An Open Letter to the Live Free Or Die state

Live Free Or Die(d)

In the bias of politicians

An Open Letter to Governor Sununu, The NH House & Senate

New Hampshire’s state motto “Live Free or Die”, originally made by General John Stark (no relation to Game of Thrones Jon Snow/Stark) as a toast during the Revolutionary War. The toast in full was “Live Free or Die, Death is not the worst of evils”.

For a state to boast that motto, you’d think they’d be willing to allow the people to vote on pressing issues. But there is a specific issue the people of New Hampshire overwhelmingly support yet are not even given the chance to vote on, Cannabis. Governor Sununu (more like Su-No No) has been “We The People”’s greatest opposition. Gov Sununu has been a vocal opponent to the legalization of Cannabis. And the representatives in Government have been going at a snails pace in allowing the people to use their voice at the ballot box to decide what they’re “Freedoms” should be surrounding Cannabis.

In a recent survey published by the University of New Hampshire (UNH), they found that three in four NH residents back adult-use legalization. And 78 percent said that they favor allowing adults to buy cannabis from licensed retailers if it is legalized. Those seem like record numbers of support. Though we have another record setter here in New Hampshire, in 2020 Governor Sununu broke a gubernatorial record with his 22 vetoes that year, NHPR reports. And coincidentally, everything I read about cannabis legislation comes with the caveat that it faces a tyrannical threat from the people in power.

It’s bewildering that neighbors to the North, South, East and West have all figured out how to legalize Cannabis. Whether they let the people decide the issue or just moved forward down the road of legalization because the science on cannabis has cut through the fear based propaganda, it’s time to be a state of its words - Live Free or Die (maybe not the die part yet). Our residents deserve to decide for themselves. Cannabis brings more than money, jobs, and education to empower the next generation, it also helps rebuild communities disproportionately affected. Kyle Jaeger of Marijuanamoment.com reports Massachusetts brought in an estimated $74.2 million in adult use tax revenue (as of Dec 2021) which surpassed all the Alcohol generated tax revenue. Instead of helping other states economy’s boom, it’s time we put Cannabis on the ballot and let the people decide.

With this letter comes an open invitation for any representative of the people of New Hampshire to discuss this topic on the show.

*Sources - MarijuanaMoment.com , WCVB news , UNH , NHPR