House backs pot decriminalization

[ny2nh]

House backs pot decriminalization

By TOM FAHEY
State House Bureau Chief
7 minutes ago

Concord – The New Hampshire House voted today to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, ignoring advice from the House Criminal Justice Committee.

House Bill 1623 passed in an amended form by a vote of 193-141. It makes possession of up to one-quarter ounce of marijuana a violation, punishable by a $200 fine. The quantity involved is enough for about seven or eight marijuana joints.

The Criminal Justice Committee had recommended killing the bill by a 13-5 vote.Those who backed the bill said the penalties in current law are too harsh. They include a $2,000 fine, jail time and the loss of eligibility for federal grants for college aid.

Rep. Jason Bedrick, R-Windham, said the bill does not make marijuana completely legal."The question is not whether marijuana should be illegal. The question is whether a teen being stupid should face up to a year in prison and a loss of all funding for college," he said. It is time New Hampshire joined 12 others states that have lowered the punishment for possessing small amounts of marijuana, he said.

The bill does not change the laws on sales or transport of marijuana in a car, a flaw critics pointed out in a failed attempt to defeat the bill.

Rep. John Tholl, R-Whitefield, who is chief of police in Dalton, warned that giving some marijuana to a friend is considered a drug sale, a felony under current state law. Transporting it in a car is still a misdemeanor.

"We don't need to send a mixed message to people, to have them think it's OK to have a little," he said. "They can't give it away or have in it a car, because it's a felony or misdemeanor."

He said he worries that young people may be more likely to get caught up in drug trouble thinking that the reform runs through all laws on marijuana.

The measure now faces a review by the state Senate.

[Dave Ridley]

video uploading now at ridleyreport.com

[AntonLee]

holy crapola I thought this was dead!?!!!

sweet!

[Dave Ridley]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D_TnNRBShw

[d_goddard]

This House vote was definitely the hardest hurdle in this battle.
The Senate will not go easily, however. It's going to take a hell of a lot more hard work. All the Prohibitionists will be up in arms now and will be calling their Senators to "stop the drugs"

[KBCraig]

Lynch vows to veto:

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Lynch+threatens+veto+after+House+votes+to+decriminalize+pot&articleId=d749f97f-4f05-4a72-8ca1-b6d3951bda19

[d_goddard]

Lynch vows to veto:

Worse, the President of the Senate - Sylvia Larson (D-Concord) vows it won't pass the Senate.

We need to push for this as hard as we pushed for Real-ID.

[MengerFan]

Gov. Lynch's spokesman Colin Manning said the bill "sends absolutely the wrong message to New Hampshire's young people about the very real dangers of drug use.

Ummm, so the right message to send to young people is that it is wrong to have a plant that has numerous documented health benefits and on which it is impossible to overdose? People die every year from water overdose. Why are we sending them the message that it is good to drink water?

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Gov. Lynch's spokesman Colin Manning said the bill "sends absolutely the wrong message to New Hampshire's young people about the very real dangers of drug use.

Ummm, so the right message to send to young people is that it is wrong to have a plant that has numerous documented health benefits and on which it is impossible to overdose? People die every year from water overdose. Why are we sending them the message that it is good to drink water?

Give the kids an inch and they'll take a mile. Using marijuana will just lead to more dangerious drugs, don't you know that?? 

[David]

Gov. Lynch's spokesman Colin Manning said the bill "sends absolutely the wrong message to New Hampshire's young people about the very real dangers of drug use.

Ummm, so the right message to send to young people is that it is wrong to have a plant that has numerous documented health benefits and on which it is impossible to overdose? People die every year from water overdose. Why are we sending them the message that it is good to drink water?

Well...you know that dihydrogen monoxide is a dangerous substance when ingested in large quantities.  We should ban it.  For the children of course. 

[Dave Ridley]

Video up at:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2D_TnNRBShw

[srqrebel]

I hope this highly flawed bill passes.  It will only serve to illustrate that the nature of inside-the-system "victories" is such that for each small step you gain, it becomes exponentially more difficult to gain the next one.

The passage of this bill will effectively stymie any efforts to comprehensively secure the rights of marijuana users, growers, and dealers from within the system that thrives on subjugating the individual.

After this bill passes, the general attitude of the legislature will be that the NH marijuana laws have already been sufficiently overhauled to be more than considerate of the rights of the people, and any further concessions would run counter to the law-and-order image they must maintain to prop up their appearance of legitimacy.

[d_goddard]

I hope this highly flawed bill passes.  It will only serve to illustrate that the nature of inside-the-system "victories" is such that for each small step you gain, it becomes exponentially more difficult to gain the next one.

If that's the case, how do you explain the process by which we become an effectively Socialist country?

After this bill passes, the general attitude of the legislature will be that the NH marijuana laws have already been sufficiently overhauled

You have amazing insight on people you refuse to talk to.

[Landon Jeffery]

Maybe all of the new hampshireites that care for this bill to pass should hold a peaceful marijuana smoke n toke right outside of the senate so when all the senators are walking in to vote on this thing they will have a good impression to go by.  If organized well enough and with a large enough group of people the police would have a difficult time arresting everyone and I am sure that those being arrested would show to the rest of new hampshire just how draconian the current laws against marijuana are!  Just look at the effect Marc Emery had in canada and he was just one man.  Just food for thought.  Do any of you agree with me?  Disagree?

[dalebert]

If that's the case, how do you explain the process by which we become an effectively Socialist country?

Because it's natural for an aggressive state to expand. It's taking it in the other direction that's difficult.