The New Hampshire Senate just passed SB 420 which will let qualified patients grow their own medical marijuana.
The measure approved by senators on Thursday allows designated caregivers or patients to grow up to three mature plants, three immature plants, and 12 seedlings each.
Although the state legalized medical cannabis in 2013, growing the plant for personal use is currently a felony offense.
The “Live Free or Die” state is surrounded legal, adult-use states Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts. The bill is seen as an important step in getting rid of cannabis prohibition in the Northeast.
New Hampshire has more than 8,000 patients in its medical marijuana program, which began in 2016. Rep. Tom Sherman, a Democrat from Rye, said dispensary costs can be prohibitive for patients and caregivers, and that dispensaries sometimes don’t carry the type of medical cannabis patients need to treat their conditions.
The bill now heads to the House.
A similar bill cleared the House and Senate last year. Republican Governor Chris Sununu vetoed it, citing public safety concerns.
