Medical cannabis patients who are visiting New Hampshire from another state or Canada can now receive the treatment from authorized dispensaries there. 

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced that, beginning on Wednesday, June 28, the state’s “alternative treatment centers” will be permitted to “dispense therapeutic cannabis to visitors from out of state and from Canada who are allowed to possess cannabis for therapeutic purposes in their state or province.”

“Visiting patients can purchase therapeutic cannabis from a New Hampshire ATC three times per year using their valid therapeutic cannabis identification issued by another state or Canada. If the out-of-state patient has a documented qualifying medical condition that is on the list of conditions approved by New Hampshire, those visiting patients may purchase cannabis at New Hampshire ATCs at the same frequency as New Hampshire qualifying patients,” the agency said in a bulletin posted on its website. 

“Visiting patients must show their out-of-state cannabis ID card and matching photo identification. There is a 2 ounce possession limit per patient, and all patients are limited to purchasing 2 ounces of cannabis in any 10-day period. Visiting patients must abide by all applicable state laws regarding their therapeutic use of cannabis,” the bulletin continued. 

New Hampshire legalized medical cannabis in 2013, when then-Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan signed a bill into law. At the time, New Hampshire was only the 19th state to legalize the treatment.

“Allowing doctors to provide relief to patients through the use of appropriately regulated and dispensed medical marijuana is the compassionate and right policy for the state of New Hampshire, and this legislation ensures that we approach this policy in the right way with measures to prevent abuse,” Hassan, now a U.S. Senator, said in a statement at the time.

Today, 38 states now have medical cannabis laws on the books, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. And New Hampshire has expanded its own law, with Hassan signing a bill in 2015 that broadened the list of qualifying conditions. 

According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, a patient “must be diagnosed with a stand-alone medical condition OR a combination of a qualifying diagnosis and a qualifying symptom” in order to receive medical cannabis treatment. 

Patients with the following stand-alone conditions are eligible, per the department: “Autism spectrum disorder (age 21 and older); Autism spectrum disorder (under age 21) (requires a consultation with a certified provider of child and/or adolescent psychiatry, developmental pediatrics, or pediatric neurology, who (1) confirms that the autism spectrum disorder has not responded to previously prescribed medication or that other treatment options produced serious side effects and (2) supports certification for the use of therapeutic cannabis); Moderate or severe post-traumatic stress disorder; Moderate to severe chronic pain; Severe pain that has not responded to previously prescribed medication or surgical measures or for which other treatment options produced serious side effects; Opioid use disorder, with associated symptoms of cravings or withdrawal (requires a provider who is actively treating the patient for opioid use disorder and who is board-certified in Addiction Medicine or Addiction Psychiatry).”

But New Hampshire remains the only state in New England that has yet to legalize recreational cannabis for adults –– although it is not for lack of trying. 

In May, the New Hampshire state Senate voted down a measure to legalize recreational pot after it had been passed by the state House of Representatives a month earlier.

The bill was rejected in the state Senate by a vote of 14-10.

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New Hampshire Representative Dan Hynes announced on Facebook that he is officially switching parties from Republican to Independent due to his belief that the Republican party no longer values priorities such as the defense of the Constitution or individual freedom.

In his post, he explained that there were three examples that led to his decision. This included his disappointment that legislators could not protect both the rights of parents as well as children, and also the recent passage of a budget with spending of approximately 20%, explaining that it was rushed and people didn’t have enough time to read it thoroughly.

Another matter that influenced his decision involved Republicans voting against cannabis legalization in a near-unanimous vote. “It is clear they are out of touch with the overwhelming majority of their constituents, and that they do not respect or advocate for personal freedom,” Hynes explained. “I hope Republicans can get back to advocating for a smaller government. Until that happens, I will continue fighting for a smaller government that protects the constitutional rights of everyone as an independent.”

The bill that Hynes mentioned refers to House Bill 639, which was rejected on May 11 and would have legalized recreational cannabis, established a regulatory framework, established a 12.5% tax on cannabis products, implemented movement for cannabis revenue to fund research, education, and substance abuse programs, and more.

