More than 2,100 new patients signed up with New Hampshire’s Therapeutic Cannabis Program last year, bringing the total registry to nearly 17,000. The increase of about 14.5% from the year prior marked the largest growth since 2021, likely driven by changes to state law in 2024 that expanded qualification criteria.
Program Expansion and Eligibility
Changes to state law in 2024 allowed more people to qualify for medical marijuana use. Patients can now join the program at doctors’ discretion—which covers any debilitating or terminal condition or symptom, as long as their medical provider agrees the benefits of cannabis could outweigh the risks—or with a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. More than 900 patients list anxiety as their qualifying condition, according to a report issued by the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Program Demographics and Reach
With 16,846 people certified as either patients or designated caregivers (who are authorized to buy cannabis on behalf of a patient), about 1.2% of the population participates—close to one in every 84 Granite Staters. The Therapeutic Cannabis Program, established in 2013, is the only way to lawfully consume marijuana in New Hampshire, as recreational use remains illegal. Program demographics skew older: nearly a quarter of patients are between 55 and 65 years old, and almost 70% are over age 45. Pain is far and away the most common condition people aim to treat with cannabis.
Access Challenges and Recent Policy Shift
Cost and accessibility remain challenges. The Trump administration reclassified medical marijuana last month as a less dangerous drug, effectively legitimizing programs in 40 states. The change opens the door for more cannabis research and potential tax breaks for producers. In New Hampshire, despite the program’s growth, patients face expense and limited retail locations. With seven dispensaries located in Chichester, Conway, Dover, Keene, Lebanon, Merrimack, and Plymouth, some patients must drive upwards of an hour to obtain their medicine. The oversight board has pushed for laws allowing patients to grow their own medicine at home and letting dispensaries use outdoor greenhouses to cut costs.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://ledgertranscript.com/2026/05/04/new-hampshire-cannabis-program-growth/