The state's medical marijuana program has been up and running for nearly eight months, and now some lawmakers are looking to expand the program in 2017. Eleven Legislative Service Requests (LSRs) for the upcoming session -- requests submitted by legislators to have bills drafted -- relate to therapeutic cannabis. Rep. Renny Cushing, D-Hampton, is sponsoring a measure to allow patients to cultivate therapeutic cannabis for their own use. The idea was a sticking point in the original debate about starting a program here. Gov. Maggie Hassan and the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police opposed a grow-your-own provision, so the law was passed without it. [continues 405 words]
To the good citizens of Pittsfield: Just got back from town meeting, and this is what I tried to say. 1) Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Washington, D.C., have allowed marijuana use. Pittsfield will not be outdone. 2) No one is going to the emergency room over marijuana in Pittsfield. 3) 223,671 Granite Staters 21 percent of adults, according to the state use marijuana. There were 870,000 arrested for marijuana in this country, and last year 60 were serving life in prison. Makes me wanna puke. This is a civil rights issue. 4) The police have the power to lock us up. The people have to the power to protest. I'm done with town meeting. The time has come to protest. See you on April 20. Pittsfield [end]
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - As New Hampshire lawmakers decide whether to allow needle exchange programs, some of the biggest debate has been over how to handle the smallest amounts of drugs. Under current law, hypodermic needles and syringes can be dispensed only by pharmacists, and possessing a syringe containing any amount of heroin or other controlled drug is a felony. But faced with the state's growing drug crisis, the Legislature is considering a bill that would both clear the way for programs that allow drug users to swap dirty syringes for clean ones and would decriminalize residual amounts of drugs in syringes. It passed the House on Wednesday and now heads to the Senate. [continues 206 words]
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Gov. Maggie Hassan tapped New Hampshire's top drug prosecutor Monday to oversee the state's response to the ongoing opioid and heroin crisis. James Vara is a senior assistant attorney general who has led the drug prosecution unit for three years. He primarily deals with felony drug prosecutions and drug-related death cases. He is expected to take on the role of Governor's Advisor on Addiction and Behavioral Health, sometimes informally known as the 'drug czar,' in early April. He also sits on the opioid task force of the Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Recovery. [continues 273 words]
HOOKSETT, N.H. - Republican presidential contender Jeb Bush called drug addiction one of America's "soft underbellies" and said the fight against it should be a "national calling." His speech at a New Hampshire forum came on the same day he published an online essay detailing his daughter's struggle with prescription-medicine abuse. Bush, a former Florida governor, favors expanding so-called drug courts rather than sentencing first offenders to jail. He said his daughter Noelle's graduation from one such programs was as much a milestone in her life as her community college commencement. [continues 419 words]
2016 Candidates Asked to Address Drug Abuse Crisis MANCHESTER, N.H. - Zach Brewster had a long history of addiction and was dealing drugs after flunking out of college. One night he injected a cocktail of cocaine and heroin and stopped breathing. He was taken by ambulance to the emergency room of the suburban hospital that employed his parents, where they were told their son might not survive the night. When he pulled through, his parents thought the scare might make him serious about recovery. [continues 996 words]
Anguished Voters Tell of Drug Use in Their Families MANCHESTER, N.H. - Zach Brewster had a long history of addiction and was dealing drugs after flunking out of college. One night he injected a cocktail of cocaine and heroin and stopped breathing. He was taken by ambulance to the emergency room of the suburban hospital that employed his parents, where they were told their son might not survive the night. When he pulled through, his parents thought the scare might make him serious about recovery. [continues 1133 words]
Drug overdoses have become the second most common cause of death in New Hampshire and could move into the top spot soon, Gov. Maggie Hassan told lawmakers Tuesday as they began tackling the state's substance abuse crisis. Hassan was the first speaker to address a task force that will spend the next six weeks studying the issue and developing bills the Legislature will consider when its new session starts in January. She urged members to consider several proposals, include strengthening the state's prescription monitoring program, reducing the over-prescription of powerful pain medication, providing additional support to law enforcement, and streamlining access to substance abuse treatment and recovery services. [continues 375 words]
