Next week, the New Hampshire House of Representatives will be voting on two important bills that will allow therapeutic cannabis access for patients who struggle with chronic pain and PTSD.
We would like to ask our patients and supporters to contact their state representatives today and ask them to support the following two bills, which have already passed the House Committee on Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs.
HB 157 – Adds Chronic Pain: HB 157, which would add chronic pain as a qualifying medical condition, was approved by the committee in a 12-6 vote. Please feel free to use the following talking points when speaking to your state representatives about HB 157:
- A recently published overview of medical literature published by the National Academies of the Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found “strong evidence” that cannabis can be beneficial in treating chronic pain.
- Cannabis is much safer than opioids, so it makes no sense that New Hampshire should make it easier for doctors to prescribe opioids than it is to certify patients for the Therapeutic Cannabis Program.
- Research suggests that allowing more patients to use cannabis as an alternative to opioids will help mitigate New Hampshire’s opiate epidemic.
HB 160 – Adds PTSD: HB 160, which would add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying medical condition, narrowly passed the committee in a 9-8 vote. Please feel free to use the following talking points when speaking to your state representatives about HB 160:
- 18 states now allow therapeutic cannabis to be used to treat PTSD.
Many veterans and others who suffer from PTSD are already self-medicating with cannabis. Adding PTSD as a qualifying condition would encourage these patients to visit a clinician and an alternative treatment center rather than purchasing cannabis of unknown purity and potency from illicit dealers.
- For patients who find cannabis beneficial in the treatment of PTSD, the worst thing the state could do to exacerbate these patients’ symptoms would be to arrest them and prosecute them for possessing cannabis.
- Governor Chris Sununu has not yet taken a position on these important bills. Calling the Governor’s office is also a great idea. Supporters should call the governor’s office (603) 271-2121 and leave a brief message asking for his support on HB 157 and HB 160!
We thank you for your support and for voicing your opinion regarding these important bills.
