Are you wondering how to open a dispensary in New Hampshire? We will provide the most recent news and details about launching a cannabis dispensary in the state on this page, along with valuable insights about what will happen next. Cannaspire’s Cannabis consultants support operators from application through daily operations.
The state of New Hampshire banned recreational cannabis usage, but since July 18th, 2017, possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce is no longer considered a crime. Meanwhile, legislation approved in 2013 legalized medicinal usage.
On December 12th, 2022, legislative leaders from both parties in New Hampshire’s House of Representatives said that they would be working together to introduce a measure to legalize marijuana in the state during the 2023 session. Republican House Majority Leader Jason Osborne and Democratic House Minority Leader Matt Wilhelm co-sponsored HB 639. If passed, people over 21 would be permitted to possess and gift up to four ounces of cannabis and cultivate up to six plants for personal use.
On February 22nd, 2023, legalization legislation HB 639 was passed by the New Hampshire House of Representatives with a vote of 234–127. This decision followed the approval of an amended version of the bill by the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Liquor Subcommittee on February 15th. One notable alteration to the original draft is that the bill designates the state’s current Liquor Commission as the regulatory body for the marijuana industry rather than establishing a new independent commission as initially introduced in HB 639.
On March 16th, 2023, the New Hampshire House of Representatives gave its approval to HB 360. This bill from Kevin Verville (R) seeks to legalize marijuana in the state; however, unlike HB 639, which is a more comprehensive measure sponsored by bipartisan leaders that includes taxation and regulation, HB 360 does not include any regulations or limitations on cannabis. The House voted 210–160 to disagree with the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee’s decision made on February 17th, where they rejected the proposed law as it was deemed unnecessary to be turned into a law. Following this, the bill was passed by members in a voice vote and will now be sent to the Senate. However, on May 10th, the bill failed in the Senate.
On April 6th, 2023, the New Hampshire House of Representatives gave its approval to HB 639 for the second time. The proposal was passed with a vote of 272-109 and sent to the Senate for further consideration. The bill had previously received House approval but underwent amendments in committee before being brought back to the floor for final passage. On May 11th, 2023, HB 639 was rejected by the Senate with a 14-10 vote. However, the following day, Governor Chris Sununu proposed a potential path for legalization, advocating for the regulation of recreational marijuana similar to how the state regulates the sale of alcohol, prioritizing harm reduction over financial gain.
On August 8th, 2023, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R) signed a bill, HB 611, which establishes a commission responsible for formulating potential laws for the legalization of marijuana sales via a network of state-operated shops. On October 24th, 2023, the New Hampshire Commission to Study With the Purpose of Proposing Legalization, State-Controlled Sales of Cannabis, and Cannabis Products started working on a bill to legalize cannabis sales through state-run stores. Their goal is to draft legislation by December 1st, considering the potential impact of legalization on the state. This legislation will be reviewed by lawmakers in the 2024 session. Key topics discussed include integrating existing medical marijuana dispensaries into the new system, ensuring the safety and potency of cannabis products, and avoiding disruptions to the hemp and CBD markets. You can find the full draft legislation that was discussed at the meeting here.
According to the Granite State Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in February 2022, 74% of state citizens believe that prohibition should be repealed. Overall, the state has seen a 25% increase in pro-legalization sentiment since 2013.
On January 24th, 2024, lawmakers in New Hampshire debated two marijuana legalization proposals, focusing on aligning with the governor’s preferences. The House subcommittee discussed amending the current bill to include a state-controlled store system, but the bill’s sponsor opposed this due to concerns about the state’s role as the sole cannabis industry franchisor. The debate highlighted key issues like the lack of provisions for expunging past cannabis convictions and the absence of dual-use licenses for medical operators. An alternative model was proposed based on the state’s liquor system to reduce state liability, but it was considered impractical.
On February 13th, 2024, a New Hampshire legislative subcommittee approved amendments to HB 1633, aimed at legalizing recreational marijuana. The bill, which allows up to 15 retail stores, passed the House Commerce Committee with a 17-3 vote on February 14th. In March, further adjustments were made to align with Governor Sununu’s criteria, such as setting a retailer limit. This led to a postponed vote by the House Finance Committee due to unresolved regulatory details.
On April 18th, 2024, New Hampshire lawmakers reviewed several other medical marijuana bills, specifically HB 1278, HB 1231, HB 1349, HB 1581, SB 357, and SB 426. These bills aim to expand options for home cultivation and broaden the list of qualifying medical conditions. These legislative efforts reflect New Hampshire’s ongoing process to assess and refine its cannabis regulations. The outcomes will significantly impact the state’s therapeutic cannabis program. Future updates will be provided as developments unfold.
On May 16th, 2024, the New Hampshire Senate approved a revised version of HB 1633 with a 14-9 vote. By May 23rd, the Senate Finance Committee passed the bill, including a state-run franchise model and increased penalties for sales to minors. The House rejected these amendments on May 30th, leading to a week-long negotiation. On June 6th, 2024, lawmakers compromised, allowing pre-existing medical dispensaries priority for recreational licenses and increasing the decriminalized possession amount to one ounce. However, on June 13th, the New Hampshire House rejected the bill, ending efforts to pass it, which proposed up to 15 state-controlled retail locations. But on June 20th, 2024, a poll revealed that nearly two-thirds of the residents support the legalization of marijuana, despite lawmakers rejecting the bill. While legislative efforts stalled, public opinion remains in favor of legalization, although support has slightly decreased from previous years. Stay tuned for further updates as the ongoing debate continues to unfold.