In May, Sen. William Gannon expressed his opposition for HB-639, claiming that legalization would “sell out the future of New Hampshire youth for money, as Judas sold out Jesus for a few shining coins.”

Following the bill’s rejection, Sen. Becky Whitley and Sen. Shannon Chandley released their personal statements on the issue. “Today’s failure to pass HB-639 means New Hampshire will continue to miss out on significant revenues, as our residents purchase their cannabis products in neighboring states, and will result in the continuation of significant harms caused by marijuana prohibition,” Whitley stated. “Granite Starters have already waited long enough for cannabis legalization in our state, and the Senate majority intends to make our citizens wait even longer.”

Earlier in January, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s office shared that a bipartisan approach to cannabis legalization would never reach Sununu’s desk. “It’s failed in the Senate repeatedly, in both Republican-held years and Democrat-held years,” the office stated. “With teen drug use and overdoses on the rise, it is not anticipated that the legislature will see this as a time to ignore the data and move it forward.”

However in May, Sununu released another statement about his support for cannabis legalization that focuses on harm reduction. “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,” Sununu stated. “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 driver’s seat, focusing on harm reduction—not profits.”

Sununu ended his statement with a firm outlook on what kind of cannabis legislation he will and won’t veto. “I am supportive of legalizing marijuana in the right way —with this legislature —rather than risk a poorly thought out framework that inevitably could pass under future governors or legislatures. Should the legislature pass future legalization bills without these provisions in place, they will be vetoed,” Sununu stated. “This is the best path forward for our state, and I stand ready and willing to work with the legislature so that we can deliver a legalization bill that is smart, sustainable, and retains the fabric and culture of our state.”

A poll published by the University of New Hampshire in March 2022 found that 74% of residents approve of cannabis legalization.

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Salem, a city notorious for its 17th century witch trials, is creating a new reputation for itself by ceasing a modern-day witch hunt. As of this month, Salem is ending arrests for psilocybin mushrooms, Psychedelic Spotlight reports. It is now the sixth Massachusetts city to do so, after a 9-0 city council vote supporting the measure. Psilocybin is understood to be perhaps one of the safest drugs out there. Findings published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology shared that only 0.2% of magic mushroom users have sought emergency medical care after use. For those who had a lousy experience, it was a negative psychological (a bad trip) that resolved within 24 hours. In addition, you cannot die from a psilocybin physical overdose. (Comparatively, the World Health Organization reports that 3 million deaths yearly result from the destructive use of alcohol, representing 5.3% of all deaths.) 

The passage of the Salem measure comes after the FDA has classified psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” for depression. Salem resident and neuroscientist Miyabe Shields said, “This is a win for science and the neurodivergent community to advance life-saving research on the complex innerworkings of our brains,” Psychedelic Spotlight reports.

As too many people know (according to Columbia University, one in ten Americans have depression), the standard treatment for depression, medicines like SSRIs and SNRIs, only improve symptoms in about 20 out of 100 people, data from the National Library of Medicine shows. Psychedelic options such as psilocybin and ketamine are literal lifesavers for the many folks who do not respond to traditional pharmaceuticals. Additionally, while medicines like SSRIs take several weeks to yield results, psychedelics can reduce depression in a matter of hours. Speaking about the measure, as Psychedelic Spotlight reports, disabled Marine Corp Veteran Michael Botelho, an active organizer with both Bay Staters and New England Veterans for Plant Medicine who served in combat during the Gulf War, shares that: “Through the VA system, I was prescribed over 160 medications, including opiates, to cope with PTSD before finding psilocybin mushrooms. For the first time in nearly 25 years, I have been able to sleep, overcome addiction to opiates, and work again.” Certainly, more New Englanders experiencing depression will feel comfortable using psychedelic treatments now that the risk of arrest is off the table. 

