Marked

for Life:
Collateral Sanctions
Associated with
Marijuana Offenses
in New Hampshire

Marked'for'Life:'Collateral
Sanc3ons'Associated'with'
Marijuana'Oenses'in'New'
Hampshire'
Marijuana'Policy'Project

Execu3ve'Summary'
" In" 2012," there" were" 2,728" marijuana" arrests" in" New" Hampshire." Of" these," 2,327"
(85.3%)"were"for"possession.""
" In" 2010," according" to" a" report" issued" by" the" American" Civil" LiberLes" Union," New"
Hampshire"spent"an"esLmated"$6,526,364"enforcing"marijuana"laws.1""
"Between"1990"and"2007,"there"were"a"total"of"42,576"marijuanaSrelated"arrests"in"New"
Hampshire.2"""
" In" addiLon" to" statutory" penalLes" such" as" arrest," jail" Lme," and" nes," criminal"
convicLons"nearly"always"result"in"signicant"collateral"sancLons."These"are"the"many"
secondary" eects" of" a" convicLon." While" not" a" part" of" the" actual" sentence," they" can"
create" enormous" challenges" to" those" with" a" criminal" record," even" for" simple"
possession"of"a"small"amount"of"marijuana."Collateral"sancLons"aect"access"to"a"wide"
array"of"basic"human"needs""and"they"can"follow"a"person"for"life.""
" Many" of" the" states" largest" employers" conduct" extensive" background" checks," which"
o]en"include"criminal"records"checks."This"signicantly"inhibits"the"ability"of"those"with"
1"American"Civil"LiberLes"Union."(2013)."The$War$on$Marijuana$in$Black$and$White.$New"York,"NY:"Edwards,"

BunLng,"&"Garcia.
2"FBI/Uniform"Crime"ReporLng"Program"Data"and"U.S"Census"Data

even" minor" marijuana" oenses" to" nd" employment." A" variety" of" New" Hampshire"
occupaLonal" licenses" may" also" be" unavailable" to" people" with" misdemeanor"
convicLons,"or"they"may"be"suspended"or"revoked"if"a"person"faces"a"convicLon"while"
in"possession"of"such"a"license.""
" Collateral" sancLons" may" seriously" undermine" an" individuals" access" to" educaLon,"
public"assistance,"and"housing."
"Through"the"process"of"civil"asset"forfeiture,"police"ocers"may"seize"property"on"the"
mere"suspicion"of"marijuana"possession.""
" Collateral" sancLons" have" the" combined" eect" of" seriously" limiLng" an" individuals"
professional" advancement," educaLonal" opportuniLes," and" personal" life" choices" for" a"
number"of"years"a]er"convicLon."
"By"treaLng"possession"of"a"modest"amount"of"marijuana"as"a"civil"violaLon"rather"than"
a"misdemeanor,"and"by"reducing"the"penalty"for"culLvaLng"a"small"number"of"plants"
from" a" felony" to" a" misdemeanor," the" harms" caused" by" collateral" sancLons" can" be"
miLgated.
"

I.'Introduc3on
According"to"a"recent"study"published"by"the"American"
Civil"LiberLes"Union,"there"were"2,769"arrests"in"New"
Hampshire"for"marijuana"possession"in"2010.3"In"2012,"
according"to"an"FBI"report,"an"American"was"arrested"
once"every"42"seconds"for"possession"of"marijuana.4

A" growing" majority" of" voters" in" New" Hampshire"

African(Americans(in(New(
Hampshire(are(over(2.5(
6mes(more(likely(to(be(
arrested(for(marijuana(
possession(than(whites(
despite(similar(rates(of(use.(

believe" penalLes" for" adult" marijuana" possession"

should" be" eliminated." In" October" 2013," the" Granite$ State$ Poll" found" that" 60%" of" New"

3"American"Civil"LiberLes"Union."(2013)."The$War$on$Marijuana$in$Black$and$White.$New"York,"NY:"Edwards,"

BunLng,"&"Garcia.
4"FBI/Uniform"Crime"ReporLng"Program"Data"and"U.S"Census"Data

Hampshire"voters"supported"HB"492,5"a"bill"that"would"have"legalized"possession"of"up"to"
an" ounce" of" marijuana" for" adults." With" 48%" of" Americans" admilng" to" having" tried"
marijuana" at" some" point," including" the" last" three"

Sixty(percent(of(New(
Hampshire(voters(
support(legalizing(
possession(of(up(to(an(
ounce(of(marijuana(
for(adults.

United" States" presidents," convicLon" of" those" who"

are" caught" is" increasingly" seen" as" arbitrary" and"
wasteful.6" Studies" showing" signicant" racial"
dispariLes" in" enforcement" have" further" called" into"
quesLon" the" war" on" marijuana," as" blacks" are" 2.6"
more" likely" to" be" arrested" than" whites" in" New"
Hampshire"despite"similar"rates"of"use.7"""

For" these" reasons" among" others," support" for" imposing" harsh" penalLes" on" marijuana"
oenses" has" diminished." But" of" increasing" concern" to" reform" advocates" is" the" web" of"
confusing,"complex,"and"o]en"irrelevant"collateral"sancLons"associated"with"marijuana"
oenses."As"dened"by"the"American"Bar"AssociaLon,"collateral"sancLons"are"any"legal"
penalty,"disability,"or"disadvantage,"however"denominated,"that"is"imposed"on"a"person"
automaLcally"upon"that"persons"convicLon"for"a"felony,"misdemeanor,"or"other"oense,"
that"is"not"included"in"the"sentence.8

Collateral" sancLons" can" come" in" many" forms." Most" obvious" is" the" fact" that" marijuana"
oenders" may" lose" federal" student" aid" or" be" deemed" ineligible" for" public" sector"
employment,"government"assistance,"and"public"housing."But"less"obvious"are"the"jobs"

5"The"University"of"New"Hampshire"Survey"Center"(October"25,"2013)."The$Granite$State$Poll,"sponsored"by"WMURS

TV."Retrieved"Feb."1,"2014"from"UNH"Survey"Center"Website:"hqp://cola.unh.edu/sites/cola.unh.edu/les/
research_publicaLons/gsp2013_fall_gastaxpot102513.pdf
6"Pew"Research"Forum."(2013)."Marijuana$Use$Increased$Over$the$Past$Decade."Retrieved"at"hqp://

www.pewresearch.org/dailySnumber/marijuanaSuseSincreasedSoverStheSlastSdecade/
7"American"Civil"LiberLes"Union."(2013)."The$War$on$Marijuana$in$Black$and$White.$New"York,"NY:"Edwards,"

BunLng,"&"Garcia.
8"American"Bar"AssociaLon."(2013)."Collateral$Sanc?ons$and$Discre?onary$Disqualica?on$of$Convicted$Persons.$

Retrieved"June"20,"2013"from"American"Bar"AssociaLon"website:"hqp://www.americanbar.org/publicaLons/
criminal_jusLce_secLon_archive/crimjust_standards_collateral_blk.html
4

and"other"opportuniLes"that"will"not"be"available"to"qualied"individuals"simply"because"
they"have"a"marijuana"convicLon"on"their"record."Even"beyond"professional"and"nancial"
burdens," collateral" sancLons" related" to" a" minor" marijuana" convicLon" may" limit" an"
individuals"most"personal"life"decisions."

The" collateral" sancLons" associated" with" a" marijuanaSrelated" convicLon" can" leave" an"
individual" marked" for" life." A]er" a" small" ne" and" perhaps" brief" Lme" in" jail," convicted"
individuals"soon"nd"that"the"consequences"of"their"convicLon"may"aect"all"aspects"of"
life." In" light" of" growing" opposiLon" to" the" harsh" marijuana" penalLes," the" permanent"
burden"imposed"by"collateral"sancLons"on"convicted"individuals"should"further"illustrate"
the"need"for"signicant"marijuana"policy"reform."This"report"will"discuss"the"eect"of"a"
marijuana"convicLon"on"employment,"educaLon,"public"assistance,"and"family"life.""

