Committee Backs Medical Marijuana Bill
John Distaso
April 23, 2009
The Union-Leader (NH)
Concord – The Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted Thursday afternoon to recommend that the full Senate pass legislation making New Hampshire the 14th state to allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
The bill, which passed the House last month, is expected to be on the Senate floor for a vote next week.
Faced with concerns from Gov. John Lynch on how distribution would be controlled, the committee decided to have the issue reviewed after medical marijuana is legalized. It adopted an amendment that would create a committee to study "issues related to creating a statewide system for the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana." The committee would issue a report by May 1, 2010.
If passed the bill would take effect on Jan. 1, 2010.
The committee vote was 4-1, with Republican John Gallus joining Democrats Molly Kelly, Kathleen Sgambati and Peggy Gilmour in favor. Republican Michael Downing was opposed. | 
