Will GraniteLeaf and other New Hampshire ATCs finally be allowed to grow therapeutic cannabis in secure, well regulated greenhouses? Or will we have to continue growing only indoors using expensive, high-intensity lighting? This question will be decided on Wednesday, August 19, when the House and Senate meet to cast their final votes on SB 468 and other bills that have been vetoed by the governor.
Our team would love to be able to grow using natural sunlight, primarily because we know this would enable us to make therapeutic cannabis more affordable for N.H. patients. We don’t understand why this is controversial, but unfortunately, some of our elected officials still oppose allowing sunlight to touch any of our plants.
Fortunately, there is hope for SB 468. Earlier this year, 18 of our 24 state senators voted to keep the bill alive, and it went on to pass the Senate in a voice vote. We will need at least 16 senators to support the bill August 19 in order to override the veto. If this happens, SB 468 will proceed immediately to the House, and if it passes with two-thirds support there, it will become law.
In June, Senators Howard Pearl and Tara Reardon co-authored a bipartisan op-ed in support of the bill. “At its core, this issue is about fairness,” they wrote. “Patients should not be priced out of access to a treatment that improves their quality of life.”
We could not agree more, and we greatly appreciate their advocacy!
If you want to see lower prices for N.H. cannabis, please consider politely asking your representative(s) and senator to support SB 468. You can find your state legislators’ contact information here.
