Advocates await departure of Gov. Rell

Last update: March 9, 2010

Decriminalization

Senators Martin Looney (D-New Haven), the Senate Majority Leader, and Toni Harp (D-New Haven), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, introduced SB 349 in 2009. If enacted, it would have made the penalty for possessing less than 1/2 ounce of marijuana an infraction rather than an unclassified misdemeanor, punishable only by a $250 fine. Currently, possession of less than an ounce can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail for the first offense. A second offense is considered a felony and is punishable by up to five years in jail.

An amended version of the bill actually passed the Joint Judiciary Committee. Unfortunately, it died when the Finance Committee failed to vote on the bill before the deadline.

Please take a moment to let your legislators know that you don't think responsible marijuana users belong in jail and urge them to support this sensible reform this year.

Given the current budget crisis facing the state, it does not make sense to continue wasting police resources arresting, booking, prosecuting, and jailing non-violent marijuana users.

Medical Marijuana

Two medical marijuana bills were once again introduced during the 2009 session. Rep. Penny Bacchiochi (R-Sommers) introduced HB 6156 and Rep. Mary Mushinsky (D-Wallingford) introduced HB 5175. Neither bill received a public hearing and it's unlikely that medical marijuana bills will move forward before there's a new governor.

In 2007, Connecticut came very close to ending its cruel criminalization of medical marijuana patients. The medical marijuana bill passed five legislative committees and the full House and Senate; however, Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R) vetoed it. Although more than 60% of Connecticut's legislators voted in favor of the bill, two-thirds of each chamber is necessary to override a veto, and a veto-override vote didn't occur.

Gov. Rell's reasoning for continuing Connecticut's cruel practice of arresting seriously ill patients was convoluted. One of the reasons she stated for her veto was that "the bill also requires that patients or primary caregivers engage in illegal activity to use marijuana." While she's correct that marijuana use would remain a crime under federal law, 99% of all marijuana arrests occur by state and local police, meaning that passing this law would have effectively eliminated the threat of arrest for these patients trying to relieve their suffering.

Also in her veto statement, Gov. Rell concluded: "I am also concerned that this bill would send the wrong message to our youth." This is remarkable because an MPP analysis of government data shows that state medical marijuana laws do not increase teen use of marijuana. In fact, all medical marijuana states with before-and-after data available have reported overall decreases, exceeding 50% in some age groups, strongly suggesting that enactment of state medical marijuana laws does not increase teen marijuana use. Overall teen marijuana use in these states has decreased at greater rates than the national average.

A Better Way Foundation and the Drug Policy Alliance are leading the effort to pass marijuana policy reform legislation in Connecticut.

Marijuana Laws in Connecticut

Did you know that, despite accounting for just 10% of Connecticut's population, over 34% of marijuana-related arrests in Connecticut were of black residents? That equates to an arrest rate for blacks that's over four times that of whites in the state.

You can go here to read more about the negative consequences of Connecticut's harsh marijuana penalties.

Stay connected

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