New Hampshire Public Radio reviews that the “prime Republican and Democrat in New Hampshire’s Home of Representatives are teaming as much as introduce a invoice to legalize the possession and retail sale of marijuana in New Hampshire.”
The GOP controls the decrease chamber, and the highest Republican, Home Majority Chief Jason Osborne, will collaborate with Home Democratic Chief Matt Wilhelm to make sure that the so-called “Reside Free or Die State” truly lives as much as its motto.
Osborne and Wilhelm are hoping that their colleagues within the state Senate, which can also be managed by Republicans, will get on board this time round.
The state Home of Representatives authorized a invoice that might have legalized pot in April, however the measure was subsequently shot down within the state Senate.
“The Home has lengthy stood united find a pathway to getting this finished for Granite Staters,” Osborne stated, as quoted by New Hampshire Public Radio. “Hopefully, the Senate will come round to supporting the need of the overwhelming majority of New Hampshire residents.”
Wilhelm echoed that, saying that legalization of grownup possession of small quantities of hashish is the appropriate factor to do for New Hampshire and we should get it finished in 2023.”
As the Concord Monitor noted, New Hampshire stands as an outlier within the area with its standing as “the lone state in New England that has but to legalize marijuana.”
New Hampshire Authorized Restrict
Based on the outlet, the invoice, which has not but been formally launched, “would permit adults over the age of 21 to own as much as 4 ounces of hashish, shield for cultivation each at dwelling and thru state-licensed personal websites, allow retail gross sales and set up a state regulatory and licensing physique.”
“This proposal to legalize hashish for adults in New Hampshire brings collectively numerous nonpartisan views. This invoice brings an answer to repay our pension legal responsibility, cut back property taxes, present further assets for legislation enforcement, whereas proscribing minors from accessing hashish,” Osborne stated in an announcement, as quoted by the Concord Monitor.
Osborne and Wilhelm can have different potential impediments past the state Senate if they’re to get legalization handed.
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who was elected to a fourth time period in final month’s election, has lengthy expressed his opposition to hashish legalization, which he has stated might exacerbate the present disaster surrounding fentanyl abuse.
“I’ve at all times stated now’s not the time. Each state does it very completely different. I’ve at all times needed to see what works and what doesn’t,” Sununu stated in a gubernatorial debate this fall, as quoted by the Concord Monitor. “There could also be a technique to do it however provided that we face an opioid disaster, provided that we nonetheless don’t know what works with different states, it may very well be inevitable, I get it, however you bought to be affected person about the way you do it and the steps which are finest for New Hampshire.”
Advocates akin to Osborne and Wilhelm contend that the state is being left behind in an period of legalization, and that prohibition continues to disproportionately have an effect on folks of coloration.
New Hampshire Public Radio, citing information from the American Civil Liberties Union, reported that “1,120 folks have been charged with marijuana possession in New Hampshire in 2021 alone,” with the information indicating that “Black persons are much more prone to be arrested on marijuana costs than white folks, regardless that each teams use hashish at comparable charges.”
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