Hartford, CT — PRESS RELEASE — On March 2, the Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on legislation that would end prohibition and regulate marijuana for adult use in Connecticut.

In early February, Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney (D) and House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D) introduced Governor’s Bill No. 16, which would allow adults 21 and older to possess and purchase up to one and a half ounces of cannabis from licensed retailers. A summary of the marijuana regulation bill can be found here.

Prior to the hearing, the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana joined together with prominent supporters for a press conference to rally support for legislation to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana for adult use in Connecticut.

Veterans, civil rights activists, clergy, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, minority business advocates, economists, social workers, state leaders and legislators came together to voice their support for action on the Governor’s Bill and stayed to testify at the public hearing.

Organizations represented included the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana; the Commission on Women, Children, and Seniors; the New England Veterans Alliance; the Minority Cannabis Business Association; Clergy United for Marijuana Reform; the State Department of Consumer Protection; Doctors for Cannabis Regulation; Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; ACLU CT; The Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis at the University of Connecticut, School of Business; the Connecticut Progressive Caucus; the Working Families Party; and municipal and state representatives of Bloomfield, Bridgeport, East Hartford, Hamden, Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford. 

Speakers included the Rev. Charlie L. Stallworth of East End Baptist Tabernacle Church (Bridgeport); Commissioner Michelle Seagull, Department of Consumer Protection; Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin; Steven Hernandez, Esq., executive director of the Commission on Women, Children, and Seniors; Steve Kennedy, Connecticut team leader, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; Jason Ortiz, board president, Minority Cannabis Business Association; Shaleen Title, Esq., commissioner, Cannabis Control Commission, Attorney DeVaughn Ward, co-director of the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana; the Rev. Tommie Jackson of Rehoboth Fellowship Church (Stamford); and Judiciary Committee Chairs, Sen. Gary Winfield (New Haven) and Rep. Steve Stafstrom (Bridgeport).