House committee advances marijuana legalization bill, but many say final approval unlikely

October 28, 2025

LEGALIZATION BILL IS MOVING FORWARD. THE CANNABIS FRIENDLY HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE IS ADVANCING ANOTHER BILL TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA, WHICH IS NOW HEADED TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR A VOTE EARLY NEXT YEAR. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT MOST PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE SUPPORT, AND IF WE DON’T KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT, THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE NEVER GOING TO GET WHAT THEY WANT. HOUSE BILL 186 WOULD LEGALIZE CANNABIS FOR USERS AT 21 YEARS OF AGE. IT ALSO OPENS UP HOME CULTIVATION, SMOKING CANNABIS IN PUBLIC IS BANNED, BUT ONLY AS A VIOLATION LEVEL OFFENSE. SALES OF CANNABIS WOULD BE TAXED UNDER THE EXISTING ROOMS AND MEALS TAX, GENERATING AN ESTIMATED $27 MILLION A YEAR, AND THERE WOULD BE FAR LESS STATE CONTROL OVER WHO CAN OPEN A CANNABIS BUSINESS. WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE WHO WANT TO OPEN ONE TO BE ABLE TO OPEN ONE, WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT A CAP ON LICENSES, WHICH IS WAS THE BIG CONTROVERSY IN 2024. WHILE THERE APPEARED TO BE AN OPENING FOR LEGALIZATION LAST YEAR, SOME SAY THE CURRENT REALITY IS GOING TO PUT THIS ISSUE ON HOLD AT LEAST UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION. THE DISCUSSION IS OVER. THE SENATE SAID NO. THE GOVERNOR SAYS NO. GIVEN THE GOVERNOR’S FIRM OPPOSITION ON THIS ISSUE, EVEN LAWMAKERS WHO VOTED TO ADVANCE THIS BILL KNOW THERE’S ONLY SO FAR THIS DEBATE CAN GO. FOR NOW, I AM THAT SUPPORT OF THE BILL. BUT I HAVE NO ILLUSIONS THAT THIS IS EVER GOING T

House committee advances marijuana legalization bill, but many say final approval unlikely

Updated: 5:01 PM EDT Oct 28, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

The New Hampshire House is not giving up on legalizing marijuana, even in the face of opposition from the state Senate and the governor.A new legalization bill moved forward Tuesday, advancing out of the cannabis-friendly House Commerce Committee to the House floor, where it could get a vote early next year.”This is an issue that most people in New Hampshire support, and if we don’t keep talking about it, the people of New Hampshire are never going to get what they want,” said state Rep. Jared Sullivan, D-Bethlehem.House Bill 186 would legalize cannabis for users 21 or older. It would also open up home cultivation. Smoking cannabis in public would be banned, but it would only be a violation-level offense.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<Sales of cannabis would be taxed under the existing rooms and meals tax, generating an estimated $27 million per year. There would be less state control over who could open a cannabis business.”It would allow people who want to open one to be able to open one without having to worry about a cap on licenses, which was a big controversy in 2024,” Sullivan said.While there appeared to be an opening for legalization last year, some say the current reality is going to put the issue on hold at least until the next election. “The discussion is over,” said state Rep. John Potucek, R-Derry. “The Senate said no. The governor says no.”Given Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s firm opposition to legalization, even lawmakers who voted to advance the bill understand there’s only so far the debate can go, for now.”I supported the bill, but I have no illusions that this is ever going to become law,” said state Rep. John Hunt, R-Rindge.

The New Hampshire House is not giving up on legalizing marijuana, even in the face of opposition from the state Senate and the governor.

A new legalization bill moved forward Tuesday, advancing out of the cannabis-friendly House Commerce Committee to the House floor, where it could get a vote early next year.

“This is an issue that most people in New Hampshire support, and if we don’t keep talking about it, the people of New Hampshire are never going to get what they want,” said state Rep. Jared Sullivan, D-Bethlehem.

House Bill 186 would legalize cannabis for users 21 or older. It would also open up home cultivation. Smoking cannabis in public would be banned, but it would only be a violation-level offense.

>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<

Sales of cannabis would be taxed under the existing rooms and meals tax, generating an estimated $27 million per year. There would be less state control over who could open a cannabis business.

“It would allow people who want to open one to be able to open one without having to worry about a cap on licenses, which was a big controversy in 2024,” Sullivan said.

While there appeared to be an opening for legalization last year, some say the current reality is going to put the issue on hold at least until the next election.

“The discussion is over,” said state Rep. John Potucek, R-Derry. “The Senate said no. The governor says no.”

Given Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s firm opposition to legalization, even lawmakers who voted to advance the bill understand there’s only so far the debate can go, for now.

“I supported the bill, but I have no illusions that this is ever going to become law,” said state Rep. John Hunt, R-Rindge.