As a person affected by a rare neuromuscular disorder, I took offense at the headline "21 Seek Chance To Sell Pot" [Dec. 2, Page 1]. It was a poor choice of words, suggesting a picture of street thugs selling to recreational dopeheads rather than legitimate professionals providing a legal medication to patients. The headline was demeaning to those who have exhausted all other options seeking to get some measure of relief from the pain or spasticity they constantly endure from their diseases. Let's stick with the compassionate, respectful, scientifically correct designation "medical marijuana" -- please! Dolores Carron, Newington [end]
BRANFORD - Pending the state's final blessing, one of five medical marijuana dispensaries approved to operate in Connecticut could be based in town. Town Planner Jose Giner confirmed Friday that the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved an exemption to allow Fairfield-based Bluepoint Apothecary to open a medical marijuana dispensary at 469 East Main St., the same building that houses Planet Fitness and located within the space once occupied by the former Daydream Spa. The application was approved under the condition there are "no retail sales of marijuana pipes on the premises," according to decision language. [continues 166 words]
"Measures to legalize marijuana win approval," (Nov. 7), tells us, "In Colorado, voters backed a heavy tax on recreational marijuana that was made legal here last year," giving a whole new meaning to the term "Rocky Mountain High." Similar to same-sex marriage, these are issues that have been held back too long, whose time has come, with marijuana legalization a plausible way for state governments to close budget gaps, capturing some of the revenue that would otherwise flow underground to the shadow economy. The 21st Amendment abandoned total prohibition of alcohol in 1933 when the government finally chose to tax questionable habits rather than forbid them. Recreational or medicinal, bringing marijuana out from the shadows is past due, recognizing that legislating undesirable habits is an inferior way to confront a potential positive in terms of control and revenue generation. Jay Lustgarten Stonington [end]
It hasn't been easy for those who want to get into the business of growing or selling marijuana in Connecticut. More than a dozen municipalities throughout the state are hanging out "not welcome" signs, using the only tools at their disposal -- land use and zoning laws -- to keep the industry from setting up shop within their borders. Still other communities are drafting local ordinances to regulate how the businesses will be run. And at least one town has considered applications from a couple of would-be purveyors, only to quickly turn them down. [continues 1777 words]
Regarding Dave Collins' Oct. 13 column, "Medical marijuana a growth industry," not only should medical marijuana be made available to patients in need, but adult recreational use should be regulated. Drug policies modeled after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a youth-oriented black market. Illegal drug dealers don't ID for age, but they do recruit minors immune to adult sentences. So much for protecting the children. Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime. [continues 69 words]
A panel of lawyers Friday explored the legal minefield Connecticut's medical marijuana statute presents for attorneys representing clients seeking to produce and distribute a product the state permits but which the federal government prohibits. The discussion, part of a forum at the University of Connecticut School of Law, centered around "demystifying" the state's medical marijuana policy. Connecticut's medical marijuana program has been touted as one of the most tightly regulated programs of its kind and an August U.S. Department of Justice memo suggested the federal government is unlikely to crack down on the state any time soon. [continues 441 words]
I might say at the outset that I can be counted out if people around here develop a Not in My Backyard mindset in regards to medical marijuana. I am fine with it if someone wants to set up a growing facility in my neighborhood for medical marijuana. After all, by license from the state, the facility must be indoors, in a secure facility and can't be too close to schools or churches. It has to be run by creditworthy people of good character, who will have to undergo background checks. [continues 572 words]
More than 1,100 Connecticut residents have now registered to use medical marijuana, but others have had difficulty finding a doctor participating in the program. The state's law allowing the palliative use of marijuana permits people with certain debilitating illnesses to get a recommendation from a doctor if they wish to register with the state to use the substance. As of Monday, 1,118 people had registered with the Department of Consumer Protection to use medical marijuana. However, only a small percentage of the state's physicians, around 100, have signed up with the department to write the patient recommendations. Meanwhile, the medical marijuana law includes a provision which exempts the names of those doctors from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. [continues 663 words]
A few weeks ago my wife and I were in Boston for a Saturday wedding. We went for a walk on Sunday morning down to the Common - wherein we found the Boston Freedom Rally, billed as the largest hempfest on the East Coast. Whoa, '60s flashback, groovy, man, far-out. The event was part state fair and part protest, with music, booths and speakers. It's put on every year, usually without tremendous enthusiasm from city hall, by the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, toward the goal of "a more moral and rational public policy regarding all uses of the cannabis plant." [continues 633 words]
MONROE - Monroe planning and zoning officials are considering a moratorium on marijuana dispensaries as they figure out Connecticut's new state medical marijuana law. Shelton and Ansonia have already imposed moratoriums to study how their zoning regulations fit in with the state law for marijuana dispensing facilities. In Monroe, a proposal has been made to put a marijuana production facility at a vacant industrial building. William Agresta, the planning and zoning administrator for Monroe, told the Connecticut Post that the town is sorting out the state law. [continues 112 words]
