Here are NH’s gubernatorial candidates’ views on marijuana legalization

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who has led New Hampshire since 2017, announced last year that he will step down, opening his seat to new candidates.

New Hampshire’s marijuana legalization efforts have failed again and again. Despite consistent support from Granite Staters, legislative efforts have stalled. A bill to legalize recreational marijuana by 2026 was rejected in June after the House and Senate couldn’t agree. The House voted to table the bill, effectively killing it.

Meanwhile, a June poll showed more than 70% of Democrats support legalization, while Republicans are more split on the issue, with about 47% supporting legalization.

All of this year’s Democratic gubernatorial candidates have said they want marijuana legalized, while all Republican candidates said they oppose it. 

Here’s what folks on both side of the political spectrum has said:

Democratic candidates

Cinde Warmington, an executive councilor, approves.

“When I’m governor, we’ll stop this nonsense and finally legalize recreational cannabis — properly regulated and taxed,” she said on X on June 13. 

Warmington is a former attorney, politician, and former lobbyist. She was elected to the executive council in 2020. 

Joyce Craig, the former mayor of Manchester, also approves it. 

“I will work to pass a marijuana legalization bill that works for New Hampshire. It is clear that the legislation today didn’t meet that standard as advocates on both sides of the aisle raised serious concerns and sent the bill to a committee of conference,” she said on X on May 30. 

Craig became the first female mayor of Manchester in 2017. 

Jon Kiper, the owner of Jonny Boston’s International, wants to fund affordable housing with cannabis sales.

In an interview with WMUR in March, Kiper said he thinks cannabis sales could be worth upwards of $100 million in New Hampshire. 

“I think that’s the part that’s been missing from the cannabis conversation—is what could we do with this money—which right now is already being spent, it’s just leaving the state.”

Kiper is a writer and musician on the side. He also co-founded the Newmarket Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention in 2015.

Republican candidates

Former US Sen. Kelly Ayotte said in an interview with WMUR in April that she doesn’t support legalization. 

“I don’t think legalizing marijuana is the right direction for our state,” said Ayotte, who represented New Hampshire in the Senate from 2011 to 2017 and was previously the state’s attorney general from 2004 to 2009. 

Chuck Morse, a state senator, and former Senate president, said at a candidate forum in May that one of his top priorities is fighting the legalization of marijuana. 

He explained marijuana and other drug use play a role in youth mental health issues.  

Morse represented New Hampshire’s 22nd state Senate district from 2010 to 2022 after previously holding the same office from 2002 to 2006.