Media Contact

Ari Schechter, ariana@aclu-nh.org 

May 11, 2023

NH Senate once again fails to pass a bill to legalize marijuana in 14-10 vote

CONCORD, N.H. - The ACLU of New Hampshire today released a statement following the New Hampshire Senate’s 14-10 vote opposing House Bill 639, the bill to legalize marijuana for adults over 21 in the Granite State:

“Today, the New Hampshire Senate continued their harmful, out-of-touch practice of killing bipartisan, broadly supported legislation to legalize marijuana,” said Frank Knaack, policy director at the ACLU of New Hampshire. “Pushing legalization off yet another year makes clear that these lawmakers are willing to ignore the will of their own constituents and are okay with continuing to needlessly ensnare over a thousand people -- disproportionately Black people -- in New Hampshire’s criminal justice system every year. We call on lawmakers in both chambers to use the rest of the legislative session to find a way to make 2023 the year the Granite State finally legalizes marijuana–because our war on marijuana undermines community safety, wastes taxpayer dollars, and ruins lives.”