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Therapeutic cannabis program reaches about 15,000 registrants; state keeps regulatory and testing role
Summary
Tilley told lawmakers the therapeutic cannabis program is self‑funded through registration fees and ATC assessments, serves about 15,000 registered patients, and remains under state oversight for product safety and testing; officials said program rules and access remain more restrictive than most states.
New Hampshire’s therapeutic cannabis program is administered within the Division of Public Health Services and — officials told the House Finance Division — is self‑funded by patient registration fees and assessments from registered Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs).
The division said roughly 15,000 Granite Staters were enrolled in the therapeutic registry. The program’s operating costs in the budget are not general funds and are covered by patient fees and statute‑authorized ATC assessments, Tilley said. The department also described the program’s regulatory role: testing and oversight intended to assure program participants that product is not adulterated and that doses match labeling.
Legislators asked about the program’s structure and possible privatization. Tilley said New Hampshire’s therapeutic program is comparatively conservative and restrictive and that privatization or spinning the program out of state government would raise questions about the continuity of regulatory controls and diversion prevention; the department retains investigative and laboratory oversight to ensure product safety and chain‑of‑custody for testing.
Members also asked about access (three ATC entities operate seven retail locations, with the state roughly divided into four service areas) and whether mobile ATCs would improve access; Tilley said a mobile model would raise security and diversion concerns but that the idea could be evaluated if statutory safeguards were added.
Ending: Lawmakers and the department agreed to continue watching program enrollment, provider coverage and whether statutory changes would be needed for any future privatization or access expansions.
