Adolescent brains are uniquely vulnerable to addiction. Starting substance use before age 15 makes someone 4-6 times more likely to develop a substance use disorder. New Hampshire has strong laws protecting kids from tobacco and alcohol, but companies found loopholes, rebranding THC as 'hemp,' selling addictive kratom with no age limits, and disguising vapes as highlighters. They exploit every technicality to keep selling addictive products to children.
The following five bills close loopholes that allow companies to market and sell addictive and dangerous products to young people.
Take Action
Call or Email Your Senator About Nitrous Oxide - Scripts Provided!
Call Your State Senator
A phone call is the most effective way to contact a legislator. Senators have a staff person who answers their phone. If they do not answer, leave a brief message with your name,
the town in which you live, and your phone number. Look up your Senator's contact information using the form below.
Many advocates find it helpful to prepare before making a call. Find a sample script below.
Hello Senator_____________. My name is ____________, and I live in your district in the town of _______________.
I am calling to ask you to support HB 1630, which bans the sale of recreational nitrous oxide, a highly addictive, dangerous product sold in convenience stores.
Choose a few of the suggested points below:
- Share your personal reasons for supporting the bill: This issue is personal to me because [share your own, a loved one's, or a client/patient's experience with nitrous oxide].
- Adolescent brains are uniquely vulnerable to addiction. Starting substance use before age 15 makes someone 4-6 times more likely to develop a substance use disorder.
- Right now, companies are selling highly potent, flavored nitrous oxide canisters directly to minors through smoke shops, gas stations, and convenience stores.
- Brands such as Galaxy Gas and Smartwhip are sold in flavored containers designed to appeal to youth.
- The health effects are serious and can include coughing, rapid heart rate, paranoia, anxiety, breathing problems, seizures, addiction, brain damage and death.
- HB 1630 doesn't impact the sale of nitrous oxide for legitimate purposes, but closes loopholes that allow companies to exploit and target children.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Please support HB 1630.
Email Your State Senator
Call or Email House Criminal Justice Committee about hemp-derived THC - Scripts Provided!
Call Members of the House Criminal Justice Committee
A phone call is the most effective way to contact a legislator. Representative phone numbers are their personal numbers, so sometimes a family member will answer the phone. If
they do not answer, leave a brief message with your name, the town in which you live, and your phone number.
House Criminal Justice Committee Members:
- Rep. Terry Roy: 603-239-3369
- Rep. Jennifer Rhodes: 603-762-8069
- Rep. Alissandra Murray: Alissandra.Murray@gc.nh.gov
- Rep. Mark Proulx: 603-669-7179
- Rep. Richard Lascelles: 603-325-5523
- Rep. Ricky Devoid: 603-848-2551
- Rep. Pete Morency: 603-752-7325
- Rep. Kathleen Paquette: 603-305-2774
- Rep. Matt Sabourin dit Choinière: 603-519-5656
- Rep. Linda Harriott-Gathright: 603-880-4537
- Rep. David Meuse: David.Meuse@gc.nh.gov
- Rep. Ray Newman: Ray.Newman@gc.nh.gov
- Rep. Nancy Murphy: 603-424-0254
- Rep. Buzz Scherr: 603-498-6916
Many advocates find it helpful to prepare before making a call. Find a sample script below.
Hello, Representative _____________. My name is _____________, and I live in the town of _______________.
I'm calling to ask you to support Senate Bill 624, which strengthens penalties for licensed establishments that continue to sell hemp-derived THC products.
Choose a few of the suggested points below:
- (Personal experience) This issue is important to me because [share your own, a loved one's, or a client/patient's experience with THC products].
- Companies are selling THC products by labeling them "hemp-derived" instead of "cannabis," exploiting a technicality in federal law.
- These products are often packaged to look like candy or popular snack brands.
- The numbers are alarming: 11% of U.S. 12th graders used delta-8 THC in 2023. That's 1 to 2 students in every average classroom.
- In just over a year, poison control centers handled more than 2,300 adverse events involving delta-8 between January 2021February 2022.
- Adolescent brains are especially vulnerable to addiction. Starting substance use before age 15 makes someone 4 to 6 times more likely to develop a substance use disorder later in life.
- Intoxicating hemp-derived products are already banned in New Hampshire, but SB 624 strengthens penalties for licensed establishments that continue to sell these products.
Thank you so much for your time. I hope I can count on your support for Senate Bill 624. Our kids are counting on you.
Email Members of the House Criminal Justice Committee
Email House Finance Committee about Kratom
Share Your Story
Share your experience with these unregulated products marketed to youth:
- Tell us your story. Describe a specific moment when you encountered these products (hemp THC, kratom, vapes disguised as school supplies, nitrous oxide) - whether as a parent finding them, a teacher confiscating them, a healthcare provider treating someone, a young person seeing the marketing, or a business owner competing against unregulated sellers.
- What was the impact? What happened as a result? How did it affect health, school, family, your work, or your community? What did young people tell you about how they got these products or why they used them?
- What would change if these bills pass? How would one or several of these bills make a difference for your family, classroom, patients, or business? What would you say to a legislator deciding whether to support these protections?
