Senate passes medical marijuana bill! Contact Gov. Lynch now!

Last update: April 29, 2009

For the first time ever, the New Hampshire House and Senate have passed effective medical marijuana bills. HB 648 passed the House by a 234-138 vote and the Senate passed it on 14-10 vote. New Hampshire is now very close to becoming the 14th state to stop arresting patients for using medical marijuana with their doctors' recommendations.

Gov. John Lynch (D) has expressed concerns about the bill and it is vital that he hear that Granite Staters support protecting patients.

HB 648, sponsored by Rep. Evalyn Merrick (D-Lancaster) and co-sponsored by Sens. Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth) and John Gallus (R-Berlin), would protect patients and their caregivers from being arrested, prosecuted, and convicted for possessing and growing limited amounts of medical marijuana. It also would protect doctors from arrest, prosecution, and conviction for recommending medical marijuana to their seriously ill patients.

The New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy, an MPP grantee, is organizing the campaign in support of HB 648. Please visit NHCompassion.org for more information about the campaign, including the stories of several seriously ill patients who could benefit from medical marijuana.