N.H.: tax and regulate bill sent for interim study; Wednesday vote on study commission bill

Published: February 5, 2010

On Wednesday, February 3, 2010, the New Hampshire House of Representatives took a groundbreaking step towards considering ending marijuana prohibition and replacing it with a regulated system. The House voted 272-76 to agree with a committee’s 16-2 recommendation that it study H.B. 1652, a bill that would tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol.

The bill came only two votes shy of passing the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee outright, and one supporter was absent. Only one legislative committee in the country has ever voted in favor of ending marijuana prohibition — in California this January. Wednesday’s House vote is a promising sign that New Hampshire’s lawmakers are willing to seriously discuss the possibility of ending marijuana prohibition in the Granite State, and it comes at a time when Americans are increasingly supportive of a new approach.

But the 2010 session has more in store for New Hampshire. On Wednesday, February 10, the House will consider HB 1373, a bill that would establish a committee to study current state and federal drug laws. Although the bill calls for study of all drug laws, it is an excellent opportunity to bring the subject of marijuana prohibition in particular into the spotlight for New Hampshire legislators.

Please call your representatives and ask them to vote YES on HB 1373 this Wednesday.

HB 1373 was supported in committee by testimony from Richard Van Wickler, superintendent of the Cheshire County Department of Corrections. You can view his testimony here.

After you have called your representatives, please pass this alert along to friends and family who are also interested in improving New Hampshire’s marijuana laws. Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project and the New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy.