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Jtagz t1_ixdkzaq wrote

Weed is straight up one of the few things both sides in NH agree on (save hardcore social conservative types)

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Dugen t1_ixdv6b9 wrote

It's an embarrassment that prohibition has lasted this long. Too many people have a hard time with the idea that there is a difference between legal and good, and that attempting to discourage something by making it illegal can make things worse.

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representativesign03 t1_ixfdw7q wrote

It's fucking terrifying how many adults do not understand that legality ≠ morality

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TheDogAndTheDragon t1_ixe4i5g wrote

Sununu doesn't agree and he's the only one that matters

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BobbySwiggey t1_ixemrur wrote

He has said stuff to the effect of "waiting for the right time and the correct procedures," meaning everyone suspects the state wants to make sure they can control the sale of cannabis just like liquor lol

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Rizingfire t1_ixemwvl wrote

Ya, it's sad...booze is fine tho, who needs a liver anyway? Even my hard-core Conservative friends have come over to the pot side so we gotta just stay on Sununu. Remind him of his 'let's see how MA does' comment & how well it did.

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jessyblorp t1_ixm6g6j wrote

It’s pretty bananas how big of a difference I felt when I made the switch, alcohol is fucking poison man. Kind of wild our state is so proud to have nationalized the peddling of something so damaging.

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h_to_tha_o_v t1_ixfxgpb wrote

Except for politicians. A few old Democrats, DINOs, and too many GOPers are dragging their feet.

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decayo t1_ixhkjd5 wrote

Every republican in NH that I've seen quotes from on the subject has spouted the same "it's a gateway drug" bullshit that we've been hearing forever. They've got big "live free or die" energy until it's about something they don't give a shit about and suddenly it's "there's a slight risk that something bad might happen, better safe than sorry".

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Majestic-Alfalfa-754 t1_ixe9anf wrote

Live free or die. Except with marijuana. You have to drive 40 min and give the next state your tax $ for that. NH has enough $ thanks.

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AMC4x4 OP t1_ixdetd0 wrote

About time the "Live Free or Die" state starts acting like it when it comes to cannabis.

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mjs710 t1_ixdglzi wrote

I agree and I feel that most NH residents I talk to, feel the same way. Crazy that its still not legal here

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixdol2d wrote

Every effort before this has involved state-run distribution and sale, which is why it's failed - It's unknown what the federal government would do to, say, highway funding, if the state was selling a substance that's federally illegal.

I really like the way this legislation is drafted, and it's probably the best shot we've had to pass it in a while.

Hell, just make it legal to grow and use your own, but not sell it, kind of like Maine did at first.

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agent_tits t1_ixe68vt wrote

It’s wildly out of reality for most sane state governments, but now I’m imagining a slightly different moderate GOP governor who does pass the bill enshrining state control - and essentially traps the Biden admin into either legalizing via executive order (assuming no passage in Senate), taking no action and sorta de facto legalizing, or laying his 80yo cards on the table and taking punitive action

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixe9fyp wrote

> or laying his 80yo cards on the table and taking punitive action

I mean, not unique to Biden, but this is exactly what the feds would do. They'd punish first, and then let it go to SCOTUS, even though this sort of thing should be solidly within a states' rights issue. Whether the short term punishments would be worth it or not... That's the tougher question.

The feds don't like being forced to do anything.

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jppianoguy t1_ixdinaq wrote

Marijuana legalization is wildly popular everywhere. It's amazing that we can't get this at the federal level yet

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FaustusC t1_ixdmc9l wrote

The prison system needs it.

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zdiggler t1_ixfueq0 wrote

They should give grants to weed dealers and growers who got locked up for selling weed so they can start their own businesses.

Right now only rich fuckers can get into the weed biz in all states that is legal.

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jessyblorp t1_ixm6sur wrote

This. So much of what the south produces relies on slave labor from drug offenders serving double digits for being caught with a joint.

Should have finished reconstruction!

