The commission appointed to study a state-run cannabis model concluded its final meeting without issuing recommendations on legislation.
On November 27th, 2023, a specially formed commission failed to arrive at a consensus establishing recommendations on the legalization of recreational cannabis in the state of New Hampshire (1). Earlier this year, Governor Sununu had called for the creation of the commission to study a state-run model of cannabis legalization—the only type of model the governor has stated he will sign into law—and gave the commission a December 1 deadline for reporting its recommendations (2).
The commission voted 7-2 to issue the report on its activities and testimonies from the past several months but without recommendations (1). In the proposed state-run model, the Liquor Commission would oversee several aspects of the cannabis retail stores, but stores would be operated by individual owners (3). "So, this is a public-private partnership," said Senator Tim Lang (4). "The state is going to be the regulator and controller, and then the retail side will be a private partnership with another organization." The original number of cannabis stores was set to match the number of current liquor stores, which is 67 stores (3).
On the day of the final meeting, two last-minute conditions for the legalization to pass came from the governor’s office: a limit of 15 stores in the state—with the potential option for more in the future—and banning license holders from lobbying and political contributions (1,3). Despite some criticism of limiting the initial number of stores, the commission accepted the limit, but rejected the proposal to limit licensee political contributions, citing concerns over free speech (1).
Currently, New Hampshire is the only state in New England where recreational cannabis is still illegal (4).
Read our coverage of the formation of New Hampshire’s commission and the bill that would have legalized cannabis in the state earlier this year.
References
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December 3rd 2024ASTM Standards D8557-24 and D8556-24, provide unified guidelines for GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and QMS (Quality Management Systems) in cannabis operations. These standards enhance compliance, product safety, and operational consistency across the industry for the benefit of operators, consumers, and other stakeholders in the industry.
Senate Committee has released the text of 2024 Farm Bill, with changes to hemp regulations
Published: November 19th 2024 | Updated: December 4th 2024The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry has introduced the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, which will serve as the Senate’s draft for the 2024 Farm Bill.