New Hampshire Governor Vetoes Bill Opening State to For-Profit Cannabis Firms

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]N[/dropcap]ew Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed legislation that would have opened the state’s medical cannabis industry to for-profit medical cannabis businesses. Currently, the state’s medical cannabis businesses must operate as nonprofits.

The vetoed bill, Senate Bill 145, would have allowed medical cannabis licensees, called Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs), to operate as for-profit or nonprofit businesses. Gov. Sununu said the vetoed bill would have provided an incentive for out of state medical cannabis businesses to enter New Hampshire’s medical cannabis industry. New Hampshire currently has only four licensed ATCs, which cultivate and dispense medical cannabis products. “Although I remain supportive of medical marijuana, this bill would represent too great of a step toward the dangerous path of industrial commercialization of the marijuana industry in New Hampshire,” Sununu wrote.

The New Hampshire house cleared a vote in March to legalize recreational cannabis in the state, but Gov. Sununu announced his plans to veto the bill if it clears both House and Senate. The Senate voted in May to delay action on the bill until late December or early next year.

New Hampshire legislation sent other medical cannabis to Gov. Sununu, including a bill to allow limited “home grow” of cannabis for qualified patients and caregivers. Another bill would establish procedures for the annulment of convictions for possession of less than 3/4 of one ounce or less of cannabis if it occurred before September 16, 2017—the date decriminalization of cannabis took effect in New Hampshire. Gov. Sununu supported the decriminalization of cannabis, but has spoken out against legalization of recreational cannabis.