Marijuana Policy Project

NEWPORT — The debate over the legalization of marijuana has sparked much interest after the New Hampshire House voted Tuesday to approve the decriminalization of marijuana in small amounts.

"We were just shocked that it went through," Rep. Beverly Rodeschin, D-Newport, said. "I am strongly, strongly opposed to it."

Rodeschin and Rep. Brenda Ferland, I-Charlestown, were the only two state representatives from Sullivan County who opposed the bill that passed 193-141 making possession of less than one-quarter of an ounce of marijuana a violation subject to a $200 fine.

The bill must now pass the senate before it heads to the desk of Governor John Lynch who said he will not sign the bill.

"I don't think it will go beyond the Senate," Rodeschin said.

Scott Burns, the deputy director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, denounced the move by the legislature.

"Decriminalizing the illegal and highly addictive drug-marijuana-sends the wrong message to New Hampshire's youth, students, parents, public health officials and the law enforcement community," Burns said.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, according to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. An estimated 97.8 million Americans aged 12 or older have tried marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, representing almost 40 percent of the U.S. population in that age group.

And according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about one in six 10th grade students are current users of marijuana. The NIDA defines current user as a person who has used the drug within the past month.

Rep. Peter Franklin, D-Newport, was one of the county legislators who supported the bill.

"I think that the way we treat marijuana and alcohol are very different and I think we fail to accomplish what is best for society by the harsh way in which we deal with marijuana," Franklin said. "The damage that is done to society by alcohol is far greater and far more wide spread than with marijuana."

State senator Bob Odell, R-Lempster, said he plans to vote against the bill when it comes before the senate.

"When it comes to the floor I'm going to vote against it," Odell said. "I understand it will be soundly defeated."

Odell said the bill will first go before a senate committee then to the senate floor for a vote within the next six weeks.

County Attorney Marc Hathaway, the top law enforcement official in the county, said he does not agree with the legislature's decision.

"I believe that decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana is the wrong approach from a law enforcement perspective and a societal perspective," Hathaway said. "The use of marijuana has a high correlation to the use of other drugs."

Hathaway said he believes the criminal justice system should focus on addressing the issue of addiction and treatment.

"The decriminalization of marijuana substantially removes the ability to intervene," Hathaway said. "We in the criminal justice system need to address addiction as the appropriate wave of the future."

As for the argument by lawmakers that one bad decision of possession of marijuana will adversely affect a person's ability to get financial aid, Hathaway suggests changing other laws.

"If you think this shouldn't follow you around, change the annulment statute," Hathaway said.

Franklin said one of the reasons he voted in favor of the bill was because he thinks society needs to take a different approach when it comes to marijuana.

"This bill is only a part of the reevaluation of how we regard the use of marijuana," Franklin said. "I don't think it's just for the person, particularly young people, or for society to have penalties which have such a great impact for the rest of the life of that person."