New Hampshire Senate Committee Rejects Marijuana Legalization Bill Amid Public Safety Concerns
The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee has voted against a bill that would have legalized the possession of up to two ounces of marijuana for adults, citing public safety concerns. The 3-2 vote, with all three Republicans on the committee opposing the bill, deals a significant blow to efforts to legalize marijuana in the state.
The bill, House Bill 198, was passed by the House of Representatives in March with a vote of 208-125. However, its prospects in the Senate were always uncertain, given the opposition of Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte and the Republican-controlled Senate.
Sen. Bill Gannon, the committee chairman, expressed concerns that legalizing marijuana would send the wrong message to children and add to the burdens faced by young people already dealing with academic and psychological problems. He also noted that he had never tried marijuana himself because it is illegal.
Rep. Jared Sullivan, the prime sponsor of the bill, argued that it would stop the unnecessary arrest of people for possessing a substance that is legal in surrounding states. He pointed out that people are already consuming marijuana in New Hampshire, but are being arrested and having their rights and lives disrupted as a result.
The bill does not address the issue of sales, instead focusing on legalizing possession. It includes provisions banning smoking marijuana in public and is modeled after a similar bill passed in Vermont, which first legalized possession of the drug and later approved a system for its sale.
Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, urged the committee to support the bill, arguing that it would treat adults like grown-ups who can make their own decisions about a substance that is safer than alcohol. She noted that polls consistently show that a majority of New Hampshire residents support legalizing marijuana.
The bill will now move to the full Senate for a vote, where it is unlikely to pass given the opposition of Governor Ayotte and the Republican majority.