II.'Marijuana'Oenses'in'New'Hampshire'
The"Federal"Controlled"Substances"Act"of"1970"classies"marijuana"as"a"Schedule"I"drug."
This"puts"marijuana"in"the"same"category"as"heroin"and"many"
other" drugs" that" have" been" proven" to" be" very" harmful" if"
consumed.9" In" New" Hampshire," the" current" law" states" that"
possession" of" up" to" one" ounce" of" marijuana" is" a" Class" A"
misdemeanor," punishable" by" a" maximum" sentence" of" one"
year" imprisonment" and" a" maximum" ne" of" $2,000" ne.10"
CulLvaLng" a" small" number" of" plants," possessing" more" than"
one" ounce," or" possessing" less" than" an" ounce" with" intent" to"

Possession(of(up(to(
one(ounce(of(
marijuana(in(New(
Hampshire(can(result(
in(up(to(one(year(in(
jail(and(a(ne(of(up(to(
$2,000.(

sell"are"felony"oenses"with"possible"imprisonment"of"up"to"
three"years"and"a"ne"of"up"to"$25,000.11

Although"New"Hampshire"should"be"applauded"for"becoming"the"19th"state"to"legalize"
9"Public"law"91S513
10"318"B:2"of"the"New"Hampshire"Criminal"Code
11"NH"RSA"318SB:26"

medical"marijuana,"its"penalLes"for"possession"remain"much"more"puniLve"than"those"
found"in"other"New"England"states."A]er"Vermont"decriminalized"possession"of"up"to"an"
ounce"of"marijuana"in"2013,"New"Hampshire"was"le]"as"the"only"state"in"New"England"
that" sLll" maintains" a" criminal" penalty" for" simple" possession." In" the" Live" Free" or" Die"
state,"unlike"its"neighbors,"marijuana"possession"remains"a"misdemeanor"and"can"cause"
serious"damage"to"a"persons"life"through"collateral"sancLons.

III.'Collateral'Sanc3ons'Associated'with'Marijuana'Oenses'
A.'Employment'
As" an" atSwill" employment" state," employers" in" New" Hampshire" retain" the" right" to"
terminate" an" employee" for" any" reason," including" convicLon" for" marijuanaSrelated"
misdemeanors," even" if" the" oense" is" unrelated" to" the" work.12" Employers" are" generally"
allowed" to" refuse" to" hire" a" person" based" on" a" prior" convicLon" record," though" they"
cannot"discriminate"based"solely"on"an"arrest"record.13"In"eect,"employers"may"use"past"
marijuana"misdemeanors"to"exclude"otherwise"qualied"candidates"and"may"terminate"
employees"for"even"a"minor"possession"convicLon,"regardless"of"its"relevance"to"work."
This" can" leave" even" the" most" minor" oender" struggling" against" the" sLgma" of" being" a"
drug"oender"for"years"or"decades,"forever"dealing"with"the"consequences"of"what"may"
have"been"a"minor"transgression."If"the"oense"was"a"felony""such"as"for"culLvaLng"a"
few" plants" " the" diculLes" only" increase." In" an" already" tenuous" job" market," a" drug"
convicLon"can"derail"a"persons"dreams"and"earning"potenLal.14"

Although" in" many" states" a" simple" misdemeanor" may" result" in" a" drivers" license"
suspension," this" is" typically" not" the" case" in" New" Hampshire." However," if" a" person" is"
arrested" for" culLvaLng" a" few" marijuana" plants" or" possessing" marijuana" with" intent" to"
12"New"Hampshire"Bar"AssociaLon."hqp://www.nhbar.org/pdfs/onjob.pdf
13"See:"hqp://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/communitySblogs/businessSlawSadvisor/employersSguideS

discriminaLonShiringSandSmanS0
14"Holzer,"H.J.,"Raphael"S.,"and"Stoll,"M.A."(2003)."Employment"Dimensions"of"Reentry:"Understanding"the"Nexus"

between"Prisoner"Reentry"and"Work."Urban$Ins?tute$Reentry$Roundtable.$Retrieved"at"hqp://www.urban.org/
UploadedPDF/410855_holzer.pdf
6

distribute,"his"or"her"drivers"license"may"be"revoked.15"Not"having"a"drivers"license"can"
seriously" limit" the" employment" opportuniLes" of" individuals" convicted" of" lowSlevel"
marijuana"felonies."Imagine"being"recently"released"from"prison"and"not"being"permiqed"
to"drive"for"one"year."This"would"signicantly"hamper"an"individuals"ability"to"obtain"a"
job.""

