In the State of the State address given every year, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont (D) announced he would work with lawmakers to help legalize cannabis within the state.

“I am working with our neighboring states and look forward to working with our tribal partners on a path forward to modernize gaming in our state, as well as the legislature on legalization of marijuana,” Governor Lamont said Wednesday January 6, 2021. “Sports betting, internet gaming and legalized marijuana are happening all around us. Let’s not surrender these opportunities to out-of-state markets or, even worse, underground markets.”

Reform

This is not the first time that Governor Lamont has tried to push for cannabis reform. Last year, the governor also stated he would look to reform cannabis along with creating his budget around cannabis legalization. Unfortunately, the pandemic broke out within the states in early March. The country entered lockdown for months. Many states are still recovering from the lockdown while others are contemplating locking down again with Covid-19 cases rising again.

This year, Governor Lamont feels better about a cannabis bill passing through the state’s congress. “I think it’s got a 50–50 chance of passing,” he remarked when asked about a cannabis bill passing. He also stated that many people are traveling out of the state to purchase cannabis. Neighboring states Massachusetts and New Jersey currently offer legal cannabis for sale. This has cause for concern about the continued spread of Covid-19.

Not only would the legalization of cannabis within the state of Connecticut help reduce the spread of the virus, but it would also increase the state’s revenue lost over this past year from the pandemic.

Pushback

Some lawmakers have pushed back against the cannabis bill. They say that cannabis legalization isn’t the biggest concern for the state at this time. However, it could be the most pressing issue that the state is facing outside of the virus. A study released in March of 2020 from the Sacred Heart University showed that around two thirds of voters would be in favor of a cannabis bill. That’s more than a majority needed to pass a cannabis bill into law, and would be on the ballot in 2022 if both the state House and Senate pass the approval that Governor Lamont has set forward.

With a new session coming in, it will take some time before change is even seen or a bill is placed on the table for consideration. But there is hope that citizens in Connecticut will see cannabis legalization by the end of 2021.

Make sure to check back for more cannabis and hemp laws and news.