HB 1623 -- a bill reducing penalties for possessing less than .25 ounces of marijuana from a class A misdemeanor (punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 or up to a year in jail) to a violation punishable by a $200 fine.

STATUS: HB 1623 has passed the full House by a 193-141 margin! Here's the roll call if you want to see how your representatives voted -- if they voted correctly, thank them for having the courage to do the right thing!

Next the bill will be considered in a public hearing April 22 at 3:00 by the 5 members of the New Hampshire State Senate Judiciary Committee. From there it will go to the full Senate. Click here to find out who your senator is, and tell him or her what you think about HB 1623!

Talking Points:

(1) This is not an effort to legalize marijuana, just to reduce penalties so the punishment comes closer to fitting the offense.

(2) 12 states have decriminalized marijuana since 1973, so it's not like we'd be going first. (Oregon went first in 1973, Nevada was most recent in 2001.) The federal government has not interfered in these states.

(3) Does saddling a young (or older) person with a criminal record serve the interests of society? Will individuals really be better off for having been arrested?

(4) If harsh penalties are really a deterrent, why haven't states like Maine (where it's been a violation since 1976) experienced elevated rates of use? (They haven't.)

(5) Society can discourage marijuana use without criminalizing responsible users.

(6) Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (L.E.A.P.) has a saying that applies very strongly to this bill: "You can get over an addiction, but you can't get over a conviction." It serves no benefit whatsoever to society when individuals are strapped with criminal records for minor marijuana offenses, especially when students are denied financial aid for college.

(7) Marijuana should be treated differently than "hard" drugs such as heroin; failure to do so undermines the credibility of drug education.


Sample Phone Script:

“Hello, my name is ________. I live in _______, and I’d like to very briefly share a few thoughts with you on HB 1623, which is the bill to reduce penalties for marijuana possession.”

One good tactic is to ask if he or she watched the segment on "NH Outlook," and if not, offer to send a link. Most of them have probably seen it, so you can just ask what they thought about it and go from there. Then please email info@nhcommonsense.org and let us know what he or she tells you!

Sample Email Script:

Dear Senator XXXXXXXX,

I am writing to ask you to support HB 1623, the bill to reduce penalties for marijuana possession. As a taxpayer, I believe our limited law enforcement resources should be spent fighting serious crimes. We should not make criminals out of people who merely enjoy unpopular vices in the privacy of their own homes, and a minor marijuana arrest should not disqualify young people for financial aid. Marijuana use is not good for people, especially teens, but harsh penalties have been compounding the problems rather than solving them.

Thank You,

NAME
ADDRESS


Write Letters To The Editor:

(Here is a full list of New Hampshire newspaper email contacts)

A newspaper is a profit-driven enterprise like any other, and this explains why newspapers listen to their readers and print stories on topics their readers care about. If newspapers don't receive letters to the editor on a topic like marijuana penalties, why should they decide it is important and worth covering? If we increase the number of effective letters to the editor we send, that is the surest way to improve the caliber and quantity of media coverage our issues will receive. We've already made huge strides in this department!

It's important to understand that most newspapers are much more likely to print letters which are 200 words or less. You want to make your point as plainly as possible, and in a way that makes your position sound credible and mainstream. Sarcasm and inflammatory language will only confirm the stereotype that cannabis policy activists are somehow "fringe radicals." We need to be perceived (accurately) as well-meaning, well-informed citizens who advocate for sensible policy alternatives!

If you'd like to send a letter to the editor but you aren't confident in your writing skills, please feel free to send us something and we'll be happy to revise it for you or make suggestions. Again, that's info@nhcommonsense.org