Editor’s Update! On July 18, 2017, Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB 640, a marijuana decriminalization bill, into law. Under the new law, effective September 16, 2017, penalties for possessing three quarters of an ounce or less of marijuana are reduced from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil violation punishable only by a fine. Here is a great article for learning more about New England Marijuana Laws.
Few things get my goat more than when we see liberties expand in New Hampshire – as we saw recently with Constitutional Carry – and then the naysayers respond on Facebook with some version of “Still can’t grow weed,” or “Legalize MJ then I’ll move.”
Besides the giant red flag of demanding that other people expand your liberties for you before you commit to moving, it is frustrating when you consider how many years Granite State activists have been working on marijuana reform. An early mover posted the following in response to one such comment, and I thought it would be good to share for educational purposes:
- 1997, HB118 – Decrim <1½ oz.; killed in House
- 1998, HB1559 – Legal medical; killed in House
- 1999, HB87 – Decrim <1 oz.; killed in House (219-142)
- 2000, HB202 – Legal medical; interim study
- 2001, HB721 – Legal medical; killed in House (223-101)
- 2005, HB197 – Decrim all amounts; killed in House (295-60)
- 2005, HB238 – Legal medical; killed in House (252-116)
- 2007, HB92 – Decrim all amounts; died in House
- 2007, HB774 – Legal medical; killed in House (186-177)
- 2008, HB1623 – Decrim <¼ oz.; passed House (193-141); killed in Senate
- 2009, HB555 – Decrim <1 oz.; killed in House
- 2009, HB648 – Legal medical; passed House (234-138); passed Senate with amendment (14-10); revised in Committee of Conference; passed House (232-108); passed Senate (14-10); vetoed by governor; veto overridden in House (240-115); veto override failed in Senate (14-10)
- 2010, HB1652 – Legalize <1 oz.; interim study
- 2010, HB1653 – Decrim <¼ oz.; passed House (214-137); killed in Senate
- 2011, HB442 – Legal medical; passed House with amendment; died in Senate
- 2012, HB1526 – Decrim <½ oz.; passed House (162-161); killed in Senate
- 2012, HB1527 – Legal growing; killed in House
- 2012, HB1705 – Legalize <1 oz.; killed in House (228-89)
- 2012, SB409 – Legal medical; passed Senate with amendment (13-11); passed House as amended (236-96); vetoed by governor; veto override failed in Senate (13-10)
- 2013, HB337 – Legalize all amounts; killed in House (239-112)
- 2013, HB621 – Decrim <¼ oz.; passed House with amendment (136-193); killed in Senate
- 2014, HB492 – Legalize <1 oz.; killed in House (192-140)
- 2014, HB1625 – Decrim <1 oz.; passed House with amendment (215-92); died in Senate
- 2015, HB150 – Commission to study legalization; passed House; killed in Senate
- 2015, HB618 – Decrim <1 oz.; passed House with amendment (297-67); died in Senate
- 2016, HB1610 – Legalize <2 oz.; died in House
- 2016, HB1631 – Decrim <½ oz.; passed House (104-193); killed in Senate (14-10)
- 2016, HB1675 – Legalize <2.2 lb.; killed in House
- 2016, HB1694 – Legalize <1 oz.; killed in House (190-112)
- 2017, HB215 – Commission to study legalization; report filed
- 2017, HB640 – Decrim <1 oz.; report filed
- 2017, HB656 – Legalize <1 oz.; report filed
- 2017, SB233 – Legalize <1 oz.; in committee
New Hampshire is the only place in America where a marijuana legalization bill was contemplated by a legislative body and passed. Every other state where liberalization has occurred, it’s been through citizens’ or ballot initiatives. This tells you something about New Hampshire’s citizen legislature, where representatives receive only $100 per year in salary. Instead of asking what others should do for you to move, come join the fun, and on top of the support of a dynamic community, you can take pride in knowing you are leading a purpose-driven life. Liberty in OUR Lifetime is up to us all individually.