A public hearing for New Hampshire House Bill 53, which would allow qualifying patients and designated caregivers to cultivate cannabis for therapeutic use, is scheduled for January 22, 2025, at 10:15 a.m.
The hearing will take place in the Legislative Office Building, Room 201, under the Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Committee. The measure was filed by State Representatives Wendy Thomas (D), Heath Howard (D), and Jim Kofalt (R).
If passed, the legislation would amend existing statutes to permit patients and caregivers to grow up to three mature cannabis plants, three immature plants, and 12 seedlings at a secured and enclosed cultivation location. Caregivers could cultivate on behalf of one patient and would not face criminal penalties provided they comply with reporting and security requirements. The bill also includes provisions for reporting cultivation sites to the state and sets limits on plant canopy size.
House Bill 53 builds on New Hampshire’s existing therapeutic cannabis program, which currently relies on alternative treatment centers for cannabis cultivation. Advocates argue that allowing home cultivation would increase access for patients living far from treatment centers or facing financial barriers.
In related news, the New Hampshire House has scheduled hearings for two separate measures aimed at legalizing recreational marijuana. House Bill 75 and House Bill 198 are set for public discussion on January 23, 2025.
The concurrent hearings highlight growing legislative momentum around marijuana reform in New Hampshire, a state that remains the only one in New England without legalized recreational use.
House Bill 53, if enacted, would take effect on July 1, 2025.