We can't solve a problem without knowing its origin. To solve America's drug problem, we have to know the history of the drug war. The drug war did not start with Richard Nixon. It wasn't a Republican idea, or a traditional idea. The drug war was launched before the First World War by utopian Progressive Democrats. Woodrow Wilson signed the first federal drug law in 1914, the Harrison Act. It was intended as a weapon against opiate-using "Orientals." Some doctors supported it because it granted them a prescription monopoly. At first, the Harrison Act only increased the cost of opiates to users. But soon the doctors fell victim as well, as the Harrison Act was used to imprison pain doctors and even those who ran opiate-addiction treatment clinics. [continues 616 words]
NEWTON, N.H. - When Courtney Griffin was using heroin, she lied, disappeared and stole constantly from her parents to support her $400-a-day habit. Her family paid her debts, never filed a police report and kept her addiction secret - until she was found dead last year of an overdose. At Courtney's funeral, they decided to acknowledge the reality that redefined their lives: Their bright, beautiful daughter, only 20, who played the French horn in high school and dreamed of living in Hawaii, had been kicked out of the Marines over drugs. Eventually, she overdosed at her boyfriend's grandmother's house, where she died alone. [continues 905 words]
NEWTON, N.H. - When Courtney Griffin was using heroin, she lied, disappeared, and stole from her parents to support her $400-a-day habit. Her family paid her debts, never filed a police report and kept her addiction secret - until she was found dead last year of an overdose. At Courtney's funeral, they decided to acknowledge the reality that redefined their lives: Their bright, beautiful daughter, just 20, who played the French horn in high school and dreamed of living in Hawaii, had been kicked out of the Marines for drugs. Eventually, she overdosed at her boyfriend's grandmother's house, where she died alone. [continues 2542 words]
Plymouth has been chosen by the state as one of four communities to host the new medical marijuana dispensaries. The residents of Plymouth had no input into this decision. Sanctuary ATC, the Alternative Treatment Center chosen by our state Department of Health and Human Services, approached our town government with a complete proposal for this facility. Our town government had received no prior indication that Plymouth was even being considered. The state and the ATC did their research, anticipated the many objections that would be raised, chose a specific site, and, with the help of their local attorney, slipped under the radar and into our community. It was only then that the town had the ability to hold a public hearing, which was a farce. [continues 131 words]
KEENE, N.H. - When Hillary Rodham Clinton and Jeb Bush made their inaugural visits to New Hampshire this year as presidential candidates, the first question they were asked wasn't about their last names, the economy - or even about an e-mail server. It was about the state's opioid epidemic. One by one, as the candidates march through New Hampshire, they are forced to confront the state's drug crisis through sorrowful, first-hand testimonies of addiction. A recent poll showed the drug crisis ranked second as the biggest issue facing the state - ahead of health care, education, and an unresolved state budget. [continues 929 words]
Seriously, the best reason Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters can give for legalizing marijuana is that the bad guys are making all the money? ("Legal pot is going to happen, Deters says" June 12). I guess we should thank him for being honest. It's obvious this is all about the money. Maybe Deters should check what's happening out in Colorado. According to Forbes magazine: "Using data from the federal government's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, pharmacologist Stacy Salomonsen-Sautel and her co-authors found that the proportion of fatal crashes involving "marijuana-positive drivers was 4.5 percent in the first six months of 1994, 5.9 percent in the first six months of 2009, and 10 percent at the end of 2011. The upward trend accelerated after Colorado regulators rejected restrictions on medical marijuana in July 2009, and there was no similar increase in the 34 states that at the time did not have medical marijuana laws. Meanwhile, the proportion of fatal accidents in which drivers tested positive for alcohol remained about the same." But to Deters it seems to be all about getting his cut of the money. Prostitution is legal in Nevada. Why shouldn't the state get into that business? Michael Schneider, Anderson Township [end]
As the Senate takes up the latest attempt to decriminalize marijuana in New Hampshire, proponents brought in a new ally to lend a voice to their cause: the head of a national coalition of law enforcement officials advocating for drug policy reform. "Decriminalizing marijuana possession by passing HB 618 is a necessary step in the right direction," Neill Franklin, executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, wrote in a recent letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee. "The less time that we as law enforcement spend arresting and prosecuting marijuana users, the more time we can spend keeping our streets safe from violent crime. LEAP strongly supports decriminalizing marijuana to free up limited police resources to deal with more serious crimes." [continues 438 words]
Supply and demand is one of the most fundamental concepts of economics and it is the backbone of a market economy. Demand refers to how much (quantity) of a product or service is desired by buyers. Supply represents how much the market can offer. This basic economic concept is in full play in NH's current illegal drug epidemic. As long as the demand for illegal drugs such as heroin is high, the supply will continue to flow into our state. [continues 664 words]
