By roughly a three-to-one margin North Country representatives voted against legalizing marijuana.
As NHPR’s Ryan Lessard reported the debate over HB 492 had those in favor of legalizing the use of small amounts of marijuana saying marijuana was no different than drinking alcohol.
And, those opposed said there were “negative health impacts.”
The vote Wednesday night was 170 in favor of legalizing marijuana and 162 against.
The bill is now before the Ways and Means Committee before returning to the House for a second vote.
“If it survives the second vote in the House, it moves to the Senate where it’s expected to face an uphill battle. And Governor Maggie Hassan has promised to veto it if it reaches her,” NHPR’s Lessard reported.
North County representatives who voted against legalizing marijuana were:
Brad Bailey, Monroe Republican
Rebecca Brown, Sugar Hill, Democrat
Ralph Doolan, Littleton, Republican
Linda Lauer, Bath, Democrat
Linda Massimilla, Littleton Democrat
Larry Rappaport, Colebrook, Republican
Herb Richardson, Lancaster, Republican
Leon Rideout, Lancaster, Republican
Susan Ford, Easton, Democrat
William Hatch, Gorham, Democrat
North Country representatives who voted in favor of legalizing marijuana were:
Gary Coulombe, Berlin, Democrat
Wayne Moynihan, Dummer, Democrat
Robert Theberge, Berlin, Democrat
North Country representatives who were excused from voting were:
Larry Enman, Errol, Democrat
Marcia Hammon, Whitefield, Democrat
Yvonne Thomas, Berlin, Democrat
For information on other votes go here.