New Hampshire House of Representatives passed bills legalizing marijuana, decriminalizing the possession of and use of Psilocybin among adults, and doubling the amount of medicinal cannabis available to state-registered medical cannabis patients.
On Wednesday morning, members voted for HB 198 from Rep. Jared Sullivan, which allows adults over 21 to have up to 2 ounces marijuana flower and 10 grams concentrate, and up to 2,000 mg of THC per other cannabis product.
Home cultivation and retail sales of marijuana will remain illegal. Cannabis consumption on public land will also be illegal.
A vote of 208-125 cleared the legislation in the Senate.
It’s 2025. “Let’s stop arresting and ruining lives of people for possessing cannabis. Many states have legalized it in this country,” Sullivan stated ahead of the voting.
The President noted that there appears to be consensus on the legalization of cannabis, though there are still lingering differences over how to regulate the market.
He said: “Once it’s legalized, we can have the debate about whether we want a model based on private industry or a model governed by the state.” We’re stuck in the weeds on these issues and most people seem to agree we should make it legal.
On Wednesday, the House also approved HB 528 from Rep. Kevin Verville. In its current format, it would reduce penalties in relation to psilocybin.
According to the plan, first-time psilocybin offenders would receive a $100 fine or lower.
The second and third offenses would fall under class B misdemeanors. They could be punished with fines up to $1,000 and $500 respectively. However, there is no jail sentence. Fourth and subsequent offences would still be felonies.
As the law is currently written, sales and distribution are still prohibited. The reform will only affect “anyone 18 years or older” who purchases, acquires, transports or uses the drug.
As originally introduced, the legislation would have completely removed penalties around obtaining, purchasing, transporting, possessing or using psilocybin, effectively legalizing it on a noncommercial basis. A House Committee amended the bill, before it was unanimously passed earlier in this month.
Verville said to MEDCAN24 the passage by the House of his psilocybin law is “an historical, albeit small step on our journey towards correcting 60 years’ worth of clearly failed policy regarding psychedelics.”
He said: “This bipartisan and common-sense legislation will put an end to the terror that has plagued people for decades of being a felon because they possess mushrooms which grow in New Hampshire, North America or anywhere else on the planet.” “Our battle is still not over. “Our fight is far from over.”
Heath Howard’s (D) HB 190 was also passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday. It would have increased the medical marijuana possession limit to 4 ounces for patients and caregivers. Purchase limits of two ounces for patients would increase to four ounces.
The bills on psilocybin expansion and medical marijuana were approved as part of the consent calendar, without debate or a vote by roll-call. The Senate will now consider all three reform bills that were passed by the House.
Another cannabis-related proposal, meanwhile, is set for action in the House this week: HB 380, from Rep. Suzanne Vail (D)—to adjust penalties around sales of medical cannabis to people who are not qualifying patients or caregivers.
A Senate committee heard testimony earlier this week on four bills passed by the House that deal with cannabis. These included plans for medical home-grow, annulment of previous convictions, legalization of adult use, and the ability to allow existing dispensaries to buy commercial hemp-cannabinoids.
New Hampshire’s governor, Kelly Ayotte is widely believed to be against adult use legalization. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican senator from New Hampshire, would oppose any bill legalizing adult use that made it before her this year. A former U.S. senator and state attorney general, Ayotte said repeatedly on the campaign trail last year that she would oppose efforts at adult-use legalization.
New Hampshire lawmakers nearly passed legislation last session that would have legalized and regulated marijuana for adults—a proposal that then-Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican politician from New Hampshire, had said he would support the proposal. This proposal was ultimately defeated by a dispute over the way in which it would be run. House Democrats narrowly voted to table it at the last minute, taking issue with the proposal’s state-controlled franchise model, which would have given the state unprecedented sway over retail stores and consumer prices.
A poll from last June found that almost two thirds (65 percent) of New Hampshire residents supported legalizing marijuana. Nearly the same number (61%) of residents said they also supported HB 1633, the failed legalization measure from last session.
A Poll finds that three out of four marijuana consumers say they trust products from licensed retailers to be free of contaminants.
Kristie Gianpulos is the photographer of this image.