Supply and demand is one of the most fundamental concepts of economics and it is the backbone of a market economy. Demand refers to how much (quantity) of a product or service is desired by buyers. Supply represents how much the market can offer. This basic economic concept is in full play in New Hampshire's current illegal drug epidemic. As long as the demand for illegal drugs such as heroin is high, the supply will continue to flow into our state. [continues 682 words]
State Rep. Amanda Bouldin is sponsoring HB 270, a bill that will prevent expensive, preventable, and tragic deaths from drug and alcohol overdoses. In the heat of any emergency, people make poor decisions. But every passing second increases the risk of death. Right or wrong, someone else and their families will suffer the deadly consequences of fear and indecision. But it doesn't have to be that way. The solution is simple. And it doesn't cost the taxpayers a penny. [continues 178 words]
As one Newton mother found out, a big part of battling addiction is finding help. Deaths tied to heroin and opiate use are on the rise in New Hampshire, but treatment options are limited. In 2014, at least 213 New Hampshire deaths were drug-related, according to Kim Fallon, the chief medical investigator for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. A number of cases are still pending, she said, so that number could rise. Of those 213 deaths, 53 were from the pain medication fentanyl, 33 were from heroin, 20 involved both heroin and fentanyl, 102 had fentanyl as a contributing drug and 82 had heroin as a contributing factor, Fallon said. [continues 1501 words]
How ridiculous. I just cannot believe that anyone would consider having a marijuana dispensary in Franklin and hype it in the news media. What kind of message does that send to young people? I grew up in the early 1970s. Let me let you in on a little secret: Marijuana is a mind-altering drug. If there is a medical use for marijuana, let the few people in and around Franklin who would benefit go somewhere else and get it. Have you ever known an adolescent who abuses marijuana? Have you checked the dropout rate at the high school lately? When is the last time you have heard of a drug bust on the news that involves heroin or methamphetamine where there isn't also marijuana? [continues 64 words]
Each year in October, the Elks honor the memory of slain DEA Special Agent Enrique S. Camerena with a Red Ribbon Campaign. Camerena was kidnapped, tortured and killed because he was successfully investigating one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. The Elks Drug Awareness Program has launched a national campaign to ask our leaders in Washington to uphold our nation's drug laws and to remind everyone, especially our youth, of the dangers of using any illicit drug. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America has the largest all-volunteer drug awareness program in the country. [continues 96 words]
A SPRINKLING of spice. Random thoughts about the drug spice and the crackdown in Manchester. Manchester doesn't have a spice problem, it has a drug problem. Speak to people in Bronstein Park, and it becomes clear that spice is just one patch in the tapestry of this city's drug culture. Christo Shaw, 28, said users prefer spice because it might mean a clean drug test. "We were always getting in trouble for smoking weed," said Shaw, who is on probation and must submit to drug tests. A stay-at-home mom, Shaw said she stopped smoking spice because of last week's dozens of overdoses. [continues 745 words]
ABC News Show Filmed Portsmouth Police Officers' Battle Against Illicit Drugs The Portsmouth Police Department's war on drugs will be televised. As part of a program about opiate abuse across the country, the ABC News show "20/20" filmed Portsmouth police officers while they went undercover to buy drugs, watched drug deals from afar and made drug busts. Producer Glenn Ruppell said Portsmouth was selected as one of the featured communities for the "20/20" show "because it's exactly the kind of place - a beautiful, safe and prosperous town and popular vacation destination - that too many people think is unlikely to have a drug problem." [continues 684 words]
MANCHESTER - City officials have shut down three convenience stores that allegedly sold the synthetic marijuana "spice" connected to at least 34 overdoses in the last few days. Han's Food Mart, 353 Maple St., Union Street Market, 621 Union St. and TN Convenience, 90 Bridge St., sold a brand called "Smacked" that city officials said is linked to the overdoses, according to Mayor Ted Gatsas. The city closed the stores and revoked the businesses' licenses "for conducting business activities which endanger the public health, welfare, and safety of local residents," Gatsas said in a written statement. [continues 392 words]
DOVER - Members of a new countywide drug task force say the amount of heroin they are seeing on the streets is surprising, even to experienced law enforcement officials. "The volume of heroin we are seeing is at the level of marijuana we dealt with 15 years ago," Sgt. Brandon Drysdale, the task force's commander, recently reported to the Chiefs of Police of Strafford County. Drysdale said Monday that when he started as a police officer in Somersworth 17 years ago, marijuana was the most commonly seen drug for law enforcement officials. Today, heroin, which is cheaper and easy to obtain, has become the drug of choice for many area residents. [continues 309 words]
