Despite overwhelming testimony from New Hampshire residents in favor of cannabis legalization at Wednesday’s hearing, the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 14-7 to “retain” both legalization bills. As a result, the House will avoid voting on cannabis legalization until 2022, and adults who consume cannabis will continue being fined and arrested for at least another year.
Two legalization bills have been introduced in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, and both have been scheduled for hearings in the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on Wednesday, January 27, beginning at 11 a.m. The hearings will be conducted via Zoom, which means it will be easier than ever for Granite Staters to support ending cannabis prohibition.
There is increasing momentum for Delaware to move forward with legalization this year. Several seats were flipped in the General Assembly last November, and there are now 15 states — including Delaware’s neighbor, New Jersey — that have legalized cannabis for adults. Rep. Ed Osienski, sponsor of the 2020 legalization bill, plans to introduce a bill again this session.