The New Hampshire House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee last week recommended passage of legislation that would end marijuana prohibition in the state, and regulate cannabis for adults 21 years of age and older.
The committee’s 10-9 vote in favor of HB 481 marked the first time it has approved such legislation. It issued negative recommendations of similar bills in 2018 (HB 656) and 2014 (HB 492), which had to be overturned by the full House before it approved them.
In the language of the legislation, adults who are 21 and older would be allowed to:
- Possess and give away up to one ounce of cannabis, five grams of concentrated cannabis, and infused products with 500 milligrams of THC outside of the home
- Securely cultivate up to six plants, three of which could be mature (with a household limit of 12 total, six mature), and possess the cannabis produced by the plants at home
“We applaud the committee for recognizing that marijuana prohibition is an outdated and increasingly unpopular policy that has failed to accomplish its public health and safety objectives,” says Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. “It’s time for New Hampshire to adopt a more sensible system in which cannabis is legal for adults 21 and older and regulated in order to protect consumers and the public.”