Police: Many Thefts Tied to Drugs Reports of two brazen burglaries in Derry last week have residents concerned about what area police say is part of a growing trend in Southern New Hampshire. When Derry police reported Wednesday that residences on East Broadway and Birch Street had been broken into while the residents were home, there was a surge in responses on social media. More than 14,000 people read and many responded to a Facebook posting about the crimes. Some expressed concern for their safety, while others offered tips on how to keep homes safe. Some recommended buying a gun. [continues 964 words]
It's sad what's happening - or rather, what isn't happening - with New Hampshire's "therapeutic use of cannabis" program. Despite the fact that a medical marijuana bill was signed into law last July, nine months later patients are still no better off than they were a year ago. This failure of our state government to protect even the sickest patients can be laid squarely at the feet of two individuals: Governor Maggie Hassan and former Governor John Lynch. Let's rewind. The House and Senate have approved medical marijuana bills three times dating back to 2009, and all three bills were either killed or mangled at the behest of Democratic Governors. As a result, today New Hampshire is the only state in New England where doctors still can't help their patients get legal protection if they have a serious illness and could benefit from marijuana. [continues 591 words]
NASHUA - With about 40 heroin overdoses in the Gate City so far this year - the most recent one this week - Police Chief John Seusing said the increase in drug-related problems is overwhelming. Pleading with city officials for money to hire four more police officers, Seusing said the city is on track to triple the number of heroin overdoses in 2014 over last year. "That is pretty alarming," said the chief. "This heroin addiction is so severe - this is all they care about. They are married to that drug." [continues 601 words]
DERRY - The town is not immune to the heroin and other drug overdose deaths that many communities in the Granite State are trying to stem. Five people have died from drug overdoses in Derry since January, with four of the deaths blamed on heroin, police said. "These are troubling times for all of us," said Ed Garone, police chief. "This is a scourge that has gone across the country and Derry has not escaped that scourge." Also since January, there were 16 drug overdoses in Derry, with 12 from heroin, Garone said. [continues 333 words]
CONCORD - Supporters of a grow-your-own provision in the state's medical marijuana law were dealt a blow by a Senate committee, which voted 3-1 on Tuesday to send the self-cultivation proposal to interim study, most likely killing the bill for this year. The vote against the measure, which had passed the Democrat-controlled House by a large margin, protects Gov. Maggie Hassan from a potentially embarrassing veto fight. In addition to a veto threat from the governor, the bill was opposed by the Department of Safety, the New Hampshire State Police and individual police chiefs. [continues 534 words]
The regulation of marijuana is much in the news. Should it be legalized? Should the law allow medical marijuana? As a retired mental health and alcohol/ drug counselor I asked some colleagues for their thinking about marijuana. In every instance there was a lack of decisiveness and clarity. Marijuana is the most commonly used drug in the world, and it is the most dangerous because its use is on the rise with 12- to 18-year-olds, a time when the brain is still actively forming. [continues 201 words]
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. [continues 436 words]
To the editor: Regarding Ethan Gauvin's thoughtful March 16 op-ed, the days when politicians can get away with confusing the drug war's tremendous collateral damage with a comparatively harmless plant are coming to an end. If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to subsidize violent drug cartels, prohibition is a grand success. The drug war distorts supply and demand dynamics so that big money grows on little trees. If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to deter use, prohibition is a catastrophic failure. The United States has almost double the rate of use as the Netherlands where marijuana is legally available. The criminalization of Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis has no basis in science. The war on marijuana consumers is a failed cultural inquisition, not an evidence-based public health campaign. This country can no longer afford to subsidize the prejudices of culture warriors. Not just in Colorado and Washington state but throughout the nation, it's time to stop the pointless arrests and instead tax legal marijuana. Robert Sharpe, MPA Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy www.csdp.org Washington, D.C. [end]
To the editor: Two observations on the marijuana question: 1. New Hampshire seems to be in the grip of a pervasive schizophrenia; on the one hand, parents and educators are demanding newer, bigger and better schools for their children. "Our kids deserve the best," is the banner cry. Seems reasonable; kids are the future, and educated kids will presumably contribute mightily to a better future for all of us. Sounds reasonable to me. 2) Another equally vocal segment of the populace is demanding the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, shouting for the freedom to indulge in the inhalation or ingestion of cannabis at any time, without breaking the law. [continues 244 words]