As" menLoned" above," both" culLvaLon" of" even" a" single"

marijuana"plant"or"possession"with"intent"to"distribute""even"a"
single" joint" are" felonies." Once" convicted" of" a" felony," a" wide"
range" of" occupaLonal" licenses" may" be" revoked:" physician,16"
pharmacist,17"and"nurse,18"are"among"the"occupaLons"whose"
licenses"in"New"Hampshire"may"be"revoked"or"denied."All"for"a"
modest"amount"of"marijuana,"an"individual"may"no"longer"be"
able"to"pracLce"an"occupaLon"for"which"he"or"she"spent"tens"
of"thousands"of"dollars"and"years"of"his"or"her"life"studying"to"
pracLce." Clearly," the" eects" of" a" convicLon" can" extend" far"
beyond"an"arrest,"a"ne,"and"possibly"a"short"stay"in"jail."

A(marijuana(
convic6on(may(also(
result(in(the(
suspension,(
revoca6on,(or(denial(
of(an(individuals(
occupa6onal(license,(
taking(away(an(
oenders(livelihood.(

B.'Academics"
While" New" Hampshire" does" not" suspend" state" student" aid" due" to" a" marijuana"
convicLon," federal" aid" may" be" revoked" for" up" to" a" year" following" a" convicLon" for" any"
marijuana" misdemeanor," with" the" possibility" of" permanent" ineligibility" for" mulLple"
misdemeanor" convicLons.19" A" federal" drug" convicLon" may" result" in" the" loss" of" federal"
benets," including" school" loans," grants," scholarships," contracts," and" licenses.20" With" a"
15"State"of"New"Hampshire"Drivers"Manual."hqp://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/dmv/forms/documents/nhdm.pdf
16"RSA"329:17"Disciplinary"AcLon;"Remedial"Proceedings"for"Physicians"and"Surgeons
17"Board"of"Pharmacy,"SecLon"803.01
18"RSA"326SB:37"Nurse"PracLce"Act
19"20"U.S.C.""1091(r)"(2006)
20"21"U.S.C."862

substanLal" percentage" of" students" relying" on" federal" student" aid" and" responding" to""
steadily" rising" tuiLon" costs," the" ability" to" receive" federal" aid" may" be" the" dierence"
between" gelng" a" degree" and" dropping" out" " that" is," if" the" convicted" individual" even"
has"an"opLon."Many"of"the"major"universiLes"in"New"Hampshire"have"puniLve"anLSdrug"
policies,"and"students"may"be"suspended"or"expelled"upon"convicLon.21"

Consider"that,"in"2008,"62%"of"fullSLme"undergraduates"received"some"form"of"federal"
student" aid.22" Under" current" policies," a" student" convicted" of" even" the" most" minor"
marijuana"possession"oense"could"both"lose"federal"aid"and"be"suspended"from"his"or"
her"university."In"light"of"the"fact"that"young"adults"aged"18"through"24"make"up"46%"of"
all" marijuana" possession" arrests," this" scenario" very" likely" unfolds" in" New" Hampshire"
more"o]en"than"we"would"like"to"imagine.23"

C.'Public'Assistance'and'Housing"
With"more"limited"prospects"for"employment"and"educaLon,"individuals"convicted"of"a"
marijuana"oense"may"nd"themselves"in"a"posiLon"of"needing"public"assistance."Under"
federal"law,"drugSrelated"criminal"acLviLes"are"grounds"for"both"denial"and"terminaLon"
of"public"assistance"housing.

