New Hampshire Legislature to Hold Hearing on Marijuana Legalization Next Week

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In exactly one week, on September 12, a New Hampshire legislative committee will hold a public hearing on the legalization of marijuana.

Specifically, the public hearing will be on House Bill 544, which is set for a “full committee work session” on September 12 at 10:00 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building, Rooms 302-304. House Bill 544, filed in January 2023 by five Democrats, would legalize marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol, including a putting control of the legal marijuana market in the hands of the state liquor commission.

According to recent polling , 65% of New Hampshire residents are in favor of legalizing marijuana for everyone 21 and older, indicating strong public backing.

The hearing comes three months after the New Hampshire House of Representatives narrowly rejected a similar legalization measure (House Bill 1633) by a vote of 178 to 173. House Bill 1633 has already passed the full Senate when it was rejected by the House, and Governor Sununu (R) said he would sign it into law if it reached his desk, making the House’s rejection of the bill a particularly crushing blow to many legalization proponents.

However, there were some legalization proponents that praised the bill’s downfall, criticism the specific’s of the bill, in particular the fact that it would have established state-operated marijuana outlets.

Last month, Governor Sununu signed a bill that expands access to medical marijuana, making it available for all qualifying conditions.

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