HARTFORD -- The fight over legalizing and regulating recreational marijuana is back in the spotlight at the Capitol.
On Thursday morning the debate focused on how pot might be regulated if it’s legalized.
Should recreational marijuana become legal in Connecticut it would have to be regulated. Some Democratic lawmakers and the general public shared their opinion on how they think that should be done.
Referring to Massachusetts, State Representative Josh Elliott, a Democrat representing Hamden said, "People can take a 20 minute drive across the border buy their recreational cannabis and come back to the state with no repercussions because it's been decriminalized here."
Many argued that timing is everything, since Massachusetts is going to have legal sales start in June. Thursday’s meetings focused on regulating the retail sale of adult use cannabis if its legalized. If bought illegally on the street, there’s no telling what could be mixed in the marijuana.
"It's incredibly dangerous compared to a regulated market. Marijuana is safer than alcohol but we regulate alcohol you know the potency of the product that you're buying," said Sam Tracy, the director of the Connecticut coalition to regulate marijuana.
Many people in Connecticut say they do not want to see the regulation and therefore legalization of marijuana
"We have enough drugs to deal with and the effects that it has on our bodies and our minds for our actions and not only do we have drugs to deal with we have alcoholism and I just think adding one more drug is not a great idea," said Gail Kulinski, from Berlin.
While others do want it legalized and regulated, "I think it should be regulated just like alcohol," said Cody Roberts from Seymour.