D.'In'the'Home"
As" we" have" seen," collateral" sancLons" may" dramaLcally" aect" the" professional" and"
academic"opportuniLes"of"convicted"individuals."But"a"number"of"sancLons"aect"even"
the"most"personal"decisions,"ranging"from"adopLon"to"owning"a"rearm."In"accordance"

21"University"System"of"New"Hampshire:"Students"who"are"found"to"be"in"violaLon"of"this"stated"prohibiLon"are"

subject"to"discipline"in"accordance"with"the"procedures"of"the"Student"Conduct"System."Discipline"may"include"
disciplinary"probaLon"or"dismissal"from"the"University."hqp://www.unh.edu/vpsas/handbook/alcoholSandSillegalS
drugs
22"NaLonal"Center"for"EducaLon"StaLsLcs."(2009)."2007I08$Na?onal$Postsecondary$Student$Aid$Study$(NPSAS:08)."

Retrieved"June"20,"2013"from"NCES"website:"hqp://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009166.pdf
23"American"Civil"LiberLes"Union."(2013)."The$War$on$Marijuana$in$Black$andWhite,$pp."38."New"York,"NY:"Edwards,"

BunLng,"&"Garcia.
8

The(collateral(sanc6ons(
accompanying(a(marijuana(
convic6on(may(also(include(
eects(on(basic(cons6tu6onal(
liber6es,(such(as(the(right(to(
own(a(rearm.(

with" federal" law," individuals" convicted" of"

any" marijuanaSrelated" felony" may" not"
adopt" or" foster" a" child" for" ve" years.24"
Under" current" sancLons," a" young" couples"
hope"of"starLng"a"family""and"their"ability"
to" provide" a" stable" home" to" children" who"
need" one" " may" be" signicantly" delayed"
for"having"been"caught"growing"a"personal"

use"amount"of"a"substance"that"nearly"half"of"American"adults"admit"having"used.25""

SancLons"may"also"aect"certain"basic"consLtuLonal"liberLes,"such"as"the"right"to"own"a"
rearm."If"convicted"of"a"marijuanaSrelated"felony,"an"individual"will"unable"to"obtain"a"
rearm.26"This"is"further"armed"in"federal"law"as"part"of"the"Federal"Gun"Control"Act.27"
Although"misdemeanors"have"been"considered"a"responsible"reason"to"deny"a"person"a"
rearm," this" has" recently" been" changed" in" New" Hampshire." In" 2012," New" Hampshire"
aqorney"Evan"Nappen"successfully"argued"that"the"Department"of"State"AdministraLve"
Rules"went"beyond"what"was"stated"in"law."To"quote"the"presiding"judge,"The"provision"
precluding" the" issuance" of" a" pistol" permit" for" an" out" of" state" resident" based" upon" a"
misdemeanor"drug"convicLon"is"unreasonable"on"its"face.28"This"ruling"essenLally"states"
that"a"misdemeanor"drug"convicLon"should"no"longer"be"used"as"an"automaLc"basis"for"
denying"a"gun"license."However,"as"has"been"previously"noted,"possession"of"more"than"

24"Child"Welfare"InformaLon"Gateway."(2011)."Criminal$background$checks$for$prospec?ve$foster$and$adop?ve$

parents."Washington,"D.C.:"U.S."Department"of"Health"and"Human"Services,"Childrens"Bureau."hqps://
www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/background.pdf
25"Pew"Research"Center."(2013)."Marijuana$Use$Increased$Over$Last$Decade."Retrieved"at"hqp://

www.pewresearch.org/dailySnumber/marijuanaSuseSincreasedSoverStheSlastSdecade/
26"N.H."Rev."Stat."Ann.""159:3,"173SB:5
27"(18"U.S.C.""922(g)"(2006))
28"Big"win"for"carry"licensingSmisdemeanor"pot"convicLon"no"basis"to"deny,"ProSGun"New"Hampshire."hqp://

pgnh.org/big_win_for_carry_licensing_misdemeanor_pot_convicLon_no_basis_to_deny
9

one"ounce"of"marijuana,"possession"of"a"single"marijuana"plant,"and"transfer"of"even"a"
single"joint"remain"felony"oenses"under"New"Hampshire"law."

