New Hampshire General Assembly Votes to Legalize Marijuana

[Berlin Expat]

Source: Mother Jones

On Wednesday, the New Hampshire General Assembly passed a bill that would legalize marijuana by a vote of 170-165. It now heads to the State Senate. Read the full text of the bill as introduced.

Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/documents/1006028-nh-hb-492

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Check out the link. On to the NH Senate next.

The revolution is underway.

[geardaddy]

1. Wow. New Hampshire.

I wound have thought VT would have done it first.

[MADem]

17. Live Free or Die. NH doesn't like seat belts or helmets, either.

They don't like people telling them what to do. They have no state income tax. Property taxes are pretty usurious, though.

They're probably looking at the revenue potential, the reduced police effort, the savings in arresting/processing/jailing "sinners."

VT, OTOH, is more concerned about people's health and social programs. They will probably weigh in soon enough, but not super-quick.

[raven mad]

30. We're the same, tax wise -

only we also get a little bonus every year for being a resident! (PFD). Our State Supreme Court basically said, in 1975, pot for personal use was covered under our State Constitution. Of course, that was before 98% of the oil folks took over and hired so many right-wing fundamentalists. So we've see-sawed back and forth since the 1980's. Now we've got another ballot initiative going that'll hopefully pass - and we'll be right back to 1975! (Dang, I was only 19!)

Go, New Hampshire! Live Free or Die; you folks are hereby honorary Alaskan Sourdoughs!

Edited because this lousy keyboard sticks from all the cat dander!

[MADem]

34. They're north of me, but it's an easy drive...! nt

[geardaddy]

36. Thanks for the insight MADem

[libdem4life]

2. The tobacco companies have fields lying fallow. Municipalities and states are looking at

significant amounts of revenue. It's going to happen a lot faster than we thought...Colorado broke through the "green ceiling". And for those states with medicinal legalization, it's not hard to get to total legalization.

[Bandit]

4. I don't think those "fields" are going to do them any good at all.

The pot now-a-days is grown hydroponically indoors for the very best buds available. It would be extremely difficult to duplicate such growth in almost every state except possibly Florida or California. Even in those states it would be extremely difficult to control the growth as is done in the new marijuana labs that exist today. Who wants to buy rag weed when you have such excellent product to chose from.

[jaysunb]

7. Correct, but I believe

the big boys are actually laying the ground work to monopolize hemp.Lots more money and a lot less trouble getting back into the game.

[Bandit]

8. Yes you are correct, I wasn't thinking of Hemp

Hemp will be a great addition for american business. Better paper products than wood pulp, better in a lot of things. Hemp can be grown almost anywhere and actually used to be America's number one export during the 1700s, before cotten became king.

[raven mad]

31. Not to mention as fuel for heating!

We've got a major fight going on here because of wood stoves (especially the outdoor boiler stove types) and the added particulate on particularly cool das (-30 or colder). Hemp pellets are MUCH cleaner! http://www.hemphasis.net/Fuel-Energy/fuel.htm

Guaranteed, with heating oil at $4.29/gallon - Alaska would be grateful!

[geardaddy]

37. Hemp oil and hemp seed also have health benefits.

So many uses!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp#Uses

[libdem4life]

10. That is a good point, but they also follow profit and the pot market place is very small. They

already have the mechanisms...government connection, distribution, marketing...ready and willing. And I expect that the demand, once legalized, will increase exponentially which means potential profits for large commercial infrastructure.

I lived in Northern California for decades and much of the economy north of Sonoma County... exists because of small pot growers. There has been enough profit to provide a good living. But if the prices start to come down, it will change.

I don't smoke myself, but have lots of friends and family who do. So think it will go the way of Prohibition...but it will be interesting.

