Connecticut Clears Nearly 43K Cannabis Convictions

On New Year’s Day, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced that 42,964 marijuana convictions had been cleared. That number was filed a month ago in Gov. Lamont’s first announcement on Dec. 8, 2022.

The governor has expressed that previous cannabis convictions should not compromise employment or other opportunities.

“As of this morning, our administration has marked 42,964 marijuana convictions revoked as planned,” Gov. Lamont tweeted. “This is a step towards ending the war on drugs and giving citizens a second chance to make their dreams come true.”

A lot of mixed reactions followed, but mostly positive, with one Twitter user criticizing the governor for being “criminally vulnerable.”

The move fulfills provisions contained in a law signed by the governor more than a year ago.Signed by Governor Lamont Senate Bill 1201 June 22, 2021. This effectively makes Connecticut her 19th state to legalize cannabis use by adults.

A proposal to legalize adult-use cannabis was initially presented to the General Assembly by the governor. Senate Bill 888He also proposed similar legislation in February 2020. Senate Bill 16.

Connecticut residents with minor convictions added to their records can petition the court to seal their records under a different law. “Convictions for possession of 4 ounces or less of cannabis-type substances imposed prior to January 1, 2000 and between October 1, 2015 and June 30, 2021,” the Governor’s Office. said. “A conviction for a violation of Possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia for cannabis…imposed prior to July 1, 2021. [and] Conviction of Violation…manufacturing, selling, possessing for sale, or administering or administering to others any cannabis-type substance imposed prior to July 1, 2021 involving a quantity of 4 ounces or For personal use if less than 6 plants grown in a private home. “

Convictions of this sort should not affect an individual’s ability to find employment, the governor said last month.

“On January 1, thousands of low-level cannabis convictions in Connecticut will be automatically removed by legislation we enacted,” Lamont said. murmured last month. “The old belief in low-level possession should not hold back anyone’s aspirations, especially when employers are trying to fill vacancies.”

President Joe Biden also issued several additional pardons on Friday, including for a small number of people convicted of cannabis or other drugs.

Started sales in Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) has announced that hybrid-licensed medical cannabis dispensaries can start selling adult-use cannabis as early as next week, January 10, at 10 a.m. ET. .

“For decades, the war on cannabis has caused injustice and created disparities, but done little to protect public health and safety,” Lamont said. Press release“The legislation I am signing today rectifies some of these wrongs by creating a comprehensive framework for regulated markets that prioritizes public health, public safety, criminal justice and fairness. It will help eliminate risky and unregulated markets and support new equitable sectors of the economy that will create jobs.”

State officials said they had received more than 15,000 applications for dispensing licenses by a deadline set in May 2022.

Like other states and cities that have legalized cannabis, Connecticut’s new law includes an important social justice element, giving individuals in areas most adversely affected by years of drug policy the first retail access. It includes provisions to grant licenses and clear records of people who have cannabis. Certain marijuana-related convictions.