The Dover-based Foster's Daily Democrat was the only newspaper in NH to editorialize against the medical marijuana bill last year, so it was no great surprise to see them come out in support of Gov. Lynch's promise to veto the "decrim" bill.  Their March 18 editorial, "Legalizing pot is not the answer," was pretty bad, but they should be commended for publishing this response today: "Prohibiting marijuana is not the answer."

Audio is available here.

A great discussion of marijuana policy reform aired this week on New Hampshire Public Television, featuring Rick Van Wickler, Superintendent of the Cheshire County Dept. of Corrections, who appeared on behalf of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.  He was joined on the set by Matt Simon of NH Common Sense, Assistant Attorney General Karin Eckel, and Enfield Police Chief Richard Crate.  Click here to watch!

Read all about it in this Concord Monitor article.

I'm happy to report that HB 1373, a bill “establishing a committee to study the effects of current state and federal laws on illegal drugs and the possession and use of such drugs,” passed the House today on a voice vote.  This means that none of the bill's few opponents even bothered to insist on a counted "division" vote, let alone a recorded "roll call" vote.

HB 1653 has been recommended "ought to pass" by the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee by a surprising 16-2 margin (read the Eagle Tribune's story here).  If this bill becomes law, possession of 1/4 ounce or less of marijuana will be a violation instead of the current Class A misdemeanor, with a fixed penalty of $200, no threat of incarceration, and no criminal record generated.

The NH House of Representatives will vote Wednesday, Feb. 10 (***postponed, vote now expected Feb. 17) on HB 1373, a bill which seeks to create a study committee that would look more closely at the effects of state and federal drug laws on NH.  Here are the details:

Detailed coverage from Sunday's Eagle Tribune.