Connecticut Decriminalization Bill Hijacked
May 19th, 2009 by RickA bill sponsored by Democrat Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney that would have decriminalized possession of up to a half ounce of marijuana was defeated last Tuesday in the Connecticut senate by Republican Sen. Antonietta Boucher, when she filibustered the issue until the deadline arrived, thus essentially killing the bill.
After the financial committee adjourned, the committee leaders revealed that they allowed the bill to die because of an e-mail threat that Sen. Boucher had received last week from 28-year old vice chairman of the Connecticut chapter of NORML, Dominic Vita, saying that he would “go postal” on Boucher. Because of this threat, policeman in civilian attire were among the attendees at the committee meeting. Vita was charged May 13th with disorderly conduct, stemming from the incident, and after accepting community service, he was ordered to stay clear the Capitol for the next few weeks. Vita’s next court date is set for July.
Democrat Sen. Eileen M. Daily said:
I think the threat to Sen. Boucher and the committee overrode any other concern. [...] And out of respect to Sen. Boucher and the committee, we welcomed the debate on the bill as well as the filibustering all day. [...] Sen. Boucher was very shaken by that threat and very concerned and she has been very outspoken on her opposition to marijuana and she took the threat very seriously and wanted time to explain her position.
Before the e-mail threat, an amendment could have brought life back to the bill before the legislature closes on June 3rd but a number of republicans have “reconsidered their position on the bill,” backing the chief opponent to the legislature, Sen. Boucher.
In an interview, Democrat Sen. Andrew J. McDonald said:
There are a number of Republican legislators who appear to have reconsidered their position on the bill as the result of the abusive e-mail received by Sen. Boucher. [...] It’s never appropriate to threaten a legislator as was done in the e-mail sent to Sen. Boucher. There’s no doubt that the e-mail clouded the merits of the issue and mortally wounded its chances.
Now what’s sad is that the entire reason for a Financial Committee to receive this bill from the Senate was to discuss the fact that legislative research indicated that it could save millions of dollars in judicial costs and generate an annual revenue of $325,000 from fines.
Personal feelings got in the way and instead of a logical discussion and debate, what the Connecticut people received was essentially a long rant about the same antiquated rhetoric that marijuana was a gateway drug that led to more serious drugs and decriminalizing it would being higher costs to the police.
The mere point that certain legislators said they based their vote (or lack thereof) off the fact that Sen. Boucher was threatened, should anger the Connecticut citizens. The Senate passed that bill down to the financial committee for a reason and nothing financial was discussed.
CT Governor Opposes Decriminalization
April 2nd, 2009 by Rick
On Monday, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, said she opposes the decriminalization of marijuana. With a bill regarding that issue already headed to the General Assembly, two of Rell’s spokesmen stopped short of using the word “veto,” but they both said that Rell opposes the concept.
Spokesman Rich Harris said:
The governor opposes illegal drug use and possession. Whether it’s a little or a lot, marijuana is an illegal drug.
This is where our way of doing things in this country makes absolutely no sense. If the constituents want marijuana decriminalized and it makes it way into the General Assembly and it passes, how can one person, who has obvious biased feelings towards the issue, have the power to veto it? We elect the politicians to represent us yet we also elect a politician that presides over them and can reverse any decisions that they made for us in the first place. As Spock would say, “That’s not logical.”
Even though Rell is a cancer survivor, she vetoed a bill in June of 2007 that wanted to legalize medical marijuana. The state House of Representatives voted 89-58 while the Senate voted 23-13, both shy of the two-thirds margin that was needed in both chambers to override the veto. Her reasoning of the decision was that although she had sympathy for those who wanted to use marijuana for pain management, she said that her sympathy could not overcome her concerns that those seeking to obtain the drug would need to break the law to purchase it.
Well, there’s a good way to avoid people breaking the law. Change the law! Her statement does not even make sense. If medical marijuana was legalized then those people wouldn’t be breaking the law to purchase their weed. Is she implying that people would pretend to be in pain or sick to qualify for medical marijuana? Shouldn’t that be left up to the physicians? What right does a politician have on who qualifies? All the states have to do is legalize medical marijuana and then let the doctors decide from there.
