CONCORD — The state House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday in support of decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana.
State reps. voted 318-36 to pass the bill to decriminalize possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, sending the bill to the Senate. A decriminalization bill passed the House last year and failed in the Senate, but proponents have said the legalization of marijuana in Maine and Massachusetts should lead to more lenient cannabis laws in the Granite State.
State Rep. Renny Cushing, D-Hampton, the bill's sponsor, said the vote indicates New Hampshire is closer to finally decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana than in years past. The House also passed his bill to establish a commission studying the legalization of marijuana.
"I think it signals this really is a new day," said Cushing. "For 40 years the House has been debating whether it should decriminalize a small amount of marijuana. Today, I think the vote is a really clear signal that it's time to change the policy."
Marijuana possession is currently punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $2,000.
The bill passed by the House would make possession a civil violation punishable by a fine of $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second offense within three years, and $350 for a third or subsequent offense within three years of two previous offenses.
The House also voted to expanded access to medical marijuana for people suffering from chronic pain or post-traumatic stress disorder, passing two bills that add chronic pain and PTSD to the list of conditions allowable for medical cannabis. However, they rejected adding "opioid addiction" to a qualifier for medical marijuana.
Roughly 2,000 New Hampshire residents have access to medical marijuana since the state's first dispensary opened in 2016. State law lists specific conditions — such as cancer, glaucoma or HIV — that qualify someone for medical marijuana use.
No comments:
Post a Comment