For the time being it appears that the federal government is unlikely to crack down on Connecticut's newly approved medical marijuana program. The Justice Department released a memo Thursday outlining its enforcement priorities in light of recent state laws. The four-page memo is predominantly aimed at addressing laws passed in Colorado and Washington, which have legalized marijuana for recreational use. But the document acknowledges that several states have approved the substance for medical use. The Middletown Common Council approved a lease in August with Greenbelt Management at the city owned Remington Rand building. Greenbelt intends to install a medical marijuana production facility in the 15,000 square-foot rental, pending approval from the state Department of Consumer Protection. [continues 450 words]
It appears that for now the federal government is unlikely to crack down on Connecticut's newly approved medical marijuana program after the Justice Department released a memo outlining its enforcement priorities in light of recent state laws. The four-page memo is predominantly aimed at addressing laws passed in Colorado and Washington, which have legalized marijuana for recreational use. But the document acknowledges that several states have approved the substance for medical use. Although it still considers marijuana to be an illegal and dangerous drug, in general, the DOJ seems content at the moment to allow states to continue abiding by their own marijuana rules so long as the federal government's eight priorities on the issue are not violated. [continues 307 words]
Connecticut has devised a sensible policy for the use of medical marijuana, and it's time for federal law to fall in line with state attitudes. Connecticut is pursuing a measured and prudent approach to the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. The process continued this week when the General Assembly's Regulations Review Committee approved the rules covering production, dispensing and the purchasing of medical marijuana. Connecticut is putting safeguards in place to prevent the loosely regulated approach seen in other states, California among them, which comes close to de facto legalization. In California doctors have been able to prescribe pot to treat most anything and its 2,100 dispensaries face little control in the way they do business or obtain the drug. [continues 293 words]
HARTFORD - The packed hearing room erupted in cheers Tuesday when Regulations Review Committee members approved rules for how medical marijuana will be grown and dispensed in Connecticut. The voice vote came after more than two hours of questions about how the federal government would view the state's decision to regulate the industry and change how marijuana is classified. The vote clears the way for the Department of Consumer Protection to license three to 10 marijuana producers and dispensaries by January. [continues 77 words]
Legislative Panel Oks Rules on Sale for Medical Use Hartford- The General Assembly's Regulations Review Committee approved regulations Tuesday covering who produces, dispenses and purchases medical marijuana. Shouts and cheers rose from the audience as Sen. Andres Ayala, D-Bridgeport, announced that the regulations had been approved after a voice vote. Tracey Gamer- Fanning of West Hartford, who suffers from brain cancer and turned 43 Tuesday, said this was the best birthday present ever. "I am not a criminal. I have a card that says I am allowed to use medical marijuana and I have wanted people to understand what this meant," Gamer-Fanning said. She said she is a mom and had a career and never thought she would get brain cancer at age 36. [continues 904 words]
Hartford ( AP) - A special legislative committee must decide on Tuesday whether to approve proposed regulations that spell out the details of Connecticut's medical marijuana program. The General Assembly's Regulation Review Committee is scheduled to vote on the wide-ranging regulations, which include the quantity of active ingredients in a product, background checks for caregivers of patients and other rules. Lawmakers passed legislation in 2012 that created the medical marijuana program. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy then signed it into law. [continues 211 words]
Attorneys Reverse Stance on Issue Hartford (AP) - Legislative attorneys have reversed their stance and are now recommending that state lawmakers next week approve a revised set of proposed regulations for Connecticut's new medical marijuana program. In a report provided to The Associated Press on Friday, the Legislative Commissioners Office recommended that the General Assembly's Regulation Review Committee approve the regulations in whole, along with 118 technical corrections, various deletions and substitute pages. The bipartisan panel is scheduled to meet on Tuesday. [continues 215 words]
I appreciate The Day for publishing the thoughtful editorial from the Seattle Times: "Easing the drug war" (Aug. 17). I submit that there should no punishment at all for any so-called drug crime. In a drug transaction, there are willing buyers and willing sellers. Presumably, both will walk away happy unless one or both are arrested. Our government cannot protect adult citizens from themselves, and our government shouldn't attempt to do so. A so-called free country should be a truly free country with adult citizens taking responsibility for their own behavior, whether it is wise or foolish. Of course, the drug war cheerleaders will claim that legalizing our now illegal drugs will be giving into the drug dealers and drug lords. When we re-legalized alcohol in 1933 did we give into the alcohol cartels? No. We put them out of business. [continues 64 words]
ANSONIA )) Before the state adopts guidelines for growing and selling medical marijuana, officials want to temporarily halt such businesses from opening in town while they create their own regulations. The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on the concept at 7:15 p.m. Monday at City Hall. Officials want to establish a one-year moratorium regarding "the production, distribution and/or dispensing of medical marijuana." Commission Chairman Bart Flaherty said the moratorium will give the commission time to absorb what the state is planning in terms of regulations and parameters on an issue that can create some anxiety. [continues 301 words]
This is in response to the guest editorial, "Easing The Drug War," (Aug. 17). The drug war is part of the problem. Illegal drug users are reluctant to seek medical attention in the event of an overdose for fear of being charged with a crime. Attempting to save the life of a friend could result in a murder charge. Overzealous drug war enforcement results in preventable deaths. Rehabilitation is confounded. It's safe to say that turnout at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings would be rather low if alcoholism were a crime pursued with zero-tolerance zeal. Eliminating the penalties associated with illicit drug use would encourage the type of honest discussion necessary to facilitate rehabilitation and save lives. Robert Sharpe Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, DC [end]
Inside Connecticut
