We are approximately halfway through the 2025 legislative session, and eight cannabis policy bills have passed the N.H. House, advancing to the Senate.
Five of these bills deal with aspects of the Therapeutic Cannabis law:
- HB 51 (Thomas) would enable ATCs to expand product offerings by utilizing affordable non-intoxicating cannabinoids (e.g. CBD, CBG, and CBN) derived from federally legal hemp. ATCs would be required to have hemp-derived cannabinoids tested by an independent lab before using them to make products for patients, to ensure safety. The House approved this bill in a unanimous vote without objection or debate. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing 3/25.
- HB 53 (Thomas) would allow home cultivation of therapeutic cannabis for qualifying patients and designated caregivers, at a location reported to DHHS. The limits would be 3 mature plants, 3 immature plants, and 12 seedlings per patient. The House passed it 328-42. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing 3/25.
- HB 190 (Howard) would increase the purchase and possession limit for therapeutic cannabis from 2 ounces to 4 ounces. The House passed it in a voice vote.
- HB 301 (Vail) would allow ATCs to operate a second cultivation location, which would have to be a greenhouse, subject to all the rules and regulations that apply to current ATC production facilities. (Currently all cultivation must take place indoors.) The House passed it in a voice vote.
- HB 380 (Vail) would eliminate the extra felony penalty for diverting therapeutic cannabis. (Selling cannabis is a felony for anybody in N.H., so patients could face two felony charges for the same offense.) The House passed it in a voice vote.
Three additional bills deal with other aspects of cannabis policy:
- HB 75 (Verville) would legalize unlimited possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis for adults with no regulation of sales. The House passed it in a voice vote. However, it has not received much support from cannabis advocates or organizations. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing 3/25.
- HB 198 (Sullivan) would legalize possession of up to two ounces of cannabis for adults. It would also establish civil penalties for public smoking or vaping (a 3rd offense within 5 years would be a misdemeanor). The House passed it 208-125.
- HB 196 (Wheeler) would streamline New Hampshire’s annulment process for cannabis possession offenses. It would also expand the statute to cover possession of up to 2 ounces, and it would waive the current fees. The House passed it in a voice vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing 3/25.
Contact Your Senator
If you’d like to support any of these bills, the best thing to do is email or call your state senator. You can find your senator’s contact information by selecting your town from the drop-down box on this page.
Here are a few tips for writing an effective email to your state senator:
- Focus on sharing personal experiences that illustrate how the bills you are writing about would benefit you or others.
- Include the bill numbers for any bill you are asking them to support.
- Always be polite and respectful. Legislators do not respond favorably to insulting or belittling communications.
- Include your name and town so they will know you are a constituent.
