On February 6, Connecticut lawmakers filed a marijuana legalization bill on behalf of Gov. Ned Lamont, who spoke about it in his State of the State speech. If the bill gets approved, adults 21 and older would be allowed to possess and purchase up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis from a licensed retailer. Currently 11 states and Washington, D.C. have already legalized recreational cannabis.
"Like it or not, legalized marijuana is a short drive away in Massachusetts and New York is soon to follow," Lamont said.
Some Connecticut residents are against its legalization. Kevin Graney, president of Electric Boat, a submarine manufacturer in Groton, fears it will impact workplace safety. As reported in the
Hartford Courant,
Graney said, “I want to make sure that people coming to work on a daily basis are completely capable of doing that job, and we are very, very focused on safety. For me, there’s no equivocating about it. I’m against it.”
But Lamont believes the time has come for Connecticut to join the growing list of states to legalize recreational marijuana. "Coordinated regional regulation is our best chance to protect public health by displacing illicit sellers with trusted providers," said Lamont. Other Connecticut lawmakers agree and say legalizing it could also produce a revenue stream.
Where do you stand on this hot debate?