[WheelWalker]

19. I don't share your bias.

In my experience whoever grows "rag weed" outdoors will in all likelihood still grow "rag weed" indoors. Whoever grows primo buds indoors will in all likelihood grow primo buds outdoors. Indoor systems are anything but green, however. The plant evolved with its feet firmly bound in planetary rooting media, enriched by living organisms, and fed by a chemical factory utilizing unlimited solar energy from that big unshielded fusion reactor above our heads. It's called the Blue Sky Method. You should get outside more.

[BrotherIvan]

33. I found your post oddly poetic

Carry on!

[Berlin Expat]

5. There's a pretty well-known

urban legend around the Pacific Northwest that Phillip Morris has a patent on manufactured marijuana cigarettes in anticipation of nationwide marijuana legalization.

I've heard that urban legend for as long as 25 years, so it's been around quite a while.

One of the more interesting urban legends I can recall from my youth.

[libdem4life]

12. Wow...that's really looking ahead. And I, too, forgot about the value of hemp.

That could have more positive economical effect than pot.

[hrmjustin]

3. cool.

[shenmue]

6. Yay!

I don't smoke pot, but I think it's pretty stupid to prosecute people for possession of small amounts.

[Botany]

9. Look at all the colors!

[Aldo Leopold]

21. LOL

Perfect

[Bossy Monkey]

11. License tags changed immediately to "Live Free or High." n/t

[frylock]

18. !

[Aldo Leopold]

22. !!

[jtuck004]

24. Conan's producer called, said they have a slot open for you. Something

about bowing to the king...

[They_Live]

25. Better yet, "live free AND high." n/t

[calimary]

26. DUzy!

[fascisthunter]

28. Why Drink and Drive, when You can Smoke and Fly!

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan has vowed to veto it.

And it didn't pass by a veto-proof margin.

But we'll see what happens if it gets through the Senate (it actually has to have another House vote first, too).

[Berlin Expat]

14. I'll have to

keep watch on what happens going forward.

[mountain grammy]

16. do you know it's chances in the Senate?

[Hulk]

15. Money talks!

After watching the posted video from Colorado regarding the marijuana tours (at $300 a pop), it's ONLY a matter of time before ALL the state legislatures in the country take a serious look at legalizing marijuana. Money is what it is all about. Generated tax revenue will pull many states out of the brink of bankruptcy, and it's past time we put alcohol on the back burner and bring out the weed to find your high.

It's NOT going to be for everyone. It's not for me, in general; as I become too much of a confused idiot when I smoke, which is why I gave it up some 35 years ago, after discovering on my short tour to Vietnam back in 1969. But it will certainly be a welcome change from the consumption of alcohol, that has had a few centuries of experience ruining lives.

Bring it all on. This is the ONE THING I agree with Rand Paul and the rest of the libertarian clowns on. Legalization of drugs is the right move.

[TeamPooka]

20. The revolution will be catered. nt

[RoccoR5955]

23. They also are taxing it

but only at 15%. Competition with Colorado.

[SamKnause]

27. Cannabis

Excellent news !!!!!!!!!!!!

The domino effect has started.

[Warren Stupidity]

29. We don't have a general assembly. We have a house and a senate that make up

our "General Court". It was the house, controlled by the Democratic Party, that voted on this. The senate is controlled by the FuckingIdiot Party and will likely reject it, which will spare us the embarrassment of our Timid Party governor (nominal democrat) having to veto a bill that would enhance our state revenue and allow the state to finally address education funding disparity and potentially lower our cripplingly high property taxes.

[raven mad]

32. Pardon my curse words.........

but wait till y'all try Matanuska Thunderfuck! Like Alaskan Smoked Porter, best in the north!

[bobGandolf]

35. No shit! NH has come a long way from when I first moved there.

I doubt it will become law, but just passing the General Assembly is unbelievable.

Just hope it doesn't backfire and they get voted out of office. That happened a few elections ago, and the teapartiers did a lot of damage before they were voted out.

[RainDog]

38. Would you mind posting this is the Drug Policy forum?

if not, I will. thank you!