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RainDog

(28,784 posts)
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 06:42 PM Apr 2012

New Hampshire passes legislation to become the 17th legal mmj state

the deal is not yet done, however.

From MMP:

Today, the Republican-dominated New Hampshire House passed legislation that would make New Hampshire the 17th medical marijuana state.

The vote was a crushing 236-96, which is a veto-proof majority. And we actually needed to get a veto-proof majority, because Gov. John Lynch (D) has promised to veto our bill, just as he did in 2009.

A few weeks ago, the state Senate voted 13-11 to pass our bill, so MPP’s New Hampshire team is working furiously to get up to 16 votes in the Senate, which would be a veto-proof majority in that chamber.


Seems more and more people in the U.S. are moving toward the end of prohibition.

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New Hampshire passes legislation to become the 17th legal mmj state (Original Post) RainDog Apr 2012 OP
You know, I just get the sense that eventually we'll all get there. We're closer now gateley Apr 2012 #1
Polls certainly indicate the trend favors an end to this prohibition RainDog Apr 2012 #2
When my generation comes into power (Millennial) Harmony Blue Apr 2012 #16
The world on it's head. trof Apr 2012 #3
Just goes to show you got root Apr 2012 #4
sadly, that's not strange RainDog Apr 2012 #5
If anyone has quick access to population stats RainDog Apr 2012 #6
Excellent news! Ruby the Liberal Apr 2012 #7
Looks like more support for mmj in the NE than West RainDog Apr 2012 #8
You should get in on the ground floor with NYC_SKP and I Ruby the Liberal Apr 2012 #9
well, I'm not too crazy about the junk food plan RainDog Apr 2012 #11
Great to hear WinniSkipper Apr 2012 #10
here's an article RainDog Apr 2012 #12
Thanks for this RainDog WinniSkipper Apr 2012 #13
this is not a party issue RainDog Apr 2012 #14
I agree that it is not a party issue WinniSkipper Apr 2012 #15

gateley

(62,683 posts)
1. You know, I just get the sense that eventually we'll all get there. We're closer now
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 06:49 PM
Apr 2012

than ever, maybe after a few more setbacks, we'll be successful.

RainDog

(28,784 posts)
2. Polls certainly indicate the trend favors an end to this prohibition
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 06:56 PM
Apr 2012

And that trend has shown increasing support for full legalization since the 1990s.

There has been NO BACKLASH among those polled to indicate this issue is doing anything but trending toward legalization for nearly 20 years.

 

got root

(425 posts)
4. Just goes to show you
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 07:02 PM
Apr 2012

I mean I was hoping we would at least get a public 'option' out a dem controlled legislature not to mention executive

RainDog

(28,784 posts)
5. sadly, that's not strange
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 07:03 PM
Apr 2012

just because someone has a "D" beside his or her name is no indication that that person favors better laws regarding mmj.

Democrats are lucky because most people who support legalization are not one issue voters.

Maybe we need a version of "wets" vs. "drys" to move the party forward, like we saw during the alcohol prohibition era.

Wonder what it should be called?

Verdants vs Arids?

People vs Corporates?

RainDog

(28,784 posts)
6. If anyone has quick access to population stats
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 07:26 PM
Apr 2012

I wonder how many voters in the U.S. live in states that now have legalized mmj? I did a rough count at one time. By region, New Hampshire fits right in with the overwhelming majority of voters for legalized mmj as of last year - this is a comparison poll by region.

RainDog

(28,784 posts)
8. Looks like more support for mmj in the NE than West
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 08:32 PM
Apr 2012

They all seem to be approaching regulation far more strictly, as well.

RainDog

(28,784 posts)
11. well, I'm not too crazy about the junk food plan
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 09:17 PM
Apr 2012

maybe cups of veggies/dip and smoothies and yeah, I'm there... okay, well, not. best of luck!

