New Hampshire ends 2025 with no marijuana policy shifts despite legalization push

The state made no regulatory moves on cannabis in 2025, even as lawmakers continued pursuing legalization and medical program expansion.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

New Hampshire concluded 2025 without any changes to its marijuana policy, according to New Hampshire Public Radio. The inaction comes despite sustained legislative activity: earlier in the year, state lawmakers pushed for legalization, and the House passed bills to legalize adult-use cannabis and allow nonprofit-to-for-profit conversions in the medical program.

The stalemate reflects deeper procedural gridlock. The New Hampshire Senate rejected House-passed legalization measures twice—once in February and again in March—while also blocking a House-passed bill to expand outdoor cultivation via greenhouses in the medical program. A governor's veto of the greenhouse expansion added another layer of legislative friction.

Meanwhile, the state's medical marijuana program continued to grow organically: the program added 2,100 new patients last year, suggesting sustained demand for existing pathways. The next point to watch is whether 2026 brings renewed legalization efforts or a shift toward narrower cultivation reforms.