Fight over recreational cannabis heats up in New Hampshire - Entrepreneur Generations

Debate has been heating up in largely-rural New Hampshire over the question of recreational marijuana legalization. Though medicinal marijuana is legal, and possession of up to three-fourths of an ounce has been decriminalized (meaning it's only punishable by a fine and not jail time), many residents and leaders want recreational marijuana to be completely legalized, Naomi Martin reports for The Boston Globe.

Legalization proponents argue that legalization will keep badly needed cannabis revenue in-state, since locals can--and do--simply drive to any bordering state and purchase legal recreational marijuana. And since research has shown that legal marijuana correlates with reduced opioid use, they believe it could help decrease the state's soaring opioid overdose death rate. "New Hampshire ranks second in the country for opioid overdose deaths, with a rate nearly triple the US average, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In 2016, 437 people died of opioid overdoses — three times 2013’s death toll, a rise that experts attribute to fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid," Martin reports.

But Republican governor Chris Sununu remains staunchly opposed to recreational legalization and has hired anti-marijuana lobbyist Kevin Sabet of Smart Approaches to Marijuana to help him convince constituents that it's a gateway drug, and would hurt efforts to fight the opioid crisis. "Sabet said he will work with Sununu to publicize his message that cannabis today is more potent and addictive than 'your grandpa’s marijuana' and that legalization is being pushed by companies that seek profits over health and safety," Martin reports.

A legalization bill with bipartisan support has been proposed, but Sununu has vowed to veto any such legislation that comes to his desk. The state legislature would need a two-thirds majority to override him, which could happen since Democrats now control both chambers.

"House Speaker Steve Shurtleff, a Democrat, said the chamber would have the votes to override a Sununu veto, and he predicted the Senate would, too. He said the governor should quit fighting and spend the next few months working with lawmakers on how best to regulate the drug," Martin reports.

from The Rural Blog http://bit.ly/2TlDIZu Fight over recreational cannabis heats up in New Hampshire - Entrepreneur Generations

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