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BALLS_SMOOTH_AS_EGGS t1_ixe8chx wrote

I could've read this exact sentiment 9 years ago. Nothing has changed. I wish it wasn't this way.

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Psychological-Cry221 t1_ixe8d53 wrote

I’ve never bought recreational weed in VT, but I can say that Maine does a far superior job than Massachusetts. If you’ve only been to MA, you have to make the pilgrimage to Maine. It is sooo much cheaper!

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4ak96 t1_ixeeqve wrote

Cheaper, and friendlier and easier! Plus you guys up in maine have weed BEER

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Rizingfire t1_ixemjle wrote

Agreed, Maine has some crazy good bud...and there is so much everywhere that oversupply leads to cheaper prices...I've got land there so I've been meaning to get my med card up there ...just have had some stuff get in the way last time I was up there. I've got a bunch of trees I bought to reforest a logged property so I plan to be up there in the spring...a friend gave me a bag of treats last time I went up there...

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rochvegas5 t1_ixeg9k7 wrote

hear hear. The taxes alone in Mass. are nuts!

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20sinnh t1_ixul9yj wrote

Medical card makes that moot, though you need to find a medical dispensary. REV Clinics in Cambridge is my go-to. Affordable, and I can get high-thc edibles if I want.

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kikrs999 t1_ixfz94m wrote

I cannot wait until recreation is legal here. God knows we need the money! In the meantime, I like to imagine what the dispensaries will be called... Kancamangus Kush... Live Free and High... Winnepe-smoked Out...

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[deleted] t1_ixgt3nz wrote

[deleted]

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scarletuba t1_ixh1gxa wrote

Why wouldn't we want to tax it? Seriously, it's recreational, it's entertainment. That means it's a luxury item and if anything should be taxed, it's that.

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[deleted] t1_ixh8hjh wrote

[deleted]

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scarletuba t1_ixhgqp3 wrote

I'm worried I may have caused permanent damage to my sight from the eyeroll I just did at this comment.

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[deleted] t1_ixm2caz wrote

[deleted]

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scarletuba t1_ixm4mah wrote

You certainly "take advantage" of the system in the exact same way I do and if you don't think that is true, you are absolute idiot.

A society requires funds to cover basic expenses and infrastructure that no one person can handle.

Read Snow crash, read The Disposessed. Then reevaluate your own opinions because I don't think you can properly imagine what the world you want could actually look like.

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[deleted] t1_ixqu47a wrote

[deleted]

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scarletuba t1_ixqxwbj wrote

Yeah... I won't because I have better things to do. I hear the bears in Grafton are doing great.

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[deleted] t1_ixsh9sr wrote

[deleted]

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scarletuba t1_ixship4 wrote

Like there is any greater fairy tale than libertarianism.

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[deleted] t1_ixsi0n5 wrote

[deleted]

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scarletuba t1_ixyj488 wrote

I have never seen a debate that resulted in changing a speaker's mind, or even really an audience, even the dang debate podcast with Oxford-style debates usually only change maybe 5% of minds - and if you go back and unterview the audience again months later, they've pretty much all reverted back to their former way of thinking.

The goal of a debate from a libertarian perspective is the gish gallop so much the other speaker just spends all their time refuting without having a single unified comment. All the libertarian had to do is say, "and another thing, freedom!" And the non-libertarian has to wait for the idiotic applause to die down before re-explaining their main points again to people who do not care. Then the libertarians clip all the parts that make them look good, ignore the parts that make them look bad, and use it as advertisement within their own group to go "see, look how stupid the other side is."

The actual libertarian agenda is, "I want what's mine and to do whatever I want and also want everything else to stay pretty much the same, except then I can ignore the poor and disadvantaged more blatantly since they don't deserve to live if they can't take care of themselves."

That's why libertarians are mostly people who've a) never had a real, genuine struggle that their money or their parents' money couldn't save them from or b) have convenient amnesia about all the ways a society works to protect them.

No, that is a waste of my time.

