The New Hampshire House passed a pair of bills Jan. 8 that would expand the state’s medical cannabis program and increase patient access.
Lawmakers voted to add insomnia and opioid use disorder to New Hampshire’s list of qualifying conditions, according to an AP News report.
Patients seeking medical cannabis as a treatment for opioid use disorder would face additional restrictions under the legislation, the news outlet reported, including a requirement that certifying medical professionals have specialized knowledge in addiction treatment.
Earlier iterations of the legislation included the addition of Lyme disease, but that provision was later removed, AP News reported.
The New Hampshire Senate voted against a more expansive bill Jan. 8 that would have made medical cannabis available for any condition that a medical provider determined could be helped by the substance, according to the news outlet.
Last year, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a home grow bill to allow the state’s medical cannabis patients to grow their own plants, but the House voted to override the veto.
Legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis is expected to come up during this year’s legislative session, AP News reported, although Sununu has repeatedly emphasized his opposition to legalization.
