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Public hearing to be held Friday on bill proposing legalizing marijuana

The bill, if passed, would allow adults 21 and older to possess and purchase up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis from a licensed dealer.

HARTFORD, Conn — A public hearing will take place today as the state takes on a proposal to legalize marijuana. 

If passed, legal marijuana sales could start as early as next year. 

Governor Ned Lamont had expressed support for the bill, saying prohibition does not work and that Connecticut has been falling behind in comparison to states like Massachusetts. 

The bill focuses on three main components: decriminalization, regulation, and revenue generation. 

The bill, if passed, would allow adults 21 and older to possess and purchase up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis from a licensed dealer.

The Department of Consumer Protection has said that the current program of medical marijuana in the state, passed in 2012, would set the example for recreational rules and regulations. 

Under the proposal, certain criminal records for possession of marijuana would be automatically wiped clean. 

The state estimates about $33.6 million in revenue for the fiscal year 2023 if the bill passes.

Community leaders say they would like to see revenue set aside to help urban areas, like New Haven, Stamford, and Hartford. 

 "Through an equity commission you have policies that are promoted that can and do help and directly and indirectly reduce poverty and the communities that will be impacted by the equity commission will receive greater resources to enhance the community," said Reverend Tommie Jackson of Rehoboth Fellowship Church in Stamford.

"This has been a long time coming, we've been talking about this for ages, and now is the time to legalize adult-use, recreational marijuana in a carefully regulated way," said Gov. Lamont. 

Governor Lamont says his proposal includes working with neighboring states. During the roundtable, the mayor of Middletown pointing out that many residents make the trip to nearby Massachusetts to purchase marijuana.  

The Connecticut police chiefs' association expressed their opposition to the bill, citing the lack of qualified roadside testing for suspected drivers who may be under the influence of marijuana. The association released a statement reading in part: 

"This bill, if passed, will diminish the safety of our roadways, while at the same time law enforcement is still dealing with the effects of the opioid crisis and the impact that has had on roadway and pedestrian safety." 

Under this proposal, legal marijuana sales in the state could begin in mid-2022. 

You can watch the hearing here.

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