It’s been a minute since my last post, and a lot has happened in the New Hampshire cannabis space since then. From medical bills progressing, to adult use cannabis becoming closer to reality for New Hampshire.
Adult Use Legalization
Recently, topics and conversations around adult use legalization have been heating up. HB1633, which is labeled as New Hampshire’s best chance of legalizing cannabis this session is currently going through the House Finance committee as they deliberate the bill further.
It’s a fact that the citizens of New Hampshire want legal cannabis, but is HB1633 the right way to go about this? Let’s break down in my opinion the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Ugly
No Home Grow
Currently, HB1633 doesn’t include fundamental aspects of common-sense legalization. In its current text, HB1633 will not permit home cultivation of cannabis. It’s important to note that even with a state ran liquor model, New Hampshire citizens over the age of 21 can produce their own alcohol at home in excess quantities.
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Home grow has been permitted from the get-go in neighboring states like Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Additionally, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island.
New Hampshire will be going from an island of prohibition, to an island of arresting people for home cultivation under HB1633.
Public Consumption Penalties
Along with the lack of home grow, there are also stark penalties for public consumption in HB1633.
For the first offense, you will receive a violation and must forfeit all cannabis and cannabis products on your person.
For the second offense, you will receive another violation, forfeit all cannabis and cannabis products, and then you will receive an additional $500 fine.
The third offense is where it all goes wrong. If you receive a three or more violations within 5 years, you will be found guilty of a misdemeanor which can lead up to a year in jail.
Why are public consumption penalties bad?
These public consumption penalties are harmful to cannabis consumers for various reasons.
As we’ve seen in neighboring states, some landlords take an aggressive approach to cannabis odor and smoking in general. This leads cannabis consumers to leave their property and smoke in public.
Having these public consumption penalties would cause great harm to tenants who are looking to consume without risk of losing their place of living.
Additionally, there’s a lack of data on the impact of second hand cannabis smoke beyond just individual preference.
In my opinion, if we’re not policing cigarette smokers we shouldn’t police cannabis consumers on public nuisance alone.
This isn’t to say if some asshole is blowing smoke in peoples faces that shouldn’t be addressed, but in my experience those instances are few and far between.
The Bad
HB1633 would legalize commercial sales of cannabis through private franchises. The downside to this is, at rollout there will be only 15 licenses granted. Where those 15 stores end up is up in the air at this time.
In HB1633, that decision is up to the town and city voters on if they want to ‘opt-in’ to the sale of cannabis.
Is 15 stores really increasing access?
In all honesty, yes. It may not be ideal or what business owners would want, but I believe there are ways we can make the most of the 15 stores and that starts with limiting the impact of big corporate cannabis in New Hampshire.
With that in mind, there are great concerns with access for New Hampshire citizens in the North Country, who could still be looking at significant distances to and from their closest cannabis retailer.
Which is another reason home grow is so important.
The Good
Cannabis will be legal and a chunk of New Hampshire citizens will be able to access regulated cannabis.
Currently, HB1633 is as close to what Governor Chris Sununu wants to see in a legalized cannabis bill in order to sign it.
New Hampshire Cannabis Boycott
While HB1633 is a good start for politicians looking to add cannabis legalization to their resumes, it’s a pretty bad bill for the general population of cannabis consumers in New Hampshire.
I’ve started a New Hampshire Cannabis Boycott. Which is just stating that unless some compromises are pro-consumer, members of the cannabis community will be boycotting the New Hampshire market.
Currently we are sitting at 92% in support of the boycott.
You can sign up by clicking here. No name is required, just a zip code.
Till next time,
NHCannaPatient
The Patient Perspective 
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