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[deleted] t1_ixyjuii wrote

[deleted]

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scarletuba t1_ixyovnn wrote

Sure.

Now you can go to your libertarian friends and say, "I keep offering to have these people debate us and none of them will because they're too chicken/too insecure of their beliefs/etc"

And they'll go, "yeah"

And I'll move on with my life and actually do things that, you know, help people.

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[deleted] t1_ixyq5jc wrote

[deleted]

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scarletuba t1_ixyuspn wrote

No dude. I've been having a conversation with you and you just keep ignoring what I am saying and pushing a stupid debate so you can prove I don't want to talk.

Luckily, the state is not full of libertarians. I didn't see any at the beautiful, publicly-funded library, or when I walked down the nicely paved sidewalk in my neighborhood that I didn't get charged for using.

I'm not going to reply anymore because I think your real aim is to keep wasting my time.

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jessyblorp t1_ixm7lxq wrote

Found the ‘Libertarian’

If the weed is being sold in a store that the state owns — isn’t that worse than a tax for you ideologically?

Smells a lot like communism with New Hampshire characteristics to me. (IE State Capitalism.)

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warren_stupidity t1_ixhi58c wrote

The proposed legislation explicitly does not put it under the liquor control board, and instead enables private retail and production facilities:

"If adopted, the law would create a private marketplace for cannabis sales and focus on low taxation. Marijuana would be taxed at the current meals-and-rooms tax rate of 8.5 percent, with proceeds going toward unmet pension obligations across the state and drug education and prevention, according to Egan."

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heeyyyyooo t1_ixh0oz6 wrote

Isn’t taxing it the whole reason for legalizing it?

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mmirate t1_ixhaavx wrote

No, getting rid of the War on Drugs police-state is the whole reason for legalizing it. As long as there is an illegal black market for police to go after (whether because the plant is entirely illegal or because smuggling it is cheaper than paying the taxes and regulations), the mission is not accomplished. Ask California and New York. (And contrast Colorado, who headed this issue off mostly correctly.)

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heeyyyyooo t1_ixlqzsk wrote

All the legalized states are making billions in tax revenue combined and you think they are doing it because they care about the war on drugs? The same politicians that allowed pharmaceutical companies to get millions of Americans hooked on opioids to make record profits don’t have your best interests in mind.

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Extra-Tension378 t1_ixhkvmk wrote

It is going to be taxed, and I think it should be. I lived in CO, and it is taxed at 25%, but still significantly cheaper than black market. Taxes went to funding after school educational programs for kids in the state.

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1776WeThePeople t1_ixfqao9 wrote

NH has been holding out for federal legalization because they want to control sales the way they do liquor.

Can't mandate you get your weed from state weed stores if weed is still federally illegal, and they aren't about to let all that money go anywhere but the states pocket.

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2_dam_hi t1_ixfz5w2 wrote

They've lost so much revenue over the past 4 or 5 years, maybe they're finally realizing how stupid they've acted. (just kidding. that's never going to happen)

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tacoavenger413 t1_ixg29nw wrote

This makes sense of the stagnation perfectly for me, thank you.

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warren_stupidity t1_ixhi9av wrote

This bill doesn't do that.

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TheodoeBhabrot t1_ixithis wrote

Which is why Sununu will veto if it passes

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warren_stupidity t1_ixlx38s wrote

Fine, he probably will, but the point is that NH isn’t holding out for retail pot at state stores, some politicians keep blocking legalization, for whatever reason they have. Sununu, and Hassan before him, are just stuck in Drug War idiocy.

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jessyblorp t1_ixm72m2 wrote

Nuts to me that a state that trips so hard over it’s own dick trying to be “pro business,” is also largely fine with this level of Chinese-style state capitalism.

Privatize and legalize imo

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Searchlights t1_ixejy41 wrote

I don't think NH will do it until the State can run it and create tax revenue from it, and I don't think they can do that until the Fed unfucks themselves.

