CONCORD -- More people in New Hampshire die from illegal drug overdoses than are killed in traffic accidents, said Scott Burns, deputy to national Drug Czar John Walters. "One thing that struck me in coming here is that you have serious problems with heroin and opium," Burns said during a press conference in the office of N.H. U.S. Attorney Tom Colantuono. Illegal drugs of choice in New Hampshire are heroin, opium, cocaine and crack cocaine, Burns said. Other statistics indicate that the use marijuana is spreading among 10, 11 and 12 year olds nationally, Burns said. [continues 343 words]
CONCORD -- Proponents of House Bill 672, which would require health insurance carriers to provide mental health coverage for alcohol and drug abuse and for eating disorders and other nervous disorders, won passage of the measure by agreeing to a Senate amendment that includes state employees. It was widely thought that the Senate amendment would cause the House to oppose the bill and tie it up in a conference committee, where it might have died. But the House voted 161-165 against a motion to non-concur and then voted 187-140 to agree with the Senate amendment. The bill will now go to the governor. [continues 219 words]
CONCORD -- Proponents of legislation to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes are seeking to convince the House Health, Human Service and Elderly Affairs Committee that marijuana can be safely prescribed for alleviating pain or controlling painful side effects of other currently legal drugs such as interferon. Yesterday the committee heard House Bill 721, which allows doctors to prescribe marijuana for treatment. In the recent past, the Legislature has repeatedly defeated attempts to legalize the drug based on opposition from the New Hampshire Medical Society and law enforcement officials. [continues 251 words]
CONCORD - Proponents of legislation to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes are seeking to convince the House Health, Human Service and Elderly Affairs Committee that marijuana can be safely prescribed for alleviating pain or controlling painful side effects of other currently legal drugs such as interferon. Yesterday the committee heard House Bill 721, which allows doctors to prescribe marijuana for treatment. In the recent past, the Legislature has repeatedly defeated attempts to legalize the drug based on opposition from the New Hampshire Medical Society and law enforcement officials. [continues 251 words]
CONCORD -- Genetically altering hemp plants to distinguish them from marijuana could satisfy police opposed to making it legal to grow hemp commercially, state Agriculture Commissioner Steve Taylor told lawmakers yesterday. He spoke before the House Environment and Agriculture Committee, which is weighing a bill that would make it legal to grow hemp. Most of the law enforcement community considers growing hemp a camouflage for growing marijuana. Taylor, who took no position on House Bill 293, said that through biotechnology, it could be possible someday to genetically alter industrial hemp plants and seeds to make them easily distinguishable from marijuana. [continues 184 words]
