N.H. Gov. Sununu signs medical cannabis expansion bill into law

Good news! On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB 605 into law, adding opiate use disorder to New Hampshire’s medical cannabis program and allowing visiting patients to purchase cannabis while in the state. 

Opiate use disorder will only qualify if the patient was certified “by a board certified addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry provider who is actively treating the patient for opioid use disorder” and if the patient has “associated symptoms of cravings and/or withdrawal.”

Meanwhile, patients who are visiting from other medical cannabis states can begin buying cannabis in New Hampshire starting on September 7. They may only buy cannabis from New Hampshire ATCs (dispensaries) three times in a 12-month period unless they produce a statement from their health care provider stating that they have a condition listed under New Hampshire law. 

The governor previously signed SB 162, which makes tweaks to the medical cannabis law, including allowing New Hampshire-registered patients to go to any ATC beginning on September 7 instead of requiring them to designate a single ATC. Patients are still limited to two ounces every 10 days and can have their ID cards revoked if they exceed the limit.

ATCs will be allowed to cultivate up to three mature plants per patient in the program, replacing the limit of three mature plants per patient who designated it. SB 162 also removes the five-patient cap on caregivers and allows medical providers to specify that a patient ID card is valid for up to three years. 

While we’re glad to see New Hampshire’s cannabis policies continue improving, they lag far behind the state’s neighbors and voters’ wishes. New Hampshire is an island of prohibition, surrounded by jurisdictions where cannabis is legal for adults. Unfortunately, Gov. Chris Sununu is a prohibitionist, and the Senate has repeatedly killed legalization efforts. Let your lawmakers know it’s past time the state stop punishing adults for using a plant that is safer than alcohol.