420 with CNW — New Hampshire Governor Voices Support for Cannabis Legalization After Senate Rejects Bill
Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire recently announced support for a resolution to enact marijuana legalization via a system of stores run by the state. What happens next remains uncertain, as a bill that would have established a state-run market, which had been approved by the House during the previous session, was rejected by the Senate. The Senate defeated the measure in a vote of 14 to 10.
However, now that the governor has voiced his support, there may be a renewed push to advance a state-run resolution. In his statement, Governor Sununu stated that public opinion and regional dynamics had forced him to reconsider his previous position on this topic. Sununu explained that New Hampshire was the only state in New England where adult-use marijuana wasn’t legal.
He went on to note that it was reasonable to assume change was inevitable as the majority of the state’s residents were in favor of legalization, adding that ignoring this would be both harmful as well as shortsighted. Sununu also revealed that he was ready to sign a legalization measure that focused on harm reduction instead of profits.
He then listed certain provisions he felt needed to be included in a cannabis legalization measure, which included local control that permitted cities to prohibit marijuana retailers from operating in their jurisdiction. The governor also highlighted that cannabis need not be taxed, as this would help curtail the illicit market which had become exceedingly dangerous with fentanyl’s prevalence. He then underscored how regulating the sale of cannabis would ensure New Hampshire’s citizens were in a safer place.
The bill’s sponsor, House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, stated that he was glad to see the governor weigh in with his support.
In an interview, Karen O’Keefe, the director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, stated that it was encouraging to see the governor express some candor regarding marijuana legalization and acknowledge that the will of the voters would eventually prevail. However, it remains to be seen whether legislators will move to reintroduce a state-run legalization resolution.
This comes after Senate President Jeb Bradley indicated that he didn’t feel legislators needed to be prioritizing recreational cannabis reform at all. In a recent statement, the senate president stated that recreationalizing cannabis at this point would convey a confusing message, possibly worsening the already dangerous drug landscape and placing more at risk. He highlighted that this wasn’t the proper time to divert attention away from addressing the challenges caused by the drug crisis.
This course of action being suggested by the New Hampshire governor is likely to be of great interest to marijuana companies as well as ancillary companies that support the sector, such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX). Cannabis legislation could significantly impact the trajectory of the industry in the state and create opportunities for business.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire recently announced support for a resolution to enact marijuana legalization via a system of stores run by the state. What happens next remains uncertain, as a bill that would have established a state-run market, which had been approved by the House during the previous session, was rejected by the Senate. The Senate defeated the measure in a vote of 14 to 10.
However, now that the governor has voiced his support, there may be a renewed push to advance a state-run resolution. In his statement, Governor Sununu stated that public opinion and regional dynamics had forced him to reconsider his previous position on this topic. Sununu explained that New Hampshire was the only state in New England where adult-use marijuana wasn’t legal.
He went on to note that it was reasonable to assume change was inevitable as the majority of the state’s residents were in favor of legalization, adding that ignoring this would be both harmful as well as shortsighted. Sununu also revealed that he was ready to sign a legalization measure that focused on harm reduction instead of profits.
He then listed certain provisions he felt needed to be included in a cannabis legalization measure, which included local control that permitted cities to prohibit marijuana retailers from operating in their jurisdiction. The governor also highlighted that cannabis need not be taxed, as this would help curtail the illicit market which had become exceedingly dangerous with fentanyl’s prevalence. He then underscored how regulating the sale of cannabis would ensure New Hampshire’s citizens were in a safer place.
The bill’s sponsor, House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, stated that he was glad to see the governor weigh in with his support.
In an interview, Karen O’Keefe, the director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, stated that it was encouraging to see the governor express some candor regarding marijuana legalization and acknowledge that the will of the voters would eventually prevail. However, it remains to be seen whether legislators will move to reintroduce a state-run legalization resolution.
This comes after Senate President Jeb Bradley indicated that he didn’t feel legislators needed to be prioritizing recreational cannabis reform at all. In a recent statement, the senate president stated that recreationalizing cannabis at this point would convey a confusing message, possibly worsening the already dangerous drug landscape and placing more at risk. He highlighted that this wasn’t the proper time to divert attention away from addressing the challenges caused by the drug crisis.
This course of action being suggested by the New Hampshire governor is likely to be of great interest to marijuana companies as well as ancillary companies that support the sector, such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX). Cannabis legislation could significantly impact the trajectory of the industry in the state and create opportunities for business.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