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currancchs t1_ixer302 wrote

>think NH will do it until the State can run it and create tax revenue from it, and I don't think they can do that until the Fed unfucks themselves.

I've been saying this for years. They want it on the state liquor store model, but aren't going to ask state employees to commit federal crimes, so need to wait until the Federal government gives the OK. I think that the concern is that allowing private stores would make it really hard to go to the NH liquor store model if the Federal government ever does give the OK to the states, as opposed to this weird middle ground where its illegal, but the laws aren't enforced.

Definitely weird for the Live Free or Die state to be an island of prohibition!

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h_to_tha_o_v t1_ixfwxxf wrote

I respectfully disagree. The Feds wouldn't touch that. All other states with legalization have regulators that are heavily involved with overseeing the operations of and collecting taxes from marijuana sales.

With how broad the Controlled Substances Act and Federal Money Laundering Statues are, you could technically charge every state with a legal regulated market right now. All state marijuana tax revenues are technically laundered.

The Fed already gave this OK under Obama, through the introduction of the Cole Memo (by the DOJ), which was a major policy shift indicating USDOJ would not enforce those laws against MRBs operating in compliance with state regulations and a set of "Priorities" (e.g. no sales to minors). While Trump's DOJ rescinded that (it was non-bindimg anyway), the DOJ as a department stated they would continue their non-enforcement approach.

I hate politics, but the fact is that GOP "politician" support for marijuana has been weak (but I know lots of conservative stoners), there are plenty of GOP in the NH Legislature, and you can't run an end around via ballot measure like we did here in MA.

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2_dam_hi t1_ixfzg9f wrote

It's not cool that NH lawmakers are essentially turning so many of their citizens into federal criminals every time they bring cannabis back from another state.

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IggyBiggy420 t1_ixgbvkw wrote

They're not turning you into a criminal. You are turning yourself into a criminal. It's illegal, and everyone knows this. I am for legalization but you're just wrong.

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warren_stupidity t1_ixhii40 wrote

Yeah well I think they are starting to realize that a lot of revenue is going south and the feds aren't going to legalize it anytime soon.

Anyway this bill explicitly enables a private market for retail pot.

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mattinnh t1_ixdjxia wrote

If only Sununu won’t veto it again. Let’s put it on the ballot and see what happens.

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chubbuck3 t1_ixdu28e wrote

I didn’t vote for him this year. Because he’s vetoed the bill so many times now it’s pissing me off if he doesn’t do it this time we need to get somebody that will.

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burnsalot603 t1_ixf1zdm wrote

He's gotta have some back door deal worked into the whole "we are only gonna sell weed through the liquor store" plan. Total bullshit but I see no other reason why he'd continue to let so much money flow out of EVERY border we have.

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mattinnh t1_ixf5yvg wrote

I’ve heard he wants for it to be federally legal so that can happen. Also someone said he is waiting till there is an actual breathalyzer to test if you are stoned and driving. I know that it would definitely help with the opioid problem.

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Dasmer t1_ixe35a6 wrote

I’ve seen this episode before, I think.

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DeerFlyHater t1_ixdkcfc wrote

With an almost completely new senate, to include the prime sponsor of last year's passed bill, it has a chance.

I think Snusnu will sign the right bill if it gets to him.

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixdnyf7 wrote

The biggest thing that this has that previous efforts haven't is that it doesn't include state-run distribution.

Now, granted, the state WANTS the profits, like alcohol. But I like how this bill looks in terms of legalization. Treat it like beer and wine, rather than liquor.

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wallflowerattheorgy t1_ixdqvkv wrote

Exactly. They won't do it without getting the taxes from it being state run and they can't have it be state run if it's still federally illegal. We could legalize possession and consumption without allowing a market for it like Maine used to have and that would probably be the closest we could get until the federal prohibition is lifted.

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixdr4yv wrote

> We could legalize possession and consumption without allowing a market for it like Maine used to have and that would probably be the closest we could get until the federal prohibition is lifted.

