The recreational use of marijuana will continue to be illegal in New Hampshire after the House Thursday killed a bill that would have legalized, regulated and taxed the drug.
House Bill 1694 would legalize marijuana for those 21 years old and older and would impose not only a $15-per-ounce tax on the leaves, but also a $530-per-ounce tax on the much more potent flowers, which also can be used to cultivate plants.
The bill would allow someone to grow up to six plants; three could be “adults” that would produce about three pounds of the drug.
During Thursday’s debate, supporters said it is “high time” the state legalized the drug to stop making criminals of users. And they said marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol, which claimed 50,000 lives nationally last year.
But opponents said with the state facing a horrendous drug addiction crisis, now is not the time to be legalizing any drug. They added even proponents of legalization acknowledge it is not harmless. [Read more at the Manchester Union-Leader]