It will be interesting to see how this issue pans out. If Rell successfully vetoes again, then Connecticut might just become the black sheep of the New England family. If they manage to override this veto then the law would reduce the penalty for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana from the current level of a misdemeanor to an infraction with a maximum fine of $121.
Connecticut Also Considers Decriminalization
March 26th, 2009 by Rick
Hot on the heels of Massachusetts introducing a bill into legislature to decriminalize marijuana, Connecticut cooks up one of their own. Led by Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, the bill would decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, making it punishable by a small fine, save the state an estimated $11 million a year in police, court and incarceration costs and produce about $320,000 in revenue from the fines.
If approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. M. Jodi Rell — who last year vetoed legislation to allow medical uses of marijuana — Connecticut would join a dozen other states with reduced penalties for marijuana kept for personal use. Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane contested that even Looney’s definition of a “small” amount of marijuana is flawed, because an ounce — about 28 grams — is a hefty weight among cannabis users that commands prices in the hundreds of dollars.
Rep. Arthur O’Neill, R-Southbury, ranking member of the committee, said that it appears the state’s laws for simple possession are tantamount to decriminalizing it.
O’Neill said:
It seems like we’re only codifying current practice, which is almost no one goes to jail for marijuana.
Sen. John A. Kissel, R-Enfield, ranking committee member, asked:
If we decriminalize marijuana, would that not have the effect of encouraging drug dealers?
Looney responded:
I don’t think it would necessarily alter consumption patterns. People are either going to use the substance or not, based upon other factors in their lives, but I think what it would really do, as the people in Massachusetts were persuaded, is it will save the casual user from having a criminal record that will follow him throughout his whole life for something that is I think a very minor offense that is more properly treated as an infraction rather than a criminal violation.
James Meickle, a member of Central Connecticut State University’s chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said prescription drugs are being easily diverted for recreational use that have much more potential for health damage than marijuana. It’s about time someone said that. The Pharmaceutical industry has just been pumping out the pills, turning this country into a pill popping nation. These drugs that are manufactured have more noted side affects than what marijuana does. In order to take the pills, you might have to try other pills to alleviate the symptoms caused by the first set of pills. Seems to work out for the Pharmaceutical industry. Never mind that teenagers and adults alike are abusing them for a high, eating them like candy or indulge a little bit in that “hillbilly cocaine”.
Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, D-East Haven, who teaches at the University of New Haven, said that while students are fairly routine victims of mixing pills and alcohol and end up in emergency rooms, marijuana users don’t end up hospitalized. Another great point. Mixing pills and alcohol definitely leads to trouble in form of accidents if the users are behind the wheel. Alcohol impairs the ability to drive, while the pills intensify the affect of the alcohol. I would say a good portion of the marijuana smokers drive while under the influence of marijuana and I bet their driving record would be no different than someone that doesn’t smoke weed.
They should do a study on that. In fact they should see just what people can do under the influence of marijuana, just to show people that for some people it’s a way of life or at least a way to look at life. You’d be surprised that there is at least six degrees of separation from you and a marijuana user.
Connecticut, Welcome to the Party
February 3rd, 2009 by Perry
Connecticut (and its lucky inhabitants) may one day be joining the “cool kids club,” as the state moves closer to the passage of a marijuana decriminalization and medical marijuana bill.
Shortly after nearby Massachusetts adopted decriminalization, CT legislators are passing a bill to implement medical marijuana standards and decriminalize possession. The MA bill has been at the center of a very mixed response, law enforcement is extremely negative about the issue while the public seems to be getting along just fine.
The state’s leading medical associations, like the nurse’s union, have come out in favor of the legislation, which would make Connecticut the 14th state to have medical marijuana.
Here’s the drafted text for the bill to decriminalize pot, and here’s the one for medical marijuana.
The stated purpose for the decriminalization bill says it’s aimed at creating a “more sensible marijuana policy.” Imagine if we could get that from the federal government too? Either way, I like this trend that the Northeast is showing.