Yeah, if this effort fails, that's what I'd like to see next. Legalize home growing for personal use, legalize possession and consumption, because for fuck's sake we can drive an hour in just about any direction and find it for sale, legally.

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Inevitable_Ad6868 t1_ixdvo0q wrote

Laughing at a state weed store on 93 at the border.

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixdw24j wrote

Yeah, drive down Route 3 and the instant you hit the MA border there's like, a dozen billboards for weed stores. At this point they could at least legalize possession, use, and personal growing... It's not like it's hard for us to get legally.

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agent_tits t1_ixe57jp wrote

Nature’s Remedy is usually more NH plates than MA lol

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Arthur-Morgans-Beard t1_ixh5q2f wrote

That's cool for you guys, but up here in Coos it's a little farther to get there. My closest spot is in Maine, a little over an hour each way, and have to go through 2 notches to get there. Not something I love doing in the winter.

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixhl9u7 wrote

Well, you live in an area that has it's own law enforcement show on discovery channel so...

Jokes aside, you could just go up to Canada.

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Arthur-Morgans-Beard t1_ixhlnqr wrote

No, I can't. I don't have a passport, until last month the border was closed (covid), and I got a DWI in the states 20 years ago that I've yet to address with our friendly neighbors to the north. Not to mention how the fuck you figure I can bring weed in from another country lol

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixhmebp wrote

Ahh, yeah, the lack of passport and the DWI makes it a bit tricky.

As far as bringing weed in from another country... I know a guy who's got a camp way the fuck up in Vermont and pre-COVID he'd bring it back over, because the New England states didn't have a lot of dispensaries that were close. Granted, that was going from somewhere where it's legal to somewhere where it's legal. I also don't know if he just didn't declare.

I do know that when I was 19, I went up to Quebec and brought back a bottle of wine into the states, and the border guards had no problem with it, so I'm assuming that weed is the same way.

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Arthur-Morgans-Beard t1_ixhmxrx wrote

Maybe I could cross in Vermont, but I would think the NH plates and ID would make things tricky. Plus I'm not sure the closest dispensary would be any closer than going over to Maine. Seems like something I'd hate to find out the hard way. Would rather just be able to grow my own without the risk of losing my house / kids.

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixholpr wrote

Yeah, that's fair. I don't use myself but I see no reason why people can't grow their own if they can just drive to ME, VT, or MA and get it.

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Arthur-Morgans-Beard t1_ixhphfo wrote

Exactly, I stay up here because I just like to be left the fuck alone haha.

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixi0vdg wrote

Damn good place to live if you like to be left the fuck alone, that's for sure.

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Darwins_Dog t1_ixe13wu wrote

This gets repeated every time the topic comes up. Has anyone from the legislature or governor's office actually said this? I can't find anything on it. One if the most recent bills would have given full control to the liquor board and it was rejected without debate.

EDIT: have they said that they do or don't want state control, I mean. Seems like we're mostly speculating on why it keeps getting rejected.

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Tullyswimmer t1_ixe1lwv wrote

So, in the text of almost every recreational legalization bill before, it gives control over the sale and distribution to the state in some form (including the one you mention).

This is the first bill where sale and distribution is explicitly privatized and the state is left out entirely.

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dft-salt-pasta t1_ixe4hf0 wrote

Live free or die but don’t smoke weed. More so about seat belts and high way liquor stores.

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Crazy_Hick_in_NH t1_ixkf3wi wrote

Whatever NH does, they better use the revenue to fund public education - take the cigs, booze and pot to learn our youth a thing or two. Congratulations on your graduation—this diploma brought to you by RJ Reynolds, Bacardi and Kanc Kush. LOL

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AMC4x4 OP t1_ixmpajz wrote

100%. Then maybe the folks in Laconia will shut the hell up about having to spread the school funds to districts that don't have the "privilege" of having been founded in areas with ski slopes or lakes with multi-million dollar homes and businesses.