On December 1st, 2025, bipartisan legislation was pre-filed with the New Hampshire General Court for the 2026 legislative session that could allow voters to decide on adult-use cannabis possession in the November 2026 election. The proposal would place a constitutional amendment on the ballot allowing adults 21 and older to possess a limited amount of cannabis for personal use, but it would not establish a regulated adult-use cannabis retail market. While New Hampshire remains the only New England state without adult-use legalization, this measure presents a potential pathway forward, though it would require 60% approval in both legislative chambers and a two-thirds majority vote by voters statewide to pass.
On January 7, 2026, the New Hampshire House passed HB 186, which would legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older, allow possession of up to 2 ounces (plus defined limits on concentrates/edibles), permit home cultivation (up to six plants), and create a Cannabis Commission to license and regulate cultivation, processing, and retail. The bill passed 208–135 and now moves to the House Finance Committee before heading toward the Senate. Its future remains uncertain due to opposition in the Senate and from Governor Kelly Ayotte.
On January 22, 2026, the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on SB 485, a bill to legalize, regulate, and tax recreational cannabis in the state. Lawmakers heard testimony from supporters and opponents. The bill’s sponsor argued that New Hampshire, the only New England state without legal cannabis, must act in light of federal rescheduling and regional legalization, as establishing a regulated market would create business opportunities and curb illicit sales.
Statistica projects that the revenue from marijuana sales in New Hampshire will rise from 2016 to 2025. According to the prediction, the value of marijuana sales in New Hampshire is expected to reach around $50.8 million in 2025.
Medical marijuana is legal in New Hampshire. HB 573 was signed into law by New Hampshire’s governor, Maggie Hassan, in July 2013 to legalize the medicinal use of cannabis for those with “chronic or terminal illnesses” and “debilitating medical conditions.” Compared to other medical marijuana laws around the country, this one stands out for its stringency since it only permits the use of cannabis when all other therapeutic options have been exhausted.
Patients have had access to cannabis from regulated and licensed alternative treatment centers as of 2016.
In New Hampshire, individuals with certain medical conditions are eligible to use medical marijuana as part of their treatment. The specific qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in New Hampshire include:
The 2024 DHHS Therapeutic Cannabis Program (TCP) data report shows that there are 14,705 registered patients in the state. This is a 604% increase from the total number of registered patients of 2,089 in 2016, when the DHHS first published the TCP data report. Total registered patients were 14,178 in 2023, 13,364 in 2022, 12,237 in 2021, and 10,688 in 2020.
The Alternative Treatment Center license is the only type of cannabis license that may be awarded in New Hampshire in line with the state’s cannabis regulations. ATCs are responsible for the cultivation, production, and delivery of medical cannabis to qualifying patients.
New Hampshire has several licensed Alternative Treatment Center operators with seven dispensing locations statewide. These ATC dispensaries may be found in:
New Hampshire does not accept applications for ATC dispensaries at this time. When the program is reopened, any new information will be added to this area. For the time being, you may examine the information below on opening a dispensary in the state so that you are prepared to apply when the application period reopens.
If you want help preparing for the next window, talk to Cannaspire’s New Hampshire cannabis consultants.
In New Hampshire, ATC dispensaries are required to pay fees as part of the state’s Medical Cannabis Program. These fees can include:
While application and licensing fees are one part of the investment, running an ATC involves significant ongoing costs. These can include ongoing cannabis compliance costs such as:
Overall, startup and operational costs can be substantial, varying widely based depending on location, facility size, and staffing levels.
Each RFA-selected ATC must provide the following to the department within 90 days of notification:
Before an Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) in New Hampshire can open, it has to be prepared with certain plans and procedures that the state requires:
The use of cannabis for recreational purposes is illegal in New Hampshire. Governor Sununu signed the decriminalization law on July 18, 2017. It took effect September 16, 2017, making possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce a civil violation, not a crime.
The state House has repeatedly advanced bills to legalize marijuana, but they have failed to gain traction in the Senate. Despite previous unsuccessful legalization attempts, supporters of marijuana legalization remain persistent in their efforts.
A legalization bill failed in the Senate on May 10th, 2023. As it pertains to New Hampshire regulation and licensing of cannabis businesses, HB 639 would have achieved the following:
According to John Hunt, the chairman of the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee, if HB 639 progresses out of his committee, lawmakers may reconsider a different bill, HB 544, which he believes has a higher likelihood of becoming law.
HB 544 proposes a system in which government-run stores would be responsible for the recreational marijuana market, with the Liquor Commission being responsible for overseeing the cultivation, manufacturing, testing, and retail sale of cannabis across the state. As of March 13th, 2023, the bill is still in committee.
The 2023 session has also seen the introduction of several other legalization bills, including basic proposals to remove cannabis from the state’s controlled substances list and permit limited home cultivation.
In New Hampshire, some of the major advocates pushing for recreational legalization are as follows:
New Hampshire requires Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs) to operate as nonprofit entities under RSA 292 and as charitable trusts under RSA 7:19. This means ATCs must be managed solely for the benefit of qualifying patients, with all revenue and expenses controlled in furtherance of that purpose.
Currently, state regulations do not establish a social equity program for cannabis businesses.
There are likely to be several developments that will impact efforts to legalize cannabis in New Hampshire. We’ll ensure you’re always up-to-date on the latest developments, hard-to-find information, and discussion about New Hampshire’s legalization.
For hands-on application support, see Cannaspire’s Cannabis Licensing Services. A cannabis compliance consultant from Cannaspire can keep your SOPs and audits on track as you scale.
If you’re monitoring potential cannabis legalization or evaluating future business opportunities in New Hampshire, Cannaspire’s consultants can help you understand the regulatory landscape and what to expect as laws evolve.
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