I watched that video and asked myself: Why is Governor John Lynch (D) so afraid of a law to decriminalize small possession of weed? Heck it wasn’t even a law to legalize. I thought that the Democrats were the party that was about attacking the dealers and prevention with leniency towards the actual users. Bill Clinton was even behind setting up funds for more drug rehab. Yet here we have Governor Lynch finding it so much an issue that he threatened to veto it causing the New Hampshire Senate to kill the bill after the House had passed it 193-141. The bill, HB 555, would decriminalize anyone who possesses less than one ounce of marijuana to a fine of at the max $100 at forfeit of the weed. If they are under the age of 18 they also have to take a drug education class, community service, and their parents are notified. Failure to do so is an additional $1,000 fine.
I personally thing the decriminalization step should be skipped and go straight to legalization, but even still for a Democratic governor in a state like New Hampshire, which actively supports people who walk off the beaten path, why would this bill be such a threat. Here is why: Governor Lynch recently pumped up the police force. Lynch is rather proud, and rightfully so, that New Hampshire is the safest state in the nation two years running. He worked with local law enforcement to craft new laws against sex offenders. He also is responsible for increases in the state police department and in state prosecutors. He sees this law as a threat to the power of his legacy, as if an ounce or less of weed being decriminalized is some how going to tear apart the moral fabric of the state of New Hampshire.
This, unfortunately, is the state of affairs in the whole of the United States. Politicians fail to understand that decriminalizing drugs would lead to less non-violent offenders in prison. Even more so if it was legalized. It would let police focus on REAL crime and all the organized crime would not be able to profit from it the same why they were back in the era of alcohol prohibition. People should be free to put whatever they want into their own body so long as they harm no one else. Freedom should be the base rule on this issue.