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Rizingfire t1_ixelure wrote

Sununu originally said he wanted to see how Mass did with Rec use & from what I have seen, the new roads & bridges & fully funded projects look like positive outcomes for such a crappy state...if MA can do it no reason we cant...since we all just go there anyway it's stupid to not have it here, it's as if we already have it anyway...

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ClariNerd617 t1_iximvkb wrote

Look no further than his attitude towards passenger rail to see how he feels about anything that would benefit people who aren’t wealthy.

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averageduder t1_ixeipb0 wrote

This is not going to happen any time soon and it’s just kind of grating to keep seeing it.

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Cowgirlup365 t1_ixhvzcq wrote

The problem is even if it's legalized, it's still illegal on a federal level. According to the Federal Firearms Act of 1968, Marijuana customers - legal and otherwise - are prohibited from possessing firearms. So, until that is changed, the state law is irrelevant for gun owners.

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Tokeya t1_ixe086r wrote

Mass, VT or Maine within driving distance to most within a reasonable amount of time this matters little at this point (except lost revenue).

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NerfGuyReplacer t1_ixeaydn wrote

Transporting over state lines is a federal crime, so thats not perfect either

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MemeAddict96 t1_ixeirw6 wrote

Each state that legalizes is another domino towards nationwide legalization. As a federal employee, NH legalization would do nothing for me, but it’s another inch forward towards maybe one day having my first joint

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rochvegas5 t1_ixeg77d wrote

Good, but I'm not holding my breath

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dduubbz t1_ixe2xh9 wrote

Please please please please

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f2000sa t1_ixem0b3 wrote

Why do people want to legalize this? The skunk smell is intolerable. I can not imagine people living in apartments have to breathe this day and night. This should be banned!

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BigRockFarm t1_ixevisv wrote

Agreed! While we are at it let’s ban body odor, cooking with curry and actual skunks 🦨. Kill ‘em all!

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AMC4x4 OP t1_ixemin6 wrote

I lived in an apartment where they cooked fish next door almost every day. It was horrible. Bottom line, you can't really control others. You either have considerate neighbors or you don't.

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Vi0lentByt3 t1_ixenfxk wrote

Because it already is decriminalized and making it not legal is just losing money to maine and MA, its also really counter to the live and let live mindset or NE. Oh and its legal literally in all bordering states should kind of tell you something… If smell does concern you most apartments do prohibit smoking inside so you can always go that route

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jackrat27 t1_ixeofgz wrote

I hate being around alcohol, but you can’t get away from that

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Lordofthebeer t1_ixetkz9 wrote

That is something that comes down to being considerate or not. Not whether it is legalized. Some people are just jerks and don't care how their actions affect the people around them.

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TarantinoFan23 t1_ixfrtd4 wrote

Seriously, ban loud trucks, fireworks, and construction. Those are all louder and smellier.

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UnfairAd7220 t1_ixeol1r wrote

The smell is one thing. It's been determined to be more dangerous than tobacco.

It looks like tobacco free kids has finally gotten traction. So now we'll decriminalize grass and legalize it, then... what? work hard to keep kids off grass?

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Dasmer t1_ixet6v0 wrote

Tobacco use via vape products is at an all time high among the youth.

Weed has negative side effects including carcinogenic properties, however very few habitual marijuana users inhale enough to come close to the carcinogenic properties of habitual cigarette smokers.

On top of this, traditional cigarette usage was reduced via education about peer reviewed studies by reputable sources, in a way that was digestible by a large age range.

At present, you cannot legally research the effects of marijuana, especially recreational/street marijuana, without going through specific government run entities that are by and large not trusted by the community as the marijuana has to be grown in government facilities that do not reflect the reality on the ground, so to speak.

In other words, it is counterintuitively better to allow recreational marijuana as it will allow regulation to provide certainty of what is being used and thus provide researchers a way to provide clearer, more trustworthy and transparent data on the effects of marijuana use.

In the meantime, vaping is a major issue with kids and practical steps like banning candy flavors of both tobacco and marijuana vapes would be a great first step.

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