Marijuana Policy Project

Veto Day, Oct. 28, is shaping up to be a very busy one in Concord.

Members of the House are holding a food drive for the New Hampshire Food Bank. There will be fundraisers and candidate announcements, not to mention an override vote on Gov. John Lynch's medical marijuana veto.

Key House members, led by Rep. David Hess, R-Hooksett, are hosting a breakfast reception for U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Ayotte in the State House cafeteria. Later in the day, Rep. David Boutin, R-Hooksett, unveils a coalition of about 90 legislators who support his bid to replace Sen. Ted Gatsas, should Gatsas be elected mayor of Manchester on Nov. 3. Democratic senators plan a morning fundraiser.

One wild card for the day is the marijuana bill, not so much for how it will turn out, but who will turn out. Since the veto, the center of Keene went into a blue haze over the past couple of weeks over a proposed local decriminalization ordinance. A lot of the people passing the pipe in Keene are students who could easily decide to visit Concord on Oct. 28 just to make a point.

Cancer patients and their families who backed the bill are a dedicated lot who have been on hand for key votes before, and are angry over the veto and could also turn out.

Given past Senate votes, the veto is likely to stand. Lynch also vetoed a bill on letting retired judges sit after they reach age 70, one expanding marital master powers and one on pre-paid oil contracts.

Marijuana debates are not going away. Rep. Evalyn Merrick, D-Lancaster, bill sponsor, plans to introduce a second medical marijuana bill in January and Rep. Beth Rodd, D-Bradford, is sponsoring a decriminalization bill. It would still be illegal to possess small amounts, but it would be a violation that would not create a criminal record.

Rodd said although police say they don't bring criminal charges now for possession of small amounts, "I think it's probably better to have laws that are enforced."