If you're a representative and vote against the wishes of 60 percent of your constituency and you want to get re-elected, you'd better have a cogent explanation why you think your judgment is superior to the people you supposedly represent. Saying, "it's the wrong message to send to young people" is not a cogent explanation. It's OK to be lax educating yourself about a personal issue. But when you represent other people's interests, you have a moral obligation to sufficiently educate yourself about issues you vote on. [continues 765 words]
On Jan. 1, thousands of Coloradans eagerly lined up to make their first legal purchase of recreational marijuana. Amendment 64, a ballot measure that passed in 2012 with 55 percent of Colorado voters in favor, legalized the recreational use of marijuana and permitted adults aged 21 years or older to purchase up to an ounce. The law also places the onus of regulating the manufacture, distribution and sale of marijuana on the state government. This unprecedented experiment in governmental regulation of weed is still in its infancy, but all signs are indicating that what's good for pot enthusiasts is good for government - and more than likely good for society. [continues 508 words]
For the Monitor Re "Governors: Legalized pot buzz just smoke" (Monitor Nation & World section, Feb. 23): Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is correct: Tax revenue is the wrong reason for legalizing recreational marijuana. Legalize the plant for the correct reasons: While illegal, it causes underground markets, cartels, increased hard drug addiction rates, contempt for drug laws, eroded constitutional rights, loss of freedom, escalated prison populations, corrupt politicians, race discrimination, prohibition of free American farmers from growing hemp (even though communist Chinese farmers grow it), trillions of dollars in wasted taxes, deceiving citizens and the listing is growing faster than the plant itself. Just be sure to get the job done. Dillon, Colo. [end]
A recent Business Insider report of the 50 "Most On-Campus Drug Arrests Per 1,000 Students," ranked Keene State College at number 20. On a wider scale, KSC has contributed to a small percentage of drug-related arrests made nationally since President Richard Nixon's "War on Drugs" began. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, or LEAP, has proposed one possible way of reducing future drug use and drug related arrests in the United States; legalizing all drugs at once. "This [drug use] is a health problem, not a crime problem. Let's not let the criminal justice system take care of this issue. Let's save a whole bunch of money and a whole bunch of lives and help educate people. We have to end prohibition in order to do this. We legalize all drugs. Drugs like marijuana, drugs like cocaine, drugs like heroin. That sounds pretty radical. We're not making it up," Richard Van Wickler, a speaker for LEAP, stated at the non-profit organization's KSC presentation on Tuesday Feb. 18. [continues 994 words]
As House Bill 1622, permitting qualifying patients and registered caregivers to grow marijuana for therapeutic use, moves through the Legislature, I urge legislators to support this bill. Let's get help to the people of New Hampshire who need it. Gov. Maggie Hassan was misguided when she insisted on no grows by those eligible for therapeutic cannabis. I am heartened with the result of House votes on HB 492, which would tax and regulate cannabis. The enormous body of knowledge on cannabis shows this to be a much less harmful way to socialize. This natural herb has helped many alcoholics maintain their recoveries. I realize that this may ultimately be determined inexpedient to legislate, but I hope next year legislators will know more about the truth of this herb. [continues 144 words]
But this is only one of the many reasons our nation's laws - on a state-by-state basis - are moving toward legalization. When President Richard Nixon first declared his War on Drugs, federal agencies were quick to list marijuana as a Class A drug, along with heroin. This erroneous association fueled a witch hunt that needlessly ruined many a young life with felony convictions and jail time, while ignoring their cries for help. Thankfully, we as a nation have come to understand that the War on Drugs overreached. [continues 392 words]
Concord, NH (AP) - The Senate has voted against letting New Hampshire farmers legally grow industrial hemp and instead propose establishing a committee to study the idea. The Senate voted Thursday to amend a House-passed bill that would forbid industrial hemp, a botanical cousin to marijuana, from being listed as a controlled substance. The bill now goes back to the House. Supporters say hemp was once an important crop in the United States, but has not been grown in New Hampshire for decades. They say the plant has lower levels of THC, a principal chemical in cannabis, than marijuana and can be used for a variety of non-illicit products. The proposed study would examine the viability of a hemp crop and develop procedures for destroying crops not in compliance with state and federal regulations. [end]
