New Hampshire Bill Expands State’s Medical Marijuana Program
Earlier this month, New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan signed a bill expanding the state’s medical marijuana law, further nullifying federal prohibition in practice.
Rep. David Luneau (I) introduced House Bill 1453 (HB1453) earlier this year. The legislation adds ulcerative colitis to the list of debilitating medical conditions that qualify a patient to access medicinal cannabis under the state’s medical marijuana law.
The New Hampshire House and Senate both passed HB1453 on a voice vote. With Hassan’s signature, this expansion of the state’s medical marijuana law will go into effect on Aug. 2.
This is the second time the New Hampshire legislature has expanded the conditions eligible for treatment with medicinal cannabis.The state legalized marijuana for medical use in 2013. The first dispensaries opened in the state earlier this year. Allowing patients suffering from ulcerative colitis to access medical marijuana will further the medicinal cannabis program in New Hampshire.
EFFECT ON FEDERAL PROHIBITION
New Hampshire’s medical marijuana program removes one layer of laws prohibiting the possession and use of marijuana, but federal prohibition remains in place.
Of course, the federal government lacks any constitutional authority to ban or regulate marijuana within the borders of a state, despite the opinion of the politically connected lawyers on the Supreme Court. If you doubt this, ask yourself why it took a constitutional amendment to institute federal alcohol prohibition.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1470694951173-5'); });
//tags-cdn.deployads.com/a/activistpost.com.js
(deployads = window.deployads || ).push({});