Connecticut legalization update

Let your legislators know Connecticut cannot wait another year.

Just a few weeks ago, before life changed dramatically, S.B. 16 – An Act Concerning Adult Use of Cannabis – was primed for action.

In February, Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney (D) and House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D) introduced the Governor’s Bill, which would allow adults 21 and older to possess and purchase up to one-and-a-half ounces of cannabis from licensed retailers. A summary of the bill can be found here.

On March 2, the Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on Gov. Ned Lamont’s bill to end prohibition and regulate marijuana for adult use in Connecticut. Prior to the hearing, the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana joined together with other stakeholders to voice support for action on the bill and stayed to testify at the public hearing. MPP's testimony can be found here.

Later in March, legislative leaders ordered the Capitol and Legislative Office Building closed until April 13. Legislative leaders and committee chairs continue to prioritize and analyze bills in anticipation of session resuming. The deadline for moving the bill out of committee is March 30, but that is expected to be extended in light of the pause in the legislative session.

The Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana and MPP will continue to encourage the legislature to pass legalization and regulation this year. The coronavirus makes it all the more apparent that incarcerating individuals for cannabis is wrong. Meanwhile, shifting marijuana to the legal market can create jobs, generate tax revenue, and help the state’s economic recovery.

To help keep this issue on lawmakers’ radar, please consider signing up to make calls to legislators by contacting me directly. You can also send a message to your legislators here.

We wish you and your loved ones well during these difficult times.