Additionally, research shows that psilocybin has an influential role in the harm reduction movement. A study of 44,000 Americans in the U.S. Journal of Psychopharmacology discovered that psilocybin is associated with a 40% reduced risk of suffering opioid addiction. Data from the CDC shows that opioids were involved in 68,630 overdose deaths in 2020 (74.8% of all drug overdose deaths). This powerful property of psilocybin gained the Salem measure a surprising supporter. You don’t have to turn off N.W.A.’s “Fuck The Police,” but know that Lucas Miller, the Chief of Police for the City, endorsed the measure before the city’s final vote. “The indications that psilocybin could be helpful for opiate addiction is something that should not be ignored. We lose about 20 people in Salem a year to opioid overdose,” Miller says, Psychedelic Spotlight reports.

Salem may be the sixth Massachusetts city to end arrests for psilocybin mushrooms, but it won’t be the last. 

The grassroots group who deserves credit for successfully implementing the campaign, which was years in the making, Bay Staters for Natural Medicine, has partnered with Somerville, Cambridge, Northampton, Easthampton, and Amherst to pass similar measures. In addition, the organization is currently pushing state legislation, which includes An Act Relative to Plant Medicine, which would legalize home growing and sharing of psilocybin and related plants. 

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A bill that would legalize recreational cannabis in New Hampshire won approval in the state’s House of Representatives in a tough vote last week.

The House voted 169-156 on Thursday to “to approve a bill that would allow for the sale of cannabis at state-run liquor stores,” according to local television station WCAX, which noted that the bill would legalize only cannabis flower and not edibles.

The bill now joins a separate piece of cannabis reform legislation in the state Senate, where the appetite for legalization may not be as great as it is in the House. Republicans control both chambers of the Granite State’s legislature, but as New Hampshire Public Radio noted, no legalization bill has ever passed the state Senate.

Leaders there say that any bid to end pot prohibition in this session will likely face stiff headwinds.

“I think the Senate has always opposed legalizing marijuana and I think that’s still the same right now,” state Senate President Chuck Morse told New Hampshire Public Radio. “I think there is a concept here that people want to try to understand.”

Adding another wrinkle to the political dynamics is the state’s Republican governor, Chris Sununu.

Sununu has expressed his opposition to legalization in the past, but he made comments last month that signaled a possible shift. And last year, Sununu signed a bill that broadened qualifying conditions for medical cannabis treatment in the state.

Addressing the New England Council last month, “Sununu gave an off-the-cuff response to a question where, for the first time publicly, he significantly softened his stance, especially as it relates to a specific bill being debated in the legislature,” the Boston Globe reported.

“I think it’s going to ultimately happen in New Hampshire, it could be inevitable,” Sununu said, as quoted by the Globe, although he insisted he is “not pro-legalization.”

And with regard to the bill that passed the New Hampshire state House last week, Sununu said this: “If you are ever going to do it, do that bill. Is now the right time? I am not sure yet.”

But before the bill even makes it to the governor’s desk, it will have to clear the state Senate, where even the top Democrat has some concerns with the legislation.

That lawmaker, state Sen. Donna Soucy, told New Hampshire Public Radio that the bill’s “core concept — allowing the liquor commission to sell marijuana — is a problem.”

“Whether the state should be in the business of marijuana is something a lot of us have hesitancy about,” Soucy said, as quoted by the outlet.

A poll released last month found that a huge majority of New Hampshire voters (68%) support the legalization bill that would authorize the liquor commission to regulate cannabis. 

It isn’t the only cannabis reform bill that will go before the state Senate though. Another proposal that won approval in the state House would legalize home cultivation and personal possession of cannabis, but would not authorize sales.

As detailed in the bill’s analysis, the measure would “[permit] adults to possess up to 3/4 of an ounce of cannabis, 5 grams of hashish, and certain cannabis-infused products; permits adults to cultivate up to 6 cannabis plants at home in a secure location that is not visible from other properties, and to possess and process the cannabis produced from their plants at the same location; permits adults to give cannabis to other adults, provided it is not more than 3/4 of an ounce of cannabis, 5 grams of hashish, or up to 300 mg of cannabis-infused products, or 3 immature plants; provides that smoking or vaporizing cannabis in public by an adult would be punishable by a $100 fine; provides that violations of the restrictions on cultivation would be a violation punishable by fine of up to $750; penalizes dangerous, volatile extraction; and permits adults to possess, make, and sell cannabis accessories to other adults.”

