Gov. Chris Sununu issued a statement Friday expressing his support for the legalization of recreational marijuana in New Hampshire a day after the state Senate rejected the latest proposal.
“NH is the only state in New England where recreational use is not legal. Knowing that a majority of our residents support legalization, it is reasonable to assume change is inevitable. To ignore this reality would be shortsighted and harmful. That is why, with the right policy and framework in place, I stand ready to sign a legalization bill that puts the State of NH in the drivers seat, focusing on harm reduction — not profits,” Sununu said. “Similar to our Liquor sales, this path helps to keep substances away from kids by ensuring the State of New Hampshire retains control of marketing, sales, and distribution — eliminating any need for additional taxes. As such, the bill that was defeated in NH this session was not the right path for our state.”
But the governor also said New Hampshire must be sure to avoid “marijuana miles,” the term for densely concentrated marijuana shops within one city or town. And he said any community that wants to ban shops should be free to do so.
“The state would not impose any taxes, and should control all messaging, avoiding billboards, commercials, and digital ads that bombard kids on a daily basis,” Sununu said.
