New Hampshire legislators appear to be stuck in a deadlock over legislation that would legalize marijuana via a multi-tiered system consisting of state-controlled shops, privately-operated agency shops and dual licensed medical cannabis dispensaries. The issue will be revisited later in the year, now that the governor has reaffirmed his support for a cannabis market controlled by the state.
At a Tuesday meeting, the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee refused to take action on a new proposal from John Hunt (R). Members instead advanced a unrelated underlying measure that dealt with payments for alcohol licenses unamended. They plan to continue working with a separate, stand-alone measure to create a cannabis market controlled by the state that was previously retained by the panel.
In September or October, when the lawmakers reconvene to prepare for possible floor actions early in 2024, it is expected that the committee will revisit that legislation – which currently calls for Liquor Commissions to operate adult-use cannabis shops – in work sessions.
The chairman then suggested that the members attach a revised bill amendment that would create a hybridized model of sales that would resolve the contradictory language which derailed the last attempt.
Legislators and advocates raised the issue during the two previous committee hearings that the proposed amendement seemed to suggest three different routes for sales: state-run shops controlled and operated by the Liquor Commission; state agency shops run by private licensed individuals; and dual licensing of the existing medical cannabis dispensaries in the state. The amendment included language that explicitly stated that all adult use sales would be run by the government.
The committee, rather than amend the bill that is unrelated to alcohol payments, decided not to do so on Tuesday. Members said they would return to the state-run legalization legislation in a few month’s time.
The chairman welcomed the idea of introducing a cannabis amendment to the alcohol payments legislation, or to other low-risk bills in the House within the next few weeks. He cautioned them that the Senate would not likely approve it at this time.
Matt Simon, Director of Public and Government Relations at Prime Alternative Treatment Centers in New Hampshire, said to Marijuana Moment, that industry stakeholders had “suggested clarifying” the language to make it clearer that they were working to establish a “three legged stool” consisting of state-run shops, privately-run agency stores and existing medical cannabis dispensaries.
“If it is a three-legged stools, I said this could be a good compromise. He said that it seemed to be trying to be a three-legged and one-legged chair in the same amendement. “I still don’t understand whether this is a three-legged or one-legged chair.”
(Disclosure – Simon supports Marijuana Moment through a pledge every month on Patreon.
It’s important to move quickly on this reform proposal, given that Gov. Chris Sununu , a Republican, recently supported legalizing marijuana through a state run model. There’s also some skepticism regarding the regulatory concept. Some lawmakers would prefer to create a private market. This was the approach that a separate bill by bipartisan leadership, passed the House but was defeated in the Senate earlier this month.
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Last year, a bill passed by the House to legalize marijuana using the state model failed unanimously in the Senate. The Senate approved separate legislation this month for a study committee to examine possible legalization models. It seems that there will be a more robust discussion in the months to come about ending prohibition.
The House also rejected a separate marijuana legalization bill that was proposed in conjunction with a Medicaid expansion measure this month.
The Senate also moved to introduce another piece of legislation in this month, which would have allowed designated caregivers and patients to grow up to 12 seedlings, 3 immature plants, and three mature plants for their own therapeutic use.
After the Senate rejected reform legislation in 2022 the House included legalization as an amendment to separate criminal-justice-related legislation, but this was also rejected in the opposing chamber.
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The article New Hampshire lawmakers punt on state-run marijuana legalization proposal first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
