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Marijuana (Decriminalization and Legalization)
HB 1633 Update: Marijuana Legalization Defeated!
On June 13th, the New Hampshire House voted not to move forward with the agreement reached between House and Senate members of the committee of conference on HB 1633, the bill to legalize recreational marijuana in New Hampshire. The committee of conference had been meeting to iron out differences between the versions of HB 1633 passed by the House and Senate respectively. This means that HB 1633 is dead.
Deepest thanks to all who contacted legislators to register opposition to HB 1633 at any point throughout this legislative session. We should be truly grateful that New Hampshire will not be going down this road, a road that is so harmful to the common good.
Marijuana represents a significant part of substance abuse in the United States and adversely affects the health of many Americans. The widespread use and abuse of marijuana, particularly by young people under the age of eighteen, is steadily increasing while scientific evidence clearly links its long-term damaging effects on brain development.
The Catholic Church teaches that life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God and that we must take reasonable care of them. Catechism of the Catholic Church note 2288. “The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense.” Catechism at note 2291.
For these reasons, the Diocese of Manchester has urged state legislators to reject efforts to legalize marijuana.
Opposing the legalization of marijuana (Bob Dunn testimony)
Testimony:
HB 1633 - Legalization of Marijuana - January 17, 2024
HB 639 - Legalization of Marijuana - April 20, 2023
HB 639 - Legalization of Marijuana - January 24, 2023
HB 1598 - Legalization of Marijuana - April 20, 2022
HB 1598 Legalization of Marijuana - February 25, 2022
HB 1663 Legalization and Regulation of Cannabis - February 12, 2020
HB 481 Legalization and Regulation of Cannabis – February 5, 2019
Resources:
"Behavioral Health Trends in the United States: Results from the 2014 Survey on Drug Use and Health." Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2015.
Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, "The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado, The Impact" Volume 4, September 2016.
