New Hampshire just decriminalized the possession of marijuana as the said place has taken another step just to realize its motto, "live free or die". Just last Tuesday, Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill which states that marijuana should be decriminalized.
Before the said decriminalization of marijuana, New Hampshire took simple marijuana possession as punishable by up to one year in prison for up to three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana possession. Moreover, the state also did not allow the authorities to arrest anyone only for the possession of low-level marijuana.
With the new law concerning marijuana in New Hampshire, the low-level possession of marijuana will now be penalized with a penalty of $100 for the first offense including increasing fines. But for repeated offenses within the three years duration of committing the first offense, the penalty will be no prison time. It was also reported on VOX that the money which will be collected from the fines will benefit programs that target addiction on drugs.
Reports confirmed too that the said law decriminalize marijuana will take effect within 60 days. Because of this latest law, New Hampshire becomes the 22nd state to decriminalize marijuana. Governor Sununu's signature made New England to decriminalize or legalize marijuana.
According to some reports, there is a big difference between decriminalization and legalization. In legalization of marijuana, all the penalties for the possession of it are removed below a particular threshold. Because of this too, sales of marijuana for recreational purposes is allowed but not in Washington DC.
On one hand, decriminalization refers to the removal of incarceration and stringent penalties for the possession of marijuana but still, it imposes a fine. In both circumstances and laws, the public use of marijuana is still not allowed.
After signing the bill decriminalizing marijuana in New Hampshire, Governor Sununu also assigned and created a commission to study and look into the legalization of marijuana in the place. If the said state will take up that possibility, New Hampshire will be joining the eight other states which have already made marijuana legalized in their places.
