Pubdate: Thu, 27 Mar 2014
Source: Concord Monitor (NH)
Copyright: 2014 Monitor Publishing Company
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/WbpFSdHB
Website: http://www.concordmonitor.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/767
Author: Kathleen Ronayne

N.H. HOUSE STRONGLY DEFEATS BILL TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA

The New Hampshire House voted against legalizing marijuana 192-140 
yesterday, marking a significant shift after passing the bill by 
eight votes in January. After that vote, the bill went to the Ways 
and Means Committee, which recommended killing it after studying 
regulation and taxing aspects of the bill.

The Senate was nearly certain to block the bill, and Democratic Gov. 
Maggie Hassan had promised to veto any bill legalizing marijuana. 
Hassan signed a medical marijuana bill last year, and last month the 
House passed a bill to decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of 
marijuana. Opponents of legalization said the state should take small 
steps when it comes to marijuana. Hassan has already said she's 
unlikely to sign a decriminalization bill.

"Good public policy means taking one step at a time," said Rep. Donna 
Schlachman, an Exeter Democrat.

A certain death didn't stop supporters from making a passionate case 
for legalizing the drug. Rep. Steve Vaillancourt, a Manchester 
Republican and the bill's prime sponsor, spoke for 30 minutes about 
what he thinks are misconceptions about the drug and the revenue it 
could bring into New Hampshire. A February poll by the UNH Survey 
Center showed 53 percent of people support legalizing marijuana for 
recreational use. Legalizing, regulating and taxing the drug is the 
best way to ensure safe use, Vaillancourt said.

"This is the only way to break the back of the black market," he said.

Rep. Romeo Danais, a Nottingham Republican, encouraged his colleagues 
to challenge their own misperceptions about the drug. Marijuana is 
not a gateway drug, he said, but people who buy it from drug dealers 
might be more easily exposed to harder drugs. Just as with alcohol, 
legalizing marijuana doesn't mean people would be allowed to drive or 
show up to work under its influence, he said.

"Just because it's legal does not mean that anyone would use it," Danais said.

Danais and Vaillancourt both pointed to Colorado, which recently 
legalized marijuana by voter referendum, to show the possible tax 
revenue from legalization. Colorado's governor estimated his state 
would see $100 million in tax revenue this year. In New Hampshire, 
some of the new revenue could go toward educating young people about 
marijuana use, Danais said. Creating a system of regulation would 
also create jobs, Vaillancourt said.

But opponents of the bill said no state agency testified in favor of 
legalizing marijuana during a public hearing. The system of 
regulation and taxation in the bill would have involved the 
departments of Revenue Administration, Safety, Health and Human 
Services, Agriculture and the Liquor Commission. The Liquor 
Commission said it wouldn't sell marijuana in state liquor stores, 
said Rep. Patrick Abrami, a Stratham Republican.

Furthermore, opponents said selling marijuana would be a cash-only 
business because banks would not accept money from marijuana 
transactions. The bill also raised questions about people growing 
their own marijuana and making "edibles," or marijuana baked into 
food. Several opponents said New Hampshire should see how 
legalization pans out in Colorado and Washington state before moving 
forward with a similar plan.

"I don't think New Hampshire wants to be known as the 'East Coast pot 
state,' " said Rep. Mary Cooney, a Plymouth Democrat.

The Senate has not yet scheduled a hearing for the House's marijuana 
decriminalization bill.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom