Simon: Want to End New Hampshire’s War on Marijuana Users?

Most voters now clearly recognize that the prohibition of marijuana is a failed policy, and it has become apparent that legalization and regulation are working well in Colorado and other states that have ended their counterproductive wars against marijuana users. As a result, marijuana policy will almost certainly play a larger role in the 2016 election than in any other election in U.S. history.

In November, voters in five states — Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada — will vote on measures that would legalize marijuana for use by adults 21 and older. If these initiatives pass, marijuana sales will be regulated similarly to alcohol sales, penalties for possession and home cultivation (within limits) will be eliminated, and the total number of states that have moved forward with legalization will grow to nine, including two of our neighbors.

New Hampshire’s Constitution does not allow for laws to be changed directly by voter initiative, but polls have shown that Granite Staters are more than ready to see their elected officials take action on marijuana policy. In fact, three consecutive polls conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center have found that at least 60 percent of Granite Staters support legalization. As I observed in this space on June 14, legalizing marijuana is actually more popular than any New Hampshire politician (the numbers have changed a bit in more recent polls, but the conclusion continues to be supported by the newer data).

Although legalization proposals cannot be placed directly onto the New Hampshire ballot, Granite Staters who are registered as Democratic or undeclared voters will have an unprecedented opportunity to cast their votes against prohibition when they go to the polls for the primary election on Tuesday, September 13. For voters who intend to take a Democratic ballot, the best choice on marijuana policy is clearly former Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand, who has distinguished himself as the only major candidate in either party who is calling for the state to move forward on legalization.

(I will profile the Republican candidates for governor in a separate article tomorrow.)

This summer, the UNH Survey Center’s Granite State poll found that 75% of registered Democrats and 63% of undeclared voters support legalizing marijuana (page 35). If these voters want to see legalization become a reality, they need to select a standard-bearer who will challenge the status quo by taking the case for reform to the state legislature. Steve Marchand is the only candidate who has demonstrated that he can be that leader in the corner office.

One newspaper that seems to agree with Marchand’s views on marijuana policy is the Concord Monitor. In an August 7 editorial, the Monitor praised Marchand’s proposal to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana. The Monitor appeared to understand that this policy would not only generate tax revenue, but also divert money and customers away from illicit drug dealers:

“Often, if not typically, marijuana is purchased from dealers who also offer other illicit wares, including amphetamines, pyschedelics (sic) and even hard drugs. They have an incentive to urge customers to upgrade, and purchasing any of the drugs makes the buyer a criminal. That, we believe, is the most important way marijuana can function as a gateway drug.

Legalize marijuana use and move its sale into state stores, and several things will happen. Buyers won’t become criminals and burden the justice system. The gateway effect will be minimized. Criminals, including drug gangs, will be denied a big portion of their revenue and easy access to customers. That alone is a strong argument in favor of legalization.”

Unfortunately, in its Sept. 4 endorsement of another candidate, Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern (who does not support legalization), the Monitor appears to have forgotten its recent epiphany. It dismisses the marijuana legalization issue by calling it “dead on arrival” and saying that it “may happen someday, but not in the imaginable future.”

What, you might ask, has happened to the Monitor editorial board’s imagination since Aug. 7? Marijuana legalization is, in fact, very easy to imagine, but only if the state elects a governor who agrees with the majority of voters on the issue and is willing and able to lead the state forward. Sadly, as was reported in the Marijuana Policy Project’s voter guide, Van Ostern has said that he is “not yet convinced” that marijuana should be legal for adult use in New Hampshire.

Fortunately, the Monitor does concede that “there are three good candidates” in the Democratic primary, and the Monitor is far from being the only newspaper that issues meaningful endorsements. On Sept. 4, the Nashua Telegraph threw its support behind Marchand. The Marijuana Policy Project has also strongly endorsed Marchand’s campaign for the Democratic nomination, and the most recent poll indicates that the candidates are neck and neck with only a week remaining until the votes are cast.

If you care about ending marijuana prohibition in New Hampshire, please take time to read the Marijuana Policy Project’s voter guide and share it with your friends and family!

Check back tomorrow for analysis of where the Republican party’s candidates stand on marijuana policy.