A coalition of civil rights and policy groups, cannabis industry professionals, and New Hampshire activists have crafted a 2023 cannabis legalization bill. A revised version of the bill was filed by New Hampshire’s House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) and cosponsored by the House Democratic Leader Matt Wilhelm (D-Manchester).
The bipartisan bill would allow adults who are over the age of 21 to possess up to four ounces of cannabis. It includes home cultivation, state-licensed private cultivation and retail sales, health and safety regulations, and annulment. It would take a free market approach to the industry and avoid excessive fees, capped and scored applications, and similar barriers to entry. It applies the existing 8.5% meals and rooms tax to cannabis and dedicates the proceeds to unfunded pension liabilities, then education (which may result in property tax relief); substance abuse prevention and treatment; and police training to detect impaired drivers.
Here is a summary of key provisions:
Adult-Use Cultivation and Possession
Adults who are 21 and older would be allowed to:
Prohibited Conduct and Penalties
Preserving and Integrating the Medical Cannabis Program
Local Control
Private Employers and Private Property
Limited Non-Discrimination Protections
Taxation, Fees, and Distributing the Revenue
Annulment and Resentencing for Past Convictions
Timeline
Miscellaneous
Changes from the Coalition Draft
The bill crafted by the cannabis coalition included some provisions, which were omitted from the bill House Majority Leader Osborne filed. The provisions would have: