Rep. Merrick, NH Advocates Keep Up Fight for Medical Marijuana

5/17/2011 – Representative Evalyn Merrick of New Hampshire is keeping up the fight for medical marijuana. She is a cancer survivor who is sponsoring the compassionate use bill. Backed by a strong grassroots network and many of her peers in the NH General Court, they have seen the effort get close to victory.  But a major hurdle was thrown up last week.

Under threat of veto by Governor John Lynch, the Senate stopped the bill from going out to a floor vote. The legislation had already passed the House; the Senate vote would have sent the bill to the governor’s desk. Two years ago a similar bill cleared committees and floor votes in both houses with bi-partisan support, only to be vetoed by Lynch.

“I was hoping with all hope that it would pass,” said Merrick in a phone call to Freedomisgreen on Friday.

But her reaction was that of a pragmatic and seasoned legislator, “I knew that they were against the bill passing the Senate,” said Merrick. “Especially since the Governor discussed the bill with the majority caucus. In light of that knowledge a tabling vote was probably the best thing, because the bill isn’t dead and will come back in the session next year. “

However, the reaction from local activists was more biting. They feel that Senators should not have kowtowed to Lynch.

Sarah Levesque is a vocal advocate in New Hampshire who attended the Senate session on May 11, 2011. She emailed this report and her reaction:

HB 442 was voted on in the House and passed with an overwhelming majority and was introduced to the senate on March 23, 2011. The Senate Health and Human Services committee held their public hearing on April 14th; it was well attended, with standing room only. There was again, extensive testimony in support of the bill. Veterans, doctors, legislators, patients, all gave honest first hand testimony of the benefits of medicinal cannabis, while the Attorney General’s office portrayed the bill using presumptions and gross over exaggerations.

The Senate was then set to vote on HB 442. Sponsors, advocates, supporters and patients took the time to come to watch the proceedings on May 10th to show their support. Clayton Holton, a Muscular Dystrophy patient, took the time and energy to travel from Somersworth to attend the proceedings.

Clayton previously testified that he weighed 79 pounds at six feet tall prior to using cannabis. He explained that within two months he had gained eight pounds. He credits his life to cannabis.

Clayton is confined to a wheelchair and was denied access to the voting session. The Gallery to view the Senate Chambers is accessible only by stairs. The Senate Chambers themselves would have been accessible, but he was not allowed the exception.

Just before the bill was introduced, a recess was called. The Republican Senators congregated in one area, while the Democrats in another.

The Senate reconvened, and the bill was introduced. Sen. Molly Kelly spoke in favor of the bill. Senator Raymond White stood and spoke about Clayton and urged support.

Levesque continued:

A motion to table the bill was introduced and the Senate jumped on it. They displayed an appalling level of cowardice by avoiding and ignoring the patients affected by this bill. To not have the decency to face this man while determining his fate is despicable.

Rep. Merrick was still hopeful that they might be able to reach some compromise on the bill’s language that would move Gov. Lynch to support it.

“As disappointed as it was, I know that we’ve brought in so many different stakeholders in this process in order to have something that the Governor will sign. I’ve been working on this bill for 6 years I think that’s why it has become a model for other states.  And we can make it better. I’m not giving up on this.”

Then she added, “Who knows, maybe the federal government will figure this out too?”

I could not resist asking a follow-up to that final point.

So do you think it would be a good idea for state elected officials like yourself to travel to Washington DC in order to ask Congress to re-schedule marijuana at the federal level?

Merrick responded quickly, “Absolutely, without any hesitation of doubt. It has been proven with all of the science. We need the federal government to change the schedule [of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act] in order for people, to have access safely … and for the right reasons.”

So, as advocates stride to clear this new obstacle for medical marijuana in New Hampshire they may also have some positive influence on the national debate. State legislators like Merrick, the well-educated champions for local patients, could have a significant impact in DC.

More info at http://nhcompassion.org/

Questions?  [email protected]

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. He volunteers with local groups to change prohibition laws including PhillyNORML and The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.

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