The state of Connecticut has given a green light to the state’s first medical marijuana dispensary. Under the new law, approved by lawmakers in Hartford on Jan. 5, people with the state’s qualifying conditions can now register with the Department of Consumer Protection to have a medical marijuana card. The Department of Consumer Protection will issue qualifying patients a written certification for medical marijuana from a physician, and they can get a medical marijuana card from the department, as long as they meet the conditions for a qualifying medical condition and have registered with the department.
The Connecticut Cannabis Regulatory Council is a newly formed group whose goal is to help the state draft its first recreational marijuana law. The council will submit a proposal to the state legislature by the end of the year. The proposal will include licensing for producers, marijuana testing facilities, and a distribution network.
Lawmakers in Connecticut approved a bill Tuesday that could pave the way for marijuana legalization in the state – but time is running out. The legislation narrowly passed the Senate with a narrow majority (19-17) to be referred to the House of Representatives. But according to the CT Mirror, it’s unclear whether the House of Representatives will have the votes, time or will to try to pass a final version before Wednesday’s midnight constitutional deadline, a task that was complicated Monday by concerns over attempts to favor agricultural licenses. The Mirror reports that the fate of the long-awaited bill remained in limbo until Monday. Only the vote of retired police senator Kevin Witkos, R-Canton, kept the Senate from breaking a tie with Lt. Gov. Gov. Susan Bisiewicz. Six Democrats voted against and the remaining 11 Republicans opposed, the Mirror reported. But for 11 minutes after the debate ended and the vote began, the passage was unclear. The result is 16-16, with four Democrats absent: Steve Cassano of Manchester, Douglas McCrory of Hartford, Patricia Billie Miller of Stamford and Marilyn Moore of Bridgeport. Moore voted to make it 17-16 after nearly eight minutes of play. McCrory, angry that the Senate rejected the provision he wanted, voted 18-16 in favor three minutes later. Miller, who has said she has long opposed legalization, brought the 19th Amendment to a vote. Victory was assured when Cassano cast the final dissenting vote. Like other states that have already passed legalization measures, a Connecticut Senate bill would make it legal for adults 21 and older to buy and possess marijuana. The new law will take effect early next year, and the regulated market is expected to open in 2022. With members of the Connecticut House of Representatives stuck on a tight deadline and the legislature clearly divided on the issue, proponents of legalization could be waiting another year before prohibition ends in the state.
Connecticut lawmakers are greatest allies
One of those advocates is the state’s governor, Ned Lamont, who used his State of the Union address in February to push for legalization. Recreational marijuana is now offered legally and regulated in neighboring states, Lamont said at the time. Massachusetts dispensaries are widely advertised here in Connecticut. And instead of leaving this market to outside vendors, or worse, to an unregulated underground market, our budget provides for the legalization of recreational marijuana. Lamont, a Democrat, said the extra revenue will go to communities hardest hit by the war on drugs. Half of the tax revenue should be used for PILOT payments, in addition to the 3% local excise tax. Most importantly, my bill allows for the automatic expungement of the criminal records of individuals with convictions, possession or charges related to marijuana, he added. Later that month, Lamont filed a bill with the Legislature. Legalization efforts in Connecticut have had their ups and downs. In 2019, Lamont and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo began implementing legalization measures in several states. But while New York waits in the wings, having passed a legalization law earlier this year, Connecticut could be one of the last states in the Northeast to approve legalization. Lamont alluded to it in his State of the Union address last year, when he again called on the state to legalize it. Like it or not, marijuana legalization is imminent in Massachusetts, and New York City will soon follow, Lamont said. Coordinated regional regulation is our best chance to protect public health by replacing illegal providers with reliable ones.
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