2024 debate between New Hampshire GOP candidates for governor: Recreational marijuana

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AND JUST DIDN’T HAVE TO HAPPEN. UNFORTUNATELY. I’LL TAKE THE NEXT QUESTION. BOTH OF YOU OPPOSE LEGALIZING MARIJUANA, BUT THAT’S NOT STOPPING GRANITE STATERS FROM PURCHASING IT FROM SURROUNDING STATES WHERE IT IS LEGAL. THE POLLS SHOW THE MAJORITY OF GRANITE STATERS SUPPORT LEGALIZATION. WHY ARE YOU OKAY WITH LEAVING TAX REVENUE ON THE TABLE BY NOT LEGALIZING CANNABIS, STARTING WITH YOU, SENATOR AYOTTE? WELL, I WOULD JUST SAY THIS. THE STATES THAT HAVE BUILT THEIR BUDGET ON THIS IS REALLY A FALLACY. WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES WHAT IS BEST FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, THE STUDIES SHOW THAT THERE IS AN IMPACT ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15 AND 25. AND WHEN YOU LEGALIZE SOMETHING, YOU ARE SENDING A DIFFERENT MESSAGE TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. AND I DON’T WANT TO ADD TO THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. I WANT TO IMPROVE THE MENTAL HEALTH FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. ALSO, STATES THAT HAVE DONE THIS HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC DEATHS BECAUSE WE HAVEN’T FOUND A WAY TO MEASURE MARIJUANA IN THE WAY WE HAVE ALCOHOL ON OUR ROADS. AND SO KEEPING OUR ROADS SAFE, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE. AND BY THE WAY, IN MAINE, THE CHINESE HAVE BOUGHT SOME OF THE FARMLAND THAT IS GROWING MARIJUANA. WE DON’T WANT THAT HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THAT’S NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR OUR STATE. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALSO, AS I’VE MET PEOPLE IN RECOVERY, I HAVEN’T HAD ONE OF THEM TELL ME THAT WE SHOULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA. THEY’RE AGAINST IT. THEY KNOW IT’S NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THEY STARTED. SOME OF THEM STARTED WITH MARIJUANA AND THEY WENT OBVIOUSLY TO OPIOIDS AND OTHER ISSUES. AND SO AS GOVERNOR, I DON’T THINK IT’S THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE STATE. AND OBVIOUSLY, HAVING WORKED CLOSELY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, I DON’T BELIEVE THEY THINK IT’S THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE STATE EITHER. SENATOR MORSE, YOUR SUCCESSOR IN THE STATE SENATE, SENATOR ABBAS, HAS SAID ON THE SENATE FLOOR MULTIPLE TIMES, YOU LOOK RIGHT ACROSS THE STATE LINE IN SALEM. YOU SEE A DISPENSARY AND A BUNCH OF NEW HAMPSHIRE PLATES IN THE PARKING LOT. WHY NOT LEGALIZE FOR THE TAX REVENUE? SENATOR, NO, WE LEGALIZE SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA IN OUR STATE AND WE’VE LEGALIZED MEDICAL MARIJUANA. BUT IN TOURING THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, I HAVEN’T RUN INTO ANYONE THAT’S IN CHARGE OF A REHAB FACILITY THAT HAS SAID THIS IS THE RIGHT ANSWER. MATTER OF FACT, WHEN I WAS OUT RECENTLY IN BRISTOL, NEW HAMPSHIRE, I RAN INTO A WOMAN THAT ASKED FOR MY STANCE. I SAID, I’M AGAINST LEGALIZING IT, AND SHE BROUGHT UP HER PHONE AND SHE SHOWED ME A PICTURE OF HER SON AND SHE SAID, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MARIJUANA WAS WHAT STARTED MY SON TO GO DOWN THIS TRACK. AND HE’S DEAD. AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. WE HEAR THAT TIME AFTER TIME ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL T

“]] Republicans Kelly Ayotte and Chuck Morse answer why they oppose legalizing recreational use of marijuana in New Hampshire.  Read More