New Hampshire’s House of Representatives approved a bill that allows medical marijuana patients to grow their plants for personal use.
After moving through the committee , Weeks saw the legislation passed by the full chamber . Rep. Wendy Thomas (D-HyperText) was able to voice vote on Wednesday as part of an uncontested consent calendar.
Now, the Senate is reviewing the measure which would allow patients and their designated caregivers to grow up to three mature plants, three adult plants, and twelve seedlings.
The plants would need to be kept in an “enclosed, secure space”, which would be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The bill would allow the state to grow more cannabis for patients. It would increase the maximum number of mature plants allowed, as well as 160 immature plants and unlimited seedlings. The current limit is 80 plants and 160 seeds.
The majority report from the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee states that “this bill addresses two major issues for this community–access and cost.” The Alternative Treatment Center (ATC), which may be further away, is expensive. A majority of therapeutic cannabis patients will continue purchasing their product from ATCs. Those who wish to grow their own cannabis will be able purchase seedlings from ATCs or grow from their own seeds.
Voted in favor by the Consent Calendar -HB 431 Therapeutic home-grow now goes to the Senate
We are one step closer. We are one step closer to this. Let us not take our foot off the gas until we get this signed#NHPolitics #Cannabis pic.twitter.com/ZvUBzoXeGT
— NH State Rep. Wendy E. N Thomas March 22, 2023
Marijuana Moment was told by Matt Simon, the director of public relations and government relations at Prime Alternative Treatment Centers in New Hampshire that this is the 11th bill for medical cannabis home grows to be passed in the House since 2009.
He said, “Patients have waited far too long for home cultivating to become legalized in the ‘Live Free or Die” state.” “Perhaps home-growing has been made legal for both patients and adults in all other New England states, so it is now that it will be law in New Hampshire.
(Disclosure: Simon supports Marijuana Moment through a monthly donation on Patreon.
The House has just approved a second cannabis legalization bill. This bill contains almost no restrictions or limitations.
A separate bill was passed by the chamber , which included comprehensive legalization and taxation measures . It was sponsored last month by bipartisan leaders.
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Now, all eyes will be on the Senate to see which type of vehicle members decide to move forward with.
Many advocates would prefer the commercial legalization bill of Majority Leader Jason Osborne and Minority Leader Matthew Wilhelm (D), as it would allow regulated access, generate revenue, and support many agencies and programs within the state.
The measure passed the House but was sent to the Ways & Means Committee where it will be considered and then resubmitted to the floor for consideration before being submitted to the Senate. The panel met with state officials Monday to work on the measure and will vote next week.
Advocates still have a lot of work to do, despite optimism regarding the possibility that legalization will finally move in the Granite State this January.
After last year’s election the Republicans retained both the Senate and the House. The Senate is where marijuana reform faced its most difficult obstacles in the past sessions, even though the House has approved numerous legalization bills.
Two House reform bills were rejected by the Senate last year. One would have created a noncommercial cannabis program, while another would have allowed commerce to take place under a state-run model.
There were some shifts in the Senate that supported reform. A Democratic senator opposed to legalization was replaced by a Republican member of the House who voted for ending prohibition in his time as a House Member.
Gov. Gov. During a debate last summer, he stated that reform was “could become inevitable” but that states must be “patient about how you do it.”
After two reform bills were rejected by the Senate last year, the House added legalization language to separate criminal justice-related legislation. was also defeated in the opposing chamber.
The measure for non-commercial legalization that was defeated had been passed by the House under Democratic control, but was rejected in the Senate at committee stage.
Separate bills were also filed by lawmakers to legalize marijuana on the state’s ballot in 2022, but they were rejected by the House.
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Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
The post New Hampshire House passes Medical Marijuana Homes Grow Bill as Broader Legalization Also Advances was first published on Marijuana Moment.