Spread the Word: Advocacy Brief & Social Media
Need help? Contact Sarah Cain (Community Engagement Coordinator) for help taking action or Kate Frey (VP of Advocacy) with policy questions.
About the Bills
After years of work to restrict tobacco and traditional cannabis sales to minors, corporations found workarounds. They rebranded, reformulated, and exploited technical definitions in state law to sell functionally identical products to the same young people through different legal channels.
Companies have used the following strategies to sell their products:
- Definitional Loopholes: Using technical terminology (like "hemp-derived" vs. "cannabis") to evade age restrictions
- Unregulated Products: Introducing new substances (kratom, nitrous oxide) with no youth protections
- Deceptive Marketing: Packaging addictive products as candy, school supplies, or video games
- Regulatory Gaps: Selling to minors before enforcement systems can catch up
These Bills Close the Loopholes
SB 624: Hemp-Derived THC Products
Companies sell THC products by labeling them "hemp-derived" instead of "cannabis," exploiting a technicality in federal law. Hemp-derived products are already banned in New Hampshire, but SB 624 strengthens penalties for licensed establishments that continue to sell these products.
SB 461: Total THC Measurement
Companies sell high-potency hemp-derived THC products labeled as "compliant" by measuring only one form of THC and ignoring other potent forms that convert to THC when consumed. SB 461 requires measuring total THC concentration, including all forms that become psychoactive, just like we measure total alcohol content in beverages.
SB 557: Kratom Regulation
Kratom is an addictive opioid-like substance that has no age restrictions or safety standards in New Hampshire. Gas stations and convenience stores sell it to minors with zero oversight. SB 557 establishes a 21+ age requirement, prohibits child-targeted packaging, requires warning labels, mandates licensing, and bans synthetic versions.
HB 1630: Nitrous Oxide (Whippits)
Nitrous oxide sold for recreational inhalation has no restrictions despite documented brain damage, suffocation deaths, and targeted marketing to teens. HB 1630 prohibits the sale of nitrous oxide for recreational purposes, especially flavored products marketed to youth, while protecting legitimate uses (medical, food service, automotive).
HB 1538: Deceptive Vape Marketing
Vaping companies disguise nicotine products as highlighters, USB drives, smartwatches, and candy to hide use from parents and teachers. HB 1538 prohibits marketing vapes that imitate non-vape products, using child-appealing characters, or include video game features.
Bill
Status
SB 461 - Passed Senate / In House Committee
SB 461
March 18: The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee held a public hearing on SB 461 on March 18.
February 5: The Senate voted unanimously to pass SB 461. The bill will advance to the House of Representatives.
January 22: The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on SB 461.
SB 557 - Passed Senate / In House Committee
SB 557
April 23: The House of Representatives voted to pass SB 557! The bill was referred to the House Finance Committee for further review.
April 14: The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 12-0 to pass SB 557 with an amendment that allows the Division of Enforcement to enforce the ban
on product sales. The bill will be on the consent calendar.
April 8: The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee held a public hearing on SB 557.
March 12: The Senate voted by majority voice vote to pass an amended version of SB 557. As amended, the bill bans synthetic and semi-synthetic kratom — the most dangerous, chemically altered products — but removes the regulatory framework around natural and traditional kratom products. The bill heads to the House of Representatives.
March 4: The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5-0 to pass SB 557 with an amendment that provides greater clarification around the bill.
February 10: The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on SB 557.
SB 624 - Passed Senate / In House Committee
SB 624
Next: The House Criminal Justice Committee will hold an executive session to vote on a recommendation for the bill.
April 30: The House Criminal Justice Committee held a public hearing on SB 624.
April 23: The House of Representatives voted to pass SB 624! It has been referred to House Criminal Justice for review.
April 14: The House Environment and Agriculture Committee voted 13-2 to pass SB 624. It will appear on the consent calendar.
March 31: The House Environment and Agriculture Committee held a public hearing at 1:00pm at 1 Granite Place, Room 153.
March 5: The Senate voted unanimously to pass SB 624!
February 19: The Senate Judiciary Committee held an executive session and recommended the bill pass.
February 10: The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on SB 624.
HB 1630 - Passed House / In Senate
HB 1630
Next: The Senate will vote on the bill — scheduled for Thursday, May 7.
April 28: The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 3-2 to recommend passage of HB 1630.
April 7: The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on HB 1630.
March 11: The House of Representatives voted by voice vote to pass HB 1630! This bill may go to the House Finance Committee for further review.
March 3: The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee voted 13-0 to advance HB 1630 with an amendment
February 18: The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee delayed its committee vote to work on an amendment.
February 11: The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee held a public hearing.
HB 1538 - Not Advancing
HB 1538
March 11: The House of Representatives voted by voice vote to send HB 1538 to interim study, meaning it will not advance this session.
February 18: The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee voted to send HB 1538 to Interim Study. The House of Representatives will vote on this recommendation in early March.
February 11: The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee held a public hearing.
You can learn more about how New Hampshire's legislative process works on our About the Legislature webpage, or take one of our advocacy trainings.
