NH Medicinal Marijuana Bill Dies

The New Hampshire State Senate has sustained Gov. veto of the , SB 409, effectively killing the bill.

The vote was 13-10 to sustain the governor’s veto. Proponents needed 16 votes to override Lynch’s veto. The previous , was 13-11.

Sponsors of the bill in the House were shocked by the decision, noting that some Democrats, including Concord’s state Sen. Sylvia Larsen, switched their votes.

State Rep. , a breast cancer survivor who has been working on the issue for more than six years, called the vote “terrible” and chastised those who changed their votes.

“(They) chose political posturing and expediency to rule the day instead of standing by their convictions and honoring the voices of their constituents,” she said.

State Rep. , R-Andover, another sponsor, was also outraged.

“Politics won out over people,” she said. “We should be looking out for the sick in our society not playing politics with their lives.”

Larsen, speaking from the Senate floor, expressed concerns related to her from local law enforcement. 

Lynch, a Democrat, cited similar concerns in his veto message. Lynch said in that message, in part:

"As well intentioned as the efforts reflected in SB 409 are, I cannot support establishing a system for the use of medical marijuana that poses risks to the patient, lacks adequate oversight and funding, and risks the proliferation of a serious drug."

UPDATE: I just learned that State Sen. , D-Manchester, also changed his vote, despite previous support for the bill. State Sen. Andy Sanborn, R-Bedford, who resigned from his seat because he moved, was also a supporter. Meaning that it looks like advocates were still one short even with senators changing their votes and the loss of the Sanborn vote.