The bill would legalize the possession and use of cannabis for all residents 21 and older.
Among recent efforts to legalize cannabis in the state, the bill used a new approach, making the Liquor Commission the sole vendor.
Erin Hennessey, a Littleton Republican, pointed to arguments made against the bill by those advocates over the state’s central retail role, which industry stakeholders say would create a purchasing monopoly and put cultivators at a disadvantage.
“I’m overall concerned about the Liquor Commission’s ability to take on another responsibility,” she said, and pointed to a lack of justice and equity provisions.
I think that the situation is quite clear: The availability of marijuana on let’s call it the black market is pervasive.
House Bill 629, which would legalize the use and possession of marijuana and allow home cultivation of cannabis plants, is up for a vote in the full Senate Thursday.
Previously, he worked as the New Hampshire State House reporter for the Concord Monitor, covering the state, the Legislature, and the New Hampshire presidential primary.