{"id":86657,"date":"2026-08-19T11:02:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T19:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2026\/08\/19\/new-hampshire-lawmakers-override-governors-veto-of-bill-allowing-medical-marijuana-cultivation-in-greenhouses\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T19:46:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T03:46:03","slug":"new-hampshire-lawmakers-override-governors-veto-of-bill-allowing-medical-marijuana-cultivation-in-greenhouses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2026\/08\/19\/new-hampshire-lawmakers-override-governors-veto-of-bill-allowing-medical-marijuana-cultivation-in-greenhouses\/","title":{"rendered":"New Hampshire Lawmakers Override Governor\u2019s Veto Of Bill Allowing Medical Marijuana Cultivation In Greenhouses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/MM_Bill_Tracker_V5_blank-15.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1500\"> <\/p>\n<p>New Hampshire lawmakers have voted to override the governor\u2019s veto of a bill to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/new-hampshire-governor-vetoes-bill-to-allow-medical-marijuana-cultivation-in-greenhouses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">let medical cannabis companies grow marijuana in greenhouses<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Senate on Wednesday voted 16-8 to reverse Gov. Kelly Ayotte\u2019s (R) decision, and the House of Representatives did so by a vote of 257-44.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters argue that the proposal will make cannabis more affordable and available for patients, though the governor said in a veto message in June that \u201cI do not support expanding the cultivation of marijuana in our state.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The proposal, SB 468, will now become law despite her objections.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Tara Reardon (D), one of the cosponsors of the bill, said ahead of the Senate override vote that it will allow medical marijuana businesses to \u201coperate more efficiently, resulting in more affordable prices for New Hampshire patients.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPatients are benefiting from the program, including many who were previously dependent on opioids for pain management. The one problem associated with a therapeutic cannabis program is affordability,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve heard that therapeutic cannabis isn\u2019t covered by insurance, so patients are paying out of pocket for this. And we\u2019ve been hearing the same complaint that it\u2019s too expensive for many, many years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne obvious factor is that our our programs are allowed only to cultivate indoors with high intensity lighting, and this is by far the most expensive way to produce cannabis,\u201d Reardon said. \u201cAt the same time, we know that cannabis businesses across New England states are free to cultivate using natural sunlight rather than expensive electric lights.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sen. William Gannon (R), who opposed the legislation, claimed that \u201cthere\u2019s no evidence to support the greenhouse growing of marijuana,\u201d arguing that the bill is \u201cvague with no guardrails.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no really guarantee here that the money made is not to be turned to profit,\u201d he said. \u201cWe don\u2019t know that they\u2019re going to use it to lower the cost of the product.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the House side, Rep. Wayne MacDonald (R) noted that the a business requesting permission to cultivation in greenhouses would need to submit \u201cplans to reduce energy costs and provide lower prices for registered qualifying patients\u201d and get approval from regulators before proceeding.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the proposal is approved, it will enable the center to better serve those who benefit from cannabis for therapeutic use,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/gc.nh.gov\/bill_status\/billinfo.aspx?id=1443&amp;inflect=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">legislation<\/a> says that \u201ceach alternative treatment center registered under this section may request authorization to operate a greenhouse cultivation location, at the same or at a different location than its existing cultivation location, in order to reduce energy costs and provide lower prices for registered qualifying patients.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Senators who sponsored the bill previously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/new-hampshire-lawmakers-push-to-override-governors-veto-of-medical-marijuana-greenhouse-cultivation-bill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">spoke to Marijuana Moment about their desire to enact it into law despite the governor\u2019s veto<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI disagree with the governor\u2019s decision to veto SB 468,\u201d Sen. Howard Pearl (R), the lead sponsor, said. \u201cThis bipartisan bill would have provided a practical way to lower costs for patients with serious medical conditions while maintaining the rigorous oversight and safeguards that have made New Hampshire\u2019s Therapeutic Cannabis Program successful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt a time when affordability remains a significant challenge for many families, we should be looking for responsible ways to expand access to treatment and ease financial burdens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Reardon similarly told Marijuana Moment that was \u201cdisappointed\u201d in the governor\u2019s action, which she said will result in \u201cdenying cost-saving measures for more than 17,000 veterans and patients across New Hampshire who rely on medical cannabis as an important component of their physician-recommended care.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cinde Warmington, who is challenging Ayotte\u2019s bid for reelection in November, has also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/new-hampshire-democratic-challenger-slams-gop-governors-veto-of-medical-marijuana-greenhouse-cultivation-bill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">criticized the governor for vetoing the marijuana bill<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCome on, Kelly. Shouldn\u2019t we be trying to make health care more affordable for Granite Staters, not less?\u201d she said in a video posted to social media.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis bill would have made medical cannabis more affordable and more accessible to Granite Staters who really need it, and she vetoed it,\u201d\u00a0 Warmington said. \u201cBut honestly, this is what we\u2019ve come to expect from Kelly Ayotte.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The only person to testify against the bill this session was a former state lawmaker who now serves as chair of the prohibitionist organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana NH.<\/p>\n<p>Matt Simon, director of public and government relations at the medical marijuana provider GraniteLeaf Cannabis, told Marijuana Moment that the company \u201cis relieved to see this greenhouse legislation finally become law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are doing the best we can to provide quality products at affordable prices, and we know that being able to use sunlight will help,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>(Disclosure: Simon supports Marijuana Moment\u2019s work via a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/marijuanamoment\/membership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">monthly pledge on Patreon<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014<br \/>\nMarijuana Moment is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/bills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/marijuanamoment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/bills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9128 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/MM_Bill_Tracker_V5_blank-14.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Learn more about our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/bills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/marijuanamoment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.<br \/>\n\u2014<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ayotte has separately threatened to veto any marijuana legalization bill that reaches her desk.<\/p>\n<p>The governor said last year that her position on the reform <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/new-hampshire-governor-says-federal-marijuana-rescheduling-wont-change-her-opposition-to-legalization\/\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">would not change even as the federal government moved forward with rescheduling the plant<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, then-Gov. Chris Sununu (R) vetoed a similar proposal to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/new-hampshire-lawmakers-fail-to-override-governors-veto-of-bill-to-let-medical-marijuana-be-grown-in-greenhouses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">allow cannabis businesses to cultivate in greenhouses<\/a>. The House had enough votes to override that action, but the Senate did not.<\/p>\n<p><em>Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis \/\/ Side Pocket Images.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/new-hampshire-lawmakers-override-governors-veto-of-bill-allowing-medical-marijuana-cultivation-in-greenhouses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New Hampshire Lawmakers Override Governor\u2019s Veto Of Bill Allowing Medical Marijuana Cultivation In Greenhouses<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#013;<br \/>\n&#013;<br \/>\nRead More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marijuanamoment.net\/new-hampshire-lawmakers-override-governors-veto-of-bill-allowing-medical-marijuana-cultivation-in-greenhouses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New Hampshire Lawmakers Override Governor\u2019s Veto Of Bill Allowing Medical Marijuana Cultivation In Greenhouses<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New Hampshire lawmakers have voted to override the governor\u2019s veto of a bill to let medical cannabis companies grow marijuana in greenhouses. The Senate on Wednesday voted 16-8 to reverse Gov. Kelly Ayotte\u2019s (R) decision, and the House of Representatives did so by a vote of 257-44. Supporters argue that<span class=\"more-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2026\/08\/19\/new-hampshire-lawmakers-override-governors-veto-of-bill-allowing-medical-marijuana-cultivation-in-greenhouses\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":459,"featured_media":86658,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86657"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/459"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86657"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86657\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86659,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86657\/revisions\/86659"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}