Criminal" sancLons" can" also" lead" to" a" persons" home" or" property" being" taken" away."
Through"civil"forfeiture"laws,"the"state"may"legally"repossess"property"if"it"is"implicated"in"
a"crime."In"2010,"the"InsLtute"of"JusLce"published"a"report"known"as"Policing$for$Prot:$
The$ Abuse$ of$ Civil$ Asset$ Forfeiture." This" report" gives" a" detailed" analysis" of" each" states"
civil" asset" forfeiture" procedures." In" New" Hampshire," it" is" extremely" dicult" to" win" a"
forfeiture"proceeding"because"the"burden"of"proof"is"lower"than"in"a"criminal"case,"and"
police" have" a" clear" incenLve" to" spend" Lme" and" eort" pursuing" forfeiture" proceedings:"
Law"enforcement"has"a"prot"moLve"to"pursue"forfeitures"because"they"directly"keep"
45"percent"of"the"proceeds."Another"45"percent"of"the"proceeds"go"to"a"state"forfeiture"
fund," while" the" remaining" 10" percent" accrues" to" the" state" health" and" human" services"
department.29"New"Hampshire"authoriLes"failed"to"respond"to"requests"for"informaLon"
available"on"the"total"amount"seized"through"civil"asset"forfeiture."Federal"law"provides"
for" state" authoriLes" to" turn" assets" over" to" federal" authoriLes" and" receive" a" porLon"
through" equitable" sharing." From" 2000S2008," the" state" of" New" Hampshire" received" a"
total"of"$8,199,52130"from"equitable"sharing"alone."

If"federal"and"state"governments"wish"to"make"money"from"marijuana,"they"should"take"
it"out"of"the"illicit"market"by"regulaLng"and"taxing"it"similarly"to"alcohol."At"the"very"least,"
New"Hampshire"should"join"all"ve"other"New"England"states"by"reducing"its"penalty"for"
possessing"small"amounts"of"marijuana"to"a"civil"violaLon."

IV.'Conclusion"
Collateral"sancLons"have"the"potenLal"to"derail"careers,"cut"educaLon"short,"and"leave"
families"without"shelter"or"assistance."Under"New"Hampshires"current"system,"eorts"to"

29"Williams,"Dr."Marian,"Dr."Jeerson"Holcomb,"Dr."Tomislav"Kovandzic,"and"Scoq"Bullock."Policing$for$Prot:$The$

Abuse$of$Civil$Asset$Forfeiture."2010.
30"Id."

10

start" and" maintain" a" family" may" be" undermined" when" a" mother" or" father" is" caught"
possessing"a"small"amount"of"a"substance"that"is"safer"than"alcohol.31""

Although" most" lowSlevel" marijuana" oenders" in" New" Hampshire" are" not" incarcerated,"
the" reality" is" that" the" collateral" sancLons" associated" with" a" criminal" convicLon" add"
signicantly"to"the"harm"inicted"by"these"punishments."Considering"a"growing"majority"
of" Americans" are" already" opposed" to" penalizing" marijuana" with" brief" jail" Lme," the" life"
sentence"created"by"collateral"sancLons"seems"even"more"excessive."But"with"sancLons"
rmly" imbedded" in" the" exisLng" system," no" substanLve" change" will" occur" unless" New"
Hampshire" stops" treaLng" marijuana" possession" as" a" criminal" oense." By" treaLng"
marijuana"oenses"as"civil"infracLons,"individuals"convicted"of"possession"can"be"spared"
the"lifeSlong"sLgma"of"a"having"a"drugSrelated"misdemeanor"or"felony"on"their"records."
Otherwise,"even"the"most"minor"oenders"will"conLnue"to"be"marked"for"life."

!
!
!
!
!
!

31"Fox,"S.,"Armentano,"P.,"and"Tvert,"M."(2009)."Marijuana$is$Safer."White"River"JuncLon,"VT:"Chelsea"Green"

Publishing.
11