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Police have linked a rash of burglaries targeting New England cannabis dispensaries to a trio of suspects in Massachusetts, according to a report from the Portland Press Herald. Law enforcement officers say that a man from New Bedford, Massachusetts and two brothers from Boston are suspected in the string of burglaries of licensed cannabis enterprises going back to 2020.

Police began connecting the crimes after a burglary at a cannabis grower in Gorham, Maine in October of last year. In that caper, three individuals wearing face coverings, hats and long sleeves cut their way through an exterior wall of the business located in an industrial park while a fourth person stood watch outside. The three burglars inside the building moved cautiously from room to room, trying to avoid detection by motion sensors. When the team finally left a couple of hours later, they took 30 pounds of cannabis and 500 THC vape cartridges with them.

During their investigation, police reviewed video from the cannabis cultivator’s security cameras. One camera caught the image of the Massachusetts license plate of a pickup truck that entered the parking lot two hours before the crime. And inside the building, one of the camera’s microphones recorded the burglars talking to one another.

“Where the (expletive) is Dario?” one burglar clearly said to another.

“He’s putting the trunks in the truck, ” the accomplice replied.

Investigation Yields Three Suspects

The license plate led law enforcement officers to Dario Almeida, a 21-year-old man with an address in New Bedford, Massachusetts. When Gorham police Detective Stephen Hinkley called New Bedford police, they gave him a cellphone number for Almeida, who had had a recent contact with the department.

A week later, police in New Bedford contacted Hinkley via email to inform him that Almeida and his brother Rafael were suspects in a similar burglary of a cannabis cultivator in Warwick, Rhode Island, where the same pickup truck was also caught on video. Police believe that the brothers are from South Boston and a third suspect is from New Bedford, according to Mass Live.

After reaching out to other New England law enforcement agencies, Hinkley learned of seven similar burglaries that had occurred in Maine since June of last year. Another Gorham cannabis business was also burglarized by criminals who cut through an exterior wall on Thanksgiving night in 2020. Burglars also targeted a cannabis business in South Portland, Maine. In January, a Portland, Maine judge issued a search warrant for evidence including location data from one of the suspect’s cell phones for the times that two of the burglaries occurred. No arrests have yet been made, and the case is still being investigated.

Police in South Portland and Warwick did not reply to reporters’ questions about the burglaries. Gorham Police Chief Christopher Sanborn also declined to comment on the rash of burglaries.

“This is an open investigation that we are currently working on,” Sanborn said. “I’m sorry, but I cannot comment any further at this time.”

Maine’s cannabis regulatory agency, the Office of Marijuana Policy, requires licensed cannabis businesses to report burglaries, robberies and other crimes. But David Heidrich, a spokesperson for the agency, said that many businesses are not familiar with the procedure to submit such reports. The reports the regulator has received are confidential and an analysis of the information they contain has not been conducted by the agency.

“We are not a law enforcement entity, and our role in regulating cannabis is to ensure licensee and registrant compliance with Maine’s adult and medical use of marijuana laws,” Heidrich wrote in response to a request for information on crime reports at cannabis businesses. “Thefts and burglaries are crimes, and the best source for information about criminal activity is and has always been law enforcement.”

An executive at Tetrapoint LLC, a South Portland-based cannabis security firm that transports pot and cash for cannabis businesses, told the Portland Press Herald that many companies are lulled by Maine’s reputation as a low-crime state into being complacent about security. But he said that the threat to cannabis businesses still exists.

“The tendency is to say, the bank’s only a half-hour away, why would we pay people to drive there?” said the executive, who requested anonymity to prevent being targeted for robbery while he’s on the job. “We have clients who are next door to a bank, and they still utilize our services.”

The executive also noted that despite pot’s continued illegality at the federal level, many local police departments are treating cannabis businesses just like other crime victims.

“In several different communities, we’ve found that local law enforcement are very friendly because it’s driving new business,” the security executive said.  “Some folks may not be particularly happy about the industry, but it’s here, it’s now and it’s happening.”

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