Bill > HB226

This bill aims to address the ongoing drug overdose crisis in New Hampshire and the United States by expanding the legal use of drug checking equipment. The bill provides a comprehensive definition of drug checking equipment, including test strips, spectrometers, and other analytical tools, and explicitly excludes such equipment from being classified as drug paraphernalia. Drawing from alarming statistics about drug overdoses—including over 107,000 national deaths in 2023 and a 10% increase in New Hampshire's overdose deaths—the bill recognizes that synthetic opioids like fentanyl and stimulants are increasingly dangerous. The legislation permits individuals and harm reduction organizations to obtain, possess, use, and distribute drug checking equipment without legal penalties. Specifically, the bill protects users from arrest, prosecution, or other punitive actions related to drug checking activities and stipulates that drug checking results cannot be used as criminal evidence. The bill also allows state and federal funds to be used for drug checking activities and defines "harm reduction" as a broader approach to addressing substance use consequences. By providing tools for individuals to understand the composition of drugs they might consume, the bill seeks to reduce overdose risks and potentially influence safer drug use behaviors. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

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https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=0267&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB226