A proposal to allow medical marijuana patients to grow marijuana plants at home was pushed into interim study by the Senate on Thursday, in a 16-8 vote that reflected traditional skepticism of marijuana initiatives in the chamber.
House Bill 1476 would have allowed “qualifying patients” and caregivers to grow up to two marijuana plants and 12 seedlings at their homes without risk of criminal prosecution, provided they were publicly displayed and visible to neighbors.
The measure passed the House but on Thursday faced concerns from some senators that it was poorly defined and could result in the marijuana being misused.
Sen. Bill Gannon, R-Sandown, said that he worried the plants could find their way to children. Sen. Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, said that the law left too much unclear as to how enforcement could be carried out over those who choose to use it.
Speaking in favor, Senate Minority Leader Jeff Woodburn, D-Whitefield, appealed to the state’s values, and made reference to a law that passed last year to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
“Here in the ‘Live free or die’ state, we cannot allow people to grow what they can legally possess,” Woodburn said. “Does that makes any sense?”
The bill comes after another bill in the House that would fully legalize small amounts of marijuana and allow cultivation was pushed to interim study.
Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said that Thursday’s bill in the Senate was meant to help alleviate high costs for those who rely on medical marijuana.
“Sadly, many patients are unable to afford the products that are available at dispensaries, which are not covered by health insurance,” he said Thursday. “For these patients, home cultivation is the most cost-effective option. It’s unfortunate that senators have once again decided to deny patients who are desperate for alternatives to dangerous opioids.”
But Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, referred to concerns by police officers over enforcement. And he said that the increase in dispensaries around the state will help to bring down costs for medical marijuana patients without the need to allow home growing operations.
“Because of the concern of law enforcement and others, I would urge the body to stay with the motion for interim study and go to the next bill,” he said.
(Ethan DeWitt can be reached at edewitt@cmonitor.com, or on Twitter at @edewittNH.)