Pot bill authors look to appease critics
Nashuatelegraph.com: Pot bill authors look to appease critics
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – The two, upstart Nashua authors of a marijuana decriminalization bill offered to restrict it to first-time offenders in hopes of overcoming the opposition of Gov. John Lynch to the House-approved measure.Reps. Jeffrey Fontas and Andrew Edwards said this would erase fears it would be a get-out-of-jail-free card for repeat offenders and do as intended, give a young person leniency single mistake.
The bill would drop punishment for possession of up to a quarter-ounce of pot to a fine of no more than $200. Currently, the same offender can get up to a year in county jail or fines of up to $2,000.
Matthew Simon, executive director of New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy said even opponents point out judges ignore the jail punishment and order fines for first-time offenders.
“If nobody agrees the penalties are appropriate, why can’t we change that?” Simon asked.
Proponents contend this would prevent New Hampshire from punishing students with the loss of college aid for a single conviction.
But Karen Eckal, speaking for Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, urged the bill be killed outright.
The college aid loss for one year is a federal law and this would not change that or do anything for New Hampshire students attending college outside the state.
“There is no amount of tinkering with our law that is going to change that fact,” Eckal said. “As well shrouded as this is in good intentions, it doesn’t accomplish what the sponsors think it will.”
Did you notice the rhetorical sleight-of-hand on that position by the Attorney General? We say that a pot conviction can mean a student loses college aid, they say that’s a federal law and a New Hampshire bill can’t change that.
But Ms. Eckal, can you not see that the penalties listed in the Higher Education Act’s Aid Elimination Penalty are triggered by a drug conviction? Notice that doesn’t say federal drug conviction. So if New Hampshire decriminalizes a pathetically-small 7 grams of marijuana, that will mean less drug convictions and less Granite State young people losing their federal aid.
As for kids from New Hampshire attending schools in other states? If they’re studying in Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, or Oregon, they’re already protected by decriminalization to some degree.
Nevertheless, the bill is opposed by the Republican Democratic Governor John Lynch, and by the Democratic Senate Majority Leader Joseph Foster.
Tags: New Hampshire
