New Hampshire Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Backs Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization During Debate

The Democratic challenger in New Hampshire’s governor race said during a debate last week that she supports adult-use cannabis legalization in the state, The Dartmouth reports. During the debate, Cinde Warmington, the former executive councilor, said without legalized sales, cannabis would be purchased “on the street” and could be “laced with all sorts of toxins.”

Warmington added that a legal adult-use cannabis market would create an “additional revenue source” for New Hampshire. 

“It is really odd that we are sending our citizenry over state lines and paying millions and millions, tens of millions of dollars, to our neighboring state in taxes when that revenue should be here in our state.” — Warmington during the October 22 debate, via The Dartmouth

Incumbent Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) said during the debate that she opposes cannabis legalization because of the potential impacts on youth.

“The research is unbelievable, if you research about the impact on mental health of young brains,” Ayotte said during the debate. “When you legalize something, you send a very different message to young people about the use of it.”

In August 2025, after President Donald Trump (R) indicated his administration was considering reclassifying cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act, Ayotte said that were federal law change, as governor, she would “have to comply with federal law” but that her position is that “we should not legalize marijuana in the future.”

“As a mother, as someone who worked as a prosecutor in this area, my concerns are quality of life,” Ayotte told the New Hampshire Bulletin. “The impact on the mental health of youth, and also they can’t measure it when it comes to road safety.”

Cannabis legalization is included in Warmington’s platform.

“New Hampshire should legalize, regulate, and tax adult-use cannabis. Granite Staters are already crossing the border and paying taxes to our neighboring states,” her campaign website states. “A regulated system can provide consumer protections, keep revenue here in New Hampshire, and bring industry investment and jobs to our state.”

Ayotte currently has a 10-point polling lead in the race, according to Pollsmax polling average.