On May 1, 2025, New Hampshire’s Senate narrowly voted to table House Bill 198—a proposal that aimed to legalize cannabis possession and use for adults aged 21 and older. The 12–10 vote effectively ends this year’s push to roll back cannabis prohibition in the Granite State.
Despite passing the House of Representatives earlier this year, HB 198 met resistance in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which recommended that the bill be rejected. With the Senate’s decision to table it, the path to legalization in 2025 has been shut down. Opponents against the measure reiterated that Governor Kelly Ayotte’s stance is clear—that any cannabis bill that comes to her desk will be vetoed.
Had it passed, HB 198 would have legalized noncommercial cannabis possession and use for adults. The measure would have allowed possession of up to two (2) ounces of cannabis flower, ten (10) grams of concentrate, and up to two thousand (2,000) milligrams of THC in other cannabis products. However, under current New Hampshire law, possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce is a citation-level offense, while possession of larger amounts remains a criminal offense.
Unlike last session’s House Bill 1633, HB 198 did not include provisions for a regulated commercial market—no taxation, no licensing, and no lab-testing requirements. Lawmakers hoped that by removing these more controversial elements, they could unite around the more basic principle of ending criminal penalties for adult use. HB 1633 failed last year, despite polling support from nearly 61% of New Hampshire residents, largely due to disagreements over the structure of a regulated industry.
In addition to tabling HB 198, the Senate also postponed action until next week on two other cannabis-related bills:
- House Bill 190, which seeks to expand medical cannabis possession limits for patients and caregivers from two (2) ounces to four (4). It would also increase the existing ten (10)-day purchase limit from two (2) to four (4) ounces.
- House Bill 380, which proposes to revise penalties for state-registered medical cannabis patients or caregivers who share or sell cannabis to individuals not enrolled in the state’s medical program.
New Hampshire’s decision to table HB 198 highlights the ongoing challenges of advancing cannabis reform, even in states where public support is strong. While the Senate’s vote halts adult-use legalization for now, the continued momentum behind related legislation—like expanding medical cannabis access and revisiting outdated penalties—shows that reform efforts are far from over. Advocates and lawmakers alike will now look ahead to 2026, with renewed focus on building consensus and addressing the state’s outdated cannabis policies. The fight for meaningful reform in the Granite State continues.