A legislative committee has voted in favor of permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes, bringing the bill one step closer to becoming law. I'm open-minded yet skeptical. If it's strictly monitored - keeping abuse to a minimum - and results in better pain management for those suffering, it might warrant being lawful. Although the measure would allow for the dispensing of only small amounts of medicinal marijuana, marijuana itself is readily available on the streets if the prescribed dosage isn't effective. Doctors would carry a heavy burden, needing to maintain vigilance and be watchful for abuse. [continues 321 words]
When Paul Blasenheim '12 tells people he is a drug policy activist, people assume that he "just wants to make smoking weed easier." To many, drug activism means student-hippies fighting for easier access to another fix. The movement, however, deals with much more than just legalizing pot -- activists are setting their sights on complex issues of race, class, and socio-economic inequality, while struggling to be taken seriously. At the center of drug activism at Wesleyan is Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). Blasenheim founded the second incarnation of this group at Wesleyan in the fall of 2009, but an earlier chapter of this organization existed at Wesleyan in the early 2000s. [continues 844 words]
If Gov. Dannel Malloy gets his way, possessing under one ounce of marijuana will no longer be a crime in the state of Connecticut. At a conversation sponsored by the Yale College Democrats Monday night in the Branford Common Room, four panelists involved in government and the law discussed the decriminalization of marijuana before an audience of 20 students. Though they agreed that bills currently under consideration would save money for the government and reduce the number of prisoners statewide, each of the speakers said that concerns about appearing to publicly endorse marijuana use might impede decriminalization. [continues 469 words]
This is in response to the March 20 editorial "Ill-considered marijuana laws."The drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. In 2009, there were 858,405 marijuana arrests in the United States, almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. The result of this culture war is not lower rates of use. [continues 82 words]
It never fails to amaze us that the same people who are always saying, "If it saves one life, it's worth it," are unable to see the benefit of laws that ban, albeit imperfectly, behavior that does harm to individuals and to society. Typically, it comes down to partisanship and ideology. Consider the position far-left former lawmaker Michael Lawlor, now a member of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's inner circle as undersecretary of criminal justice policy and planning, on marijuana laws. [continues 318 words]
State Senator Toni Boucher (R-26), joined by concerned citizens, spoke out against several proposals before the General Assembly to decriminalize marijuana and allow medical marijuana in Connecticut. "We must not give Connecticut a 'soft on crime' reputation where it becomes easy to obtain a get-out-of-jail-free ticket," Ms. Boucher said in a press release. Ronni McLaughlin, a Wilton mom, has been a strong believer that taking away the teeth from legislation sends the wrong message to youths. She joined Ms. Boucher is speaking against the proposals. [continues 591 words]
It's time for credible drug law reform ("Smokin'," Feb. 24) and that includes decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana. Another reason to allow sick citizens to use cannabis is that it's Biblically correct. God indicates that He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only Biblical mandate placed on the use of cannabis is to accept it with thankfulness (1 Timothy 4:1-5). "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). Christ Jesus risked jail to heal the sick. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
Bill revives vetoed proposal from 2007 The state's lawmakers are again taking on the divisive issue of medical marijuana. The same bill that would allow the medicinal use of marijuana that Gov. Jodi M. Rell vetoed in 2007 is going through the legislative process this year. This time, it not only has the support of the current governor, Dannel P. Malloy, but it comes out of his office. The bill is co-sponsored by the four top Democratic leaders in the legislature, Sen. Donald E. Williams, Sen. Martin Looney, Rep. Christopher G. Donovan and Rep. Brendan Sharkey. [continues 575 words]
Seems to be little doubt where University of Connecticut students stand on decriminalization of pot. The UConn Student Government voted 30-1 this week to support Gov. Dannel Malloy's proposal to decriminalize possession of less than one ounce of marijuana. "It is amazing to see that the representatives from such a diverse number of backgