The prospects of New Hampshire lawmakers approving an adult-use cannabis market look dim under newly elected Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte.
Political watchers in the state expect the state’s House of Representatives to once again advance a bill legalizing recreational marijuana in the 2025 session, buy Ayotte continues to publicly oppose any efforts along those lines, according to the Portsmouth Herald.
“I was pretty clear on the campaign that I don’t support legalizing marijuana because I am concerned about the quality-of-life issues,” she told the news outlet.
“I still feel the same way.”
Any marijuana legalization effort in the state would require a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers to overturn a veto by the governor.
But that’s a long shot in New Hampshire, where the GOP will have a trifecta in the upcoming session, controlling the governor’s office and both chambers.
Though New Hampshire senators passed an adult-use legalization measure in May – it’s the furthest any marijuana effort has made it in the legislative process – a proposal of a state-run industry by the previous governor was considered a deal-breaker in the House.
While polling indicates 70% of voters favor marijuana legalization, New Hampshire remains the lone New England state without a regulated adult-use cannabis program.
