AHPA secures legislative victory protecting herbal tinctures in New Hampshire

• By: AHPA
• On: 07/06/2026 03:59:16
• In: Regulation / Legislation

July 6, 2026

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) celebrates a definitive legislative victory for the natural products industry and consumer choice, as New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte signed into law last week a permanent exemption protecting alcohol-based herbal tinctures and liquid extracts from state liquor regulations.

The newly enacted legislation (SB 524) creates a distinct section within New Hampshire state law that explicitly excludes alcohol-based herbal tinctures and liquid extracts marketed as dietary supplements from the jurisdiction of the New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC). The law ensures these herbal products can continue to be sold across standard retail outlets throughout the state. The new regulatory framework will officially go into effect in January 2027.

The legislative solution caps off a successful grassroots advocacy campaign spearheaded by AHPA. When the NHLC first identified the gap in New Hampshire law and required the immediate removal of these products from store shelves in late 2025, AHPA took decisive action. The association mobilized a powerful coalition of industry stakeholders, members, and herbal advocates to aggressively counter the regulatory overreach.

"This is a monumental win that codifies and permanently protects consumer access to traditional herbal liquid extracts," said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. "When our industry faced an immediate threat to retail access in New Hampshire, AHPA did what it does best: we engaged, rallied the herbal community, and brought a proactive solution to the table. By working directly with state legislators and regulators, we successfully established a clear legal distinction between alcohol-based herbal tinctures and liquid extracts marketed as dietary supplements and NHLC-regulated liquor."

AHPA's targeted advocacy strategy leveraged the association's regulatory experience and subject matter expertise to educate state regulators and legislative leadership. In a critical turning point late last year, the collective, grassroots efforts by AHPA's working group successfully captured the attention of the NHLC and secured essential access to New Hampshire State Senator Tara Reardon. Armed with established legal precedents — such as Pennsylvania's regulatory framework exempting non-beverage alcoholic preparations — AHPA worked collaboratively with the NHLC to review and testify in support of the amendment language and revised NH law that ultimately passed both houses of the New Hampshire General Court.

Beyond dietary supplements, the newly enacted language also exempts other non-beverage products containing alcohol, including homeopathic medicine, over-the-counter (OTC) allopathic drugs, and cosmetics (“toilet … preparations”), further solidifying a common-sense approach to state product regulation.

"This victory would not have been possible without the dedicated members of our herbal tinctures and liquid extracts working group," added Rigby. "Their patience, passion, and action fueled the crucial momentum needed to push this across the finish line. AHPA remains fiercely committed to defending botanical stewardship, protecting consumer access, and ensuring our members' products have a secure, permanent place on standard retail shelves."