Following the national tide of public opinion favoring the legalization of marijuana, the Democrat-controlled New Hampshire house passed a bill - HB 492-FN-LOCAL - on Jan. 16 that would legalize marijuana for recreational use. In passing the bill, the New Hampshire House made history by becoming the first legislative body to pass a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana. There are currently only two states in the Union - Colorado and Washington - where recreational marijuana is legal, and both states' laws were passed through public referendum, as opposed to legislative action. [continues 969 words]
Re "Legalize pot? There's no need to rush" (Sunday Monitor editorial, Jan. 26): There is no reason to continue throwing good money after bad drug policy. If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to subsidize violent drug cartels, prohibition is a grand success. The drug war distorts supply and demand dynamics so that big money grows on little trees. If the goal is to deter use, marijuana prohibition is a catastrophic failure. The United States has almost double the rate of marijuana use as the Netherlands where marijuana is legal. [continues 89 words]
I hate to spoil anyone's buzz, but if you have ever smoked pot or been around a bunch of people who are stoned, you understand why they call it dope. Don't get me wrong: What an adult lights up in his home is his own business. It's what is going to happen on our roads and in our schools if pot is made legal - and easier to get - that concerns me. We have all had close calls while driving with jerks crossing the yellow line while yapping on their cells or texting. Add to that a half-smoked joint in the ashtray, and that is asking for trouble. [continues 66 words]
Re "Legalize Marijuana?" (Monitor Forum, Jan. 23): The first thing I read was a quote from the American Medical Association House of Delegates: "Cannabis is a dangerous drug and as such is treated as a public health concern." I am calling them out on this one. I would like them to actually prove that. And instead of repeating the same old stats about brain cells and memory loss, I would like them to tell me exactly how many lives were lost due to cannabis overdoses. [continues 111 words]
Should New Hampshire legalize marijuana for recreational use? Until now, the question has seemed like an idle one. But with a recent poll showing a majority of residents approve of the idea and with a vote this month by the New Hampshire House in favor of such a measure, the matter has seemingly gained new urgency. Our view is this: Why rush? In the past, the consequences of legalization, pro and con, were all hypothetical. Activists on both sides of the matter could predict with passion what legalization would mean for crime and incarceration rates, for public health, for children, for the economy or for state revenue, but they were really making just educated guesses. Today, with the advent of legalization in Colorado and Washington state, we have two real-life experiments from which to learn. [continues 507 words]
Were members of the New Hampshire House who voted to legalize, sell and tax marijuana last week actually puffing the stuff at the time? The House has done some strange things, usually when led by Democrats as it is now, but this one takes the cake for irresponsible and dangerous behavior. Our society, our schools, parents, police, work force, etc., don't have enough to do right now in combating the effects of drug use and abuse? Idiots are endangering public safety by texting and driving, bumping off the elderly out to get their mail or injuring other drivers. And the House wants to hand them the keys and encourage a joint, too? [continues 153 words]
Last week's historic vote by the New Hampshire House to legalize marijuana didn't fall into easy categories of party, geography or generation. Some liberal Democrats voted against the measure, while conservative Republicans voted for it. Some of the youngest lawmakers voted "nay" while senior citizens said "yea." Wednesday's 170-162 vote (click here for the roll call) was the first time any legislative chamber in the country has voted to legalize "personal use" of marijuana by adults 21 and older and establish a legal market for selling it, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, which supports such laws. [continues 1389 words]
Legalizing marijuana would not change how DUI laws are enforced here, according to a state police expert. That's because of a 1-year-old state law that was designed to crack down on people who drive while impaired by prescription drugs and other legal medications. RSA 265-A:2 makes it illegal to drive - or operate a boat - while "under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any controlled drug, prescription drug, over-the-counter drug, or any other chemical substance, natural or synthetic, which impairs a person's ability to drive." [continues 358 words]
CONCORD - Nearly 10 percent of 12 to 17 year olds in New Hampshire regularly use marijuana while more than one in four 18 to 25 years olds report using it at least once in the past month, the fifth highest rate in the nation, according to a national survey. "This is a disturbing finding," said Joe Harding, director of the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services, of the youth statistics. "It is an alarming rate and well above the U.S. average of 7.6 percent of 12 to 17 year olds nationally reporting regular marijuana use. This underscores the need for us to collaborate with not only our partners in the field, but also businesses, law enforcement, the medical field and schools to implement proven strategies to prevent youth use of marijuana." [continues 334 words]
Inside New Hampshire
