New Hampshire’s Republican Governor Chris Sununu has signed a bill this week that reduces the penalty of up to three quarters of an ounce of marijuana and 5 grams of it. Instead of a criminal misdemeanor, it will now be a civil violation. The legislation is expected to take effect in 60 days.
According to the bill, the new law will mean a $100 fine for a first or second offense and a fine of up to $300 for any subsequent offense after within a three year period.
Being caught for a fourth time can mean a charge of a misdemeanor within these years.
“The governor deserves credit for his steadfast support of this commonsense reform,” Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement. “Unlike his predecessors, who opposed similar proposals, Gov. Sununu appears to understand that ‘Live Free or Die’ is more than just a motto on a license plate.”
The decriminalization could help young people’s lives from being ruined if they are caught with the drug.