 

WinniSkipper

(363 posts)
10. Great to hear
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 08:53 PM
Apr 2012

Do you know what Lynch's objections are? I have read a bit about the NH issue but now familiar with his objections

RainDog

(28,784 posts)
12. here's an article
Wed Apr 25, 2012, 09:20 PM
Apr 2012
While he has empathy for those ill patients who need medical marijuana to get through their recoveries, Gov. John Lynch, D-Hopkinton, said today that he still has real concerns about the proliferation and distribution of medicinal cannabis.

At a fundraising breakfast at Concord Hospital for the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Greater Concord program, Lynch said other governors have had a hard time controlling the medical marijuana. He cited California, where “there are so many points of distribution they can’t keep track of it all,” and Montana, another state that has recently introduced the program. Lynch said the governor there told him that ski areas had become the busiest points of distribution, to giggles by alumni of the leadership class who attended the breakfast.

Lynch said he would be more comfortable having it controlled and regulated like prescription drugs, where the pharmacy distributed it to patients after a doctor prescribed it.

“If you can’t control it, you can never get it back,” he said. “I’m very nervous about having almost unlimited distribution and proliferation of it.”


http://concord-nh.patch.com/articles/video-lynch-has-real-concerns-about-medical-marijuana-bill?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter#video-9450545

He doesn't want mmj to be the slippery slope that allows people to use it for pleasure rather than medicine, because, god forbid that people would, say, drink a beer for something other than the Vit. B.
 

WinniSkipper

(363 posts)
13. Thanks for this RainDog
Thu Apr 26, 2012, 01:39 AM
Apr 2012

That's a pretty big step for that area - and that house. Good for them.

Who would think it could be a Democrat standing in the way.

RainDog

(28,784 posts)
14. this is not a party issue
Thu Apr 26, 2012, 02:17 AM
Apr 2012

although many Democrats tend to be less reactionary about this issue at this time (and were when Carter was in office as well, but not so with Clinton - he was a triangulating drug warrior who fought against CA's mmj laws in the 90s.)

While 42 members of the WA state legislature, in an historic request, have called for the federal govt to reschedule cannabis

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1170197

The former gov. of New Mexico supports legalization. (He's a Republican/Libertarian.) Both Democratic and Republican governors have been reluctant to implement state laws that violate federal laws.

Nevertheless, there are 15 more states who have pending legislation on mmj. (New Hampshire would make it 16.)

http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002481

Washington D.C. is supposed to begin implementation of mmj laws this spring, on May 4th. It took decades to get the federal legislative branch to fund implementation of the law.

I think the thing that has really caused Americans to become so strongly in favor of legalization of mmj is b/c enough ppl know its value for chemo patients - though they aren't the only ones.

Most Americans can do a simple cost/benefit analysis and see that being able to keep down medication or keep from wasting away (which is why some cancer patients die) is more valuable than keeping some stoner stereotype from his big bud.

So many people have experimented with mj at some point, they know the relative harmlessness of this substance compared to hard drugs that are deemed to have medical value.

The average pattern of use is experimentation as a young adult, a decline in use as that group marries and has children, and then acceptance of cannabis when that group moves into ages when diseases start to become more prevalent - such as cancer, arthritis, MS, etc - cannabis is useful for all these, as well as CP, epilepsy and migraines.

There are some indications cannabis can be synthesized to use as treatment for cancer, not just a secondary medication for side effects. We would all benefit if our govt would reschedule to allow more research on this topic.

So, again, considering the benefits - as well as the experiences of other nations that have instituted regulated markets - if most people would do an honest cost/benefit - cannabis would be legal, imo.



 

WinniSkipper

(363 posts)
15. I agree that it is not a party issue
Thu Apr 26, 2012, 11:21 AM
Apr 2012

...but I would hope that when a (heavily) republican house passes it with such support, that it would not be a Dem standing in the way.

As baby boomers age I had thought the move towards decriminalization would accelerate. Didn't happen as fast as I thought it would. You make a great point about about the average pattern of use.

I do think that MMJ will help lead the way to decriminalization - at least for reasonable quantities. There is a goldmine of taxes available through legalization/medical use

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