Bill to legalize marijuana passes in NH House

CONCORD — Legalized marijuana in New Hampshire is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The House of Representatives heard a bill on Thursday sponsored by Rep. Erica Layon, a Republican from Derry, on the avenues for legalizing recreational marijuana, as well as regulating and taxing the substance.

“Every single person in a seat here can find a reason to vote against the amendment and to vote against the bill,” Layon said. “But the question is, do we have a net benefit to the state by passing this? and I truly do.”

The bill passed 239 to 141 and will move onto the House Finance Committee from here, working its way to the Senate.

While in favor of the bill, Rep. Jonah Wheeler, a Democrat from Hillsborough, said this bill was unfair largely in part because it does not allow provisions for people to grow their own marijuana plants. He said of one of the major amendments to the bill that it restricts the true ability for people to access cannabis.

“[The amendment] takes the bill which would legalize recreational use and private sale of cannabis and makes it an agency store model, restricting recreational use and private sale,” Wheeler said. “That is not the free market, nor is it a good way to legalize.”

The bill restricts the sale of marijuana to 15 stores and retailers approved by the state. To Wheeler, this limits people’s access unjustly. He also expressed concern that national and international companies would buy the locations which would restrict the free market even more.

Layon pushed back on these claims, saying there are provisions in the bill to adjust the number of stores in the state based on demand.

“After this has been launched and after we know what it looks like [to sell cannabis] here in New Hampshire in a lawful way, I believe that this is a path where we can move forward and then we can figure out what needs to be done and what needs to be tweaked in the future to make this the best model,” she said.

A provision of the bill would also allow for police officers and law enforcement officials to be trained to recognize when people are driving while under the influence. Layon said this alone should be a reason for people to vote in favor.

If this seems familiar, that’s because in April 2023, the House passed legislation to legalize cannabis use in New Hampshire, only for it to fail in the Senate.

Gov. Chris Sununu said in a 2023 press release that he would support the legalization of cannabis throughout New Hampshire under certain conditions, but such a bill had yet to cross his desk. In 2017, Sununu historically was the first governor in New Hampshire’s history to decriminalize carrying small amounts of marijuana.

At the hearing on Thursday, Layon said she understood people’s hesitance to legalize the drug, but nothing good could come from waiting longer.

“Cannabis is here,” Layon said. “The question is whether or not we provide an outlet for people who are currently turning to the streets a way to buy it in the state.”