new hampshire cannabis Archives

New Hampshire Bill to Allow Patients and Caregivers to Grow Marijuana Approved by Committee

February 23, 2018

A New Hampshire House committee has voted in favor of legislation to allow patients or their caregiver to cultivate marijuana.

The House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee voted 13 to 8 this week to pass House Bill 1476, which was filed by Representative Robert Cushing along with over a dozen bipartisan cosponsors.

The proposal states that; “A qualifying patient shall not be subject to arrest by state or local law enforcement, prosecution or penalty under state or municipal law, or be denied any right or privilege for the therapeutic use of cannabis in accordance with this chapter, if the qualifying patient possesses or cultivates an amount of cannabis that does not exceed the following:

New Hampshire Committee Passes Legislation to Allow Annulment of Marijuana Convictions

February 15, 2018February 13, 2018

Legislation that would allow for the annulment (invalidation of) of charges related to possession of up to 3/4 of an ounce of marijuana has been passed 14 to 4 by its initial committee.

House Bill 1744, filed by Representative Robert Cushing along with 12 bipartisan cosponsors, was given approval today by the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. The proposal states that; “Any person who was arrested or convicted for knowingly or purposely obtaining, purchasing, transporting, or possessing, actually or constructively, or having under his or her control, 3/4 of an ounce of marijuana or less where the offense occurred before September 16, 2017 may, at any time, petition the court in which the person was convicted or arrested to annul the arrest record, court record, or both.” This is made possible by a law that took effect on September 16, 2017; which decriminalized the possession of up to 3/4 of an ounce of marijuana.

Going into specifics, the measure’s official text clarifies the process for annulling a marijuana conviction:

Tripartisan New Hampshire Bill Would Protect Medical Cannabis Patients From Having Info Given to Feds

January 11, 2018

New legislation filed in New Hampshire would protect medical cannabis patients from having their information handed over to the federal government.

House Bill 1672 , filed by Representative Caleb Dyer (L) with a tripartisan group of lawmakers, “requires a search warrant issued by a judge based upon probable cause for any federal request for information relative to users of therapeutic cannabis created by the registry.”

Specifically, the measure would amend RSA 126-X:4, XI(b)(4) to read as follows:

“(4) Requests by law enforcement officials under this section to the department pursuant to a sworn affidavit, search warrant, or court order, regardless of whether or not the name or address was found in the registry, shall be confidential under this chapter and exempt from disclosure under RSA 91-A. Aggregate data relative to such requests may be made public if it does not contain any identifying information regarding the specific law enforcement request. Requests by federal authorities for any information relative to users of therapeutic cannabis contained in the registry shall require a search warrant issued by a judge based on probable cause.”

New Hampshire Lawmakers Approve Bill to Legalize Marijuana

January 9, 2018January 9, 2018

The New Hampshire House of Representatives has approved a bill to make marijuana legal for adults.

House Bill 656, introduced last session by Represenative Glen Aldrich (R-Gilford), would make possession of three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana legal for those aged 21 and older. Home cultivation of up to three mature and three immature plants would also be legalized. It passed the House today with a vote of 207 to 139.

“The House deserves tremendous credit for taking this reasonable step forward”, says Matt Simon, the New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. “Most Granite Staters understand that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol, and they’re ready to see it treated that way. Allowing adults 21 and older to grow a few plants without penalty will give them a much-needed alternative to buying from illicit dealers.”

New Hampshire Marijuana Decriminalization Law Takes Effect Tomorrow

September 15, 2017

A New Hampshire bill decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana officially takes effect tomorrow.

The bill makes New Hampshire the 22nd state in the nation to eliminate the possibility of jail time for simple marijuana possession.

“The governor and Legislature both deserve a lot of credit for moving the state forward with this commonsense reform,” said Matt Simon, the Manchester-based New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. “Unlike his predecessors, who opposed similar proposals, Gov. Sununu appears to understand that ‘Live Free or Die’ is more than just a motto on a license plate.”

New Hampshire Senate Committee Votes to Establish Commission to Study Marijuana Legalization

May 26, 2017

**Nevada’s Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to establish a commission designed to study the legalization of marijuana.**

House Bill 215 will now move towards a vote by the full Senate. Given it has already been passed by the full House of Representatives, passage in the Senate would send it to Governor Chris Sununu for consideration.

The 22-person commission would be tasked with examining “the possible impacts of changing state policy to treat marijuana in a manner similar to the way the state deals with alcohol and shall study the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana including the specific issues related to growing, selling, taxing, limiting use, advertising, promoting, and otherwise regulating marijuana and marijuana-infused edible products.”

New Hampshire Governor to Sign Measure to Decriminalize Marijuana

May 14, 2017May 12, 2017

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu says he will sign into law a bill that decriminalizes cannabis.

Once signed into law, House Bill 640 will decriminalize the possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana, reducing the charge from an arrestable misdemeanor as it is today, to a simple civil infraction punishable by a fine of $100 for a first or second offense. A third offense within three years of the initial offense will result in a fine of $300, and a fourth offense within three years of the original offense can result in a misdemeanor charge, but no arrest or jail time.

“I want to thank the Legislature for passing common sense marijuana reform,” Governor Chris Sununu (R) said in a statement. “I look forward to signing House Bill 640 into law.”

New Hampshire House Passes Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana

March 8, 2017

New Hampshire’s House of Representatives gave approval to legislation decriminalizing marijuana with an overwhelming 318 to 36 vote.

House Bill 640, sponsored by Representative Renny Cushing, now moves to the Senate for consideration. The proposal would reduce the penalty for possessing up to an ounce of cannabis from a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison, to a simple civil fine with no possibility of jail time or a criminal charge.

The fine would be $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second offense and $350 for third and subsequent offenses (if committed within three years of the first two offenses).

New Hampshire Committee Passes Bill to Decriminalize Cannabis and Hash

February 14, 2017

New Hampshire’s House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee has passed a bill to decriminalize cannabis and hash possession.

House Bill 640 was approved with an overwhelming 14 to 2 vote. The measure would decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis, and up to five grams of hash, for those 21 and older.

If police do catch someone possessing cannabis or hash within those limits, it would be “a fine of $100 for a first offense under this paragraph, a fine of $200 for a second offense within three years of the first offense, or a fine of $350 for a third or subsequent offense within 3 years of 2 other offenses.” Under current law the possession of even a minuscule amount of cannabis is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

New Hampshire Senate Minority leader to Introduce Cannabis Legalization Bill

December 18, 2016

New Hampshire Senate Minority leader Jeff Woodburn (D-Dalton) has announced that he will soon introduce legislation to legalize recreational cannabis.

“I think they have forced us to look at our laws and regulations,” says Woodburn, referring to Canada and the fact that their government is in the process of legalizing cannabis. “What we can’t control is what’s happening all around us. We can’t put our heads in the snow.”

Woodburn’s bill will be modeled after successful legalization efforts in other states such as Colorado, where the possession and licensed distribution of small amounts of cannabis is legal for those who are 21 and older. Cannabis will be taxed, though Woodburn hasn’t announced what the rate will be set at; he also hasn’t announced the exact possession limit.