The House of Representatives of New Hampshire passed a bill to legalize marijuana without any regulations or limitations on weed in the state, according to Marijuana Moment.
The measure was bipartisan and filed for the 2023 session in December.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Kevin Verville, aims to remove marijuana from the state's list of prohibited substances.
Verville credited the bill's short length and simplicity for helping it pass. When bills get too long or complicated, legislatures get confused and vote against them, he says.
This is the shortest, easiest way to affect the change that most of our constituents want - and that is the legalization of cannabis, according to Verville.
Along with the removal of criminal penalties for cannabis-related offenses, the bill also includes a provision for the annulment of records for people with prior cannabis convictions or pending cases.
Some members believed that continuing to criminalize marijuana would expose more citizens to potential involvement in the criminal justice system.