Pubdate: Sun, 16 Feb 2018
Source: Hartford Courant (CT)
Copyright: 2018 The Hartford Courant
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IpIfHam4
Website: http://www.courant.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/183
Author: Sandra Gomez-Aceves

PUBLIC HEARING ON LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA

In a change from the past, the legislature's general law committee
will hold a public hearing on whether the state should legalize
recreational marijuana.

In a change from the past, the legislature's general law committee
will hold a public hearing on whether the state should legalize
recreational marijuana. (Getty Images)

In a switch from the past, the legislature's general law committee
will hold a public hearing on whether the state should legalize
recreational marijuana.

Traditionally, committees such as public health and judiciary have had
jurisdiction over the issue. But this year, legislators said the issue
is being routed through the general law committee under its new House
co-chairman, Rep. Michael D'Agostino, a Democrat who is running for
attorney general.

A vote to hold the hearing was "the first step toward crafting a
regulatory framework for how Connecticut would permit and oversee the
growing, use and sale of cannabis for adults 21 and over, should the
state choose to make that legal," D'Agostino said in a statement Friday.

As more New England states make marijuana legal for adults "it is
crucial that we have an open and transparent conversation about how we
would do the same in Connecticut,'' he said.

Since no legislative committee has ever voted in favor of recreational
marijuana, advocates are hoping this year that they can get a positive
vote out of the general law committee.

Some lawmakers say they doubt that marijuana will be legalized during
an election year. Rep. Josh Elliott, a Democratic proponent, says
there are 17 "no'' votes among the House Democrats, who control the
chamber by 79-72. The measure has failed in recent years due to a lack
of support in the House and Senate, along with opposition by Gov.
Dannel P. Malloy.

State Rep. Melissa Ziobron, a committee member and one of the
relatively few House Republicans who has publicly supported
legalization, also called it imperative to have conversations about
cannabis as more states around Connecticut consider
legalization.

Nine states and Washington, D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana
use, including Vermont and Massachusetts.

"Let's examine all the potential regulatory models and get the
feedback from our communities we represent," Ziobron said.

At a press conference against marijuana on Thursday, Rep. Vincent
Candelora, a House Republican who also sits on the general law
committee, said that the "peer-pressure like argument" of saying
Connecticut must act because other states are was "astounding and
personally offensive."

A date and time for the public hearing has not been scheduled.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt