Today, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted 170-162 to pass H.B. 492, a bill that would effectively nullify federal laws on marijuana by legalizing it in the state for the general public.
H.B. 492 would allow persons aged 21 or older to possess of up to one ounce of marijuana and up to six plants. The bill was co-sponsored by Reps. Vaillancourt (R), Winters (D), Robertson (D), Warden (R) and Lambert (R).
This is the first time in US history that a State House has voted affirmatively on a bill that would fully legalize marijuana. New Hampshire stands to pave the way for legislatures to take on the federal drug war themselves which would make the process much quicker than the ballot referendums that Colorado and Washington used to legalize.
CONSTITUTIONALITY
Congress and the president claim the constitutional authority to ban marijuana. The Supreme Court concurs. But the opinions of black-robed judicial oracles don’t magically transform the meaning of the Constitution. It delegates no power to regulate plants grown and used within the borders of a state. And the so-called war on drugs rests on the same legal authority as all of the other modern-day undeclared wars.
None.
Doubt this? Then ask yourself why it took a constitutional amendment to legalize federal alcohol prohibition?
Never-the-less, 21 states had already put the well-being of their citizens above faux federal supremacy, nullified the unconstitutional prohibition and legalized marijuana to varying degrees anyway.
The message? When enough people say NO to unconstitutional federal “laws” – and enough states back them up, there’s not much the feds can do about it.
“The rapidly growing and wildly successful state-level movement to legalize marijuana, either completely, or for medical use, proves that states can successfully nullify unconstitutional federal acts. The feds can claim the authority to prohibit pot all they want, but it clearly has done nothing to deter states from moving forward with plans to allow it, pushed by the will of the people,” Tenth Amendment Center executive director Michael Boldin said.
Gov Maggie Hassan has pledged to veto any legislation which gets to her desk, but activists in the state aren’t deterred. Today, in a video spreading around the web, local talk show host and activist Ian Freeman from Free Talk Live challenged the governor on her position in person.
WATCH IT:
ACTION ITEMS
If you live in New Hampshire, contact Gov. Hassan and demand that she reverse her position on vetoing H.B. 492. Also, contact your State Senator and politely urge them to support H.B. 492 as well. If you live in another state, contact your state legislators and demand that they introduce a similar bill. You can find their information by clicking HERE.