The New Hampshire state Senate voted Wednesday to approve legislation permitting the use of medicinal marijuana for patients who are terminally ill or suffer from chronic pain. The state House passed a version of the bill on March 25.
If the bill becomes law, New Hampshire, will become the 14th state to permit the medicinal use of marijuana.
After a reconciliation process with the state House's bill, the legislation be sent to the Gov. John Lynch, D-N.H. for approval
Lynch has reservations about approving the legislation, Colin Manning, Lynch's press secretary, said. Manning did not go so far as to explicitly say that Lynch would veto bill in an interview with The Dartmouth.
"The governor has serious concerns about the bill, the same concerns that are shared by law enforcement," Manning said in an interview with The Dartmouth.
The bill permits qualifying patients or their immediate caregivers to possess two ounces of marijuana and to cultivate up to six marijuana plants. A doctor must certify that the patient is in constant pain, suffers from nausea or vomiting, or has seizures or severe, chronic muscles spasms in order for the patient to qualify.
State Rep. Evalyn Merrick, D-Lancaster, who sponsored the bill, said she does not believe that legalizing the medicinal use of marijuana will complicate law enforcement efforts against illegal drug use.
"I understand where [Lynch] is coming from, but if you look at the 13 states that have already legalized marijuana, law enforcement has found a balance, and there don't seem to be many issues," she said.
Merrick said the measure has widespread, bipartisan support, which she hopes will influence Lynch's decision.
"I believe that the governor is a sensible man," Merrick said. "There is a mandate in the House and a mandate in the Senate. I believe that he will listen to the votes and listen to the people who have made those votes."
The measure passed by a margin of 234-138 in the state House and by 14-10 in the state Senate.
Merrick, who suffers from multiple myeloma, said she was "gratified" to see that a measure to help people in similar situations had received support from both sides of the aisle.
"I think it's great that people are willing to step out of the political box to help people who are suffering," she said.
State Rep. Peter Batula, R-Hillsborough, said he does not support the bill because he does not approve of any use of marijuana.
"My major concern is that [marijuana] is a gateway to other drugs, and I think that's been proven," he said.
The state House rejected a bill to legalize medicinal marijuana in 2007.
