Latest legal pot bill comes under assault
Mar. 26—CONCORD — Advocates for the free-market legalization of marijuana and those who sell to medically eligible patients attacked a proposal offered by House and Senate Republicans as "legally dangerous" and "unworkable," though its backers said it could win the support of Gov. Chris Sununu.
Tuesday's hearing before the House Finance Committee underscored that while the prospects for reform on this long-debated topic have improved in recent weeks, plenty of contentious details remain to be worked out.
"This bill I'm presenting you today won't be passed. We are going to make further changes," said state Rep. Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, chief architect of the plan to put the State Liquor Commission squarely in charge of sales offered by 15 franchisees, who would be granted exclusive licenses.
McGuire said he incorporated the "top 10" changes that Sununu's office proposed to an alternative legalization bill (HB 1633) that initially cleared the House of Representatives last March.
As with the end of Prohibition a century ago, McGuire said it's logical for the state to take over and control the sale of cannabis to adults over 21 for recreational use.
Rep. Erica Layon, R-Derry, said the franchise plan would not accomplish Sununu's stated goal of "harm reduction" and warned that instead it would lead to aggressive state marketing to get more adults to transition from alcohol to cannabis.
Layon wrote the House-passed bill, which allows 15 agency stores licensed by the liquor agency, though they would be given more latitude in the pricing and sale of their products than the franchise model.
Sen. Daryl Abbas, R-Salem, who helped produce McGuire's plan, said it could pass the state Senate, which has never approved a marijuana legalization bill. Layon's alternative, he said, is doomed to failure.
Representatives of two of the alternative treatment centers that sell cannabis to the state's 14,000 medical patients said McGuire's plan would put those seven locations out of business.
Daryl Eames, the founder of the New Hampshire Cannabis Association, said a franchise model would put the state at even greater risk of U.S. intervention since all marijuana sales violate federal law.
Celeste Clark, executive director with the Raymond Coalition For Youth, said her group finds this legalization plan just as objectionable as the House-passed bill.
"When we increase access to anything we increase its use. Think of a bowl of candy on a desk, even if you don't want a piece you are inclined to take one; that is what we will see happen with legalizing marijuana," Clark said.
Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg said legalizing marijuana would lead to increased crime and more sales of lower-priced products on the black market.
A House subcommittee meets Wednesday afternoon to continue working on this bill. The House faces an April 6 to take a final vote on the legislation.
