Leader Matt Wilhelm said he is optimistic this could be the year New Hampshire becomes the last state in New England to legalize cannabis for use by adults 21 and older.
“Legalizing and regulating recreational cannabis is long overdue in New Hampshire. After years of watching our neighbors — state-by-state — embrace personal freedom and a new, growing industry, it has become increasingly frustrating for Granite Staters to see the ‘Live Free or Die’ state remain an island of prohibition,” Wilhelm said in a statement.
Rep. Jonah Wheeler, D-Peterborough, one of the co-sponsors of the original bill, came out against the extensive rewrite Thursday.
“This is not the free market, nor is it a good way to legalize,” Wheeler said.
The rewritten bill limits the number of locations to 15 state-approved stores.
“It is a baloney sandwich. It will leave us satisfied, but in a few hours, we will be hungry again because there is no nutrition there,” Wheeler said.
Rep. Erica Layon, R-Derry, the author of this rewrite, said 15 stores is just a start. The legislation permits the number to increase in the future.
“I believe this is a path where we can move forward and we can figure out how to tweak it in the future and make it the best model possible,” Layon said.
Students in opposition
Students from the Raymond Coalition for Youth, the Franklin Partners in Prevention and the Laconia Youth Alliance held signs outside the House chamber, calling for the defeat of the legislation.
“I believe the mental health of students in our schools will rapidly decrease; I believe my education will be impaired,” said Marissa McLynn, a freshman at Raymond High School. “It is going to cause more violence in schools.”
Celeste Clark, director of the Raymond Coalition for Youth, said young children and even some pets are brought to hospital emergency rooms suffering from exposure to marijuana.
“People really are not going to jail for this drug, the drug is decriminalized for those over 21 so what is the benefit of doing this,” Clark said.
“This is a public health issue that affects everybody.”
State Rep. Lilli Walsh, R-Hampstead, spoke out out against the 10% excise tax that retailers would be charged monthly.
“This will lead New Hampshire down an expensive and horrible path,” Walsh said. “My friends, this is a new tax and taxation is theft.”
Layon said the 10% excise fee or tax would be less than half the total taxes placed on pot sold in neighboring Massachusetts.
Under this revised bill, no individual could have a controlling interest in more than three stores.
The bill makes it unlawful to advertise the sale of marijuana, including the use of billboards.
Local approval would be required to allow stores in a city or town. They would be limited to one per community or one per 15,000 people in larger towns or cities.
State and local law enforcement leaders remain in strong opposition to legalizing marijuana.
They have warned that it would lead to more crime and more vehicle accidents.
The bill makes it against the law to use cannabis in public or while driving.
Anyone caught driving while using it would face up to a $150 fine and a suspension of a driver’s license for up to 60 days for a first offense.
