HARTFORD, Conn. — *Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.
The Connecticut Judiciary committee passed marijuana legislation on a close vote of 22 to 16 Tuesday afternoon.
Gov. Ned Lamont's bill would create a framework for a new legal system allowing people 21 years and older to possess, use and consume up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana.
"Today, the Judiciary Committee voted to move forward SB 888. While this proposal remains a work in progress, it does represent a substantial amount of work by the Committee on the criminal justice and equitability provisions of the bill," said State Rep. Steven Stafstrom (D-Bridgeport). "The Committee's vote today is a strong endorsement of our belief that cannabis should be legal for adult recreational use. This is something that I believe is long overdue, especially considering the strong body of research supporting the fact that cannabis is not as addictive or destructive as other legalized substances like alcohol and tobacco."
There are also provisions to ensure Black and other communities of color adversely affected by the war on drugs benefit from a legal marketplace.
Republican House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora says there is a lot about the bill that still concerns him.
"The bill still doesn't address sort of regulating the market, regulating the levels of THC, regulating who is going to
be dispensing the product," he said.
The bill will now move to the Senate floor where it could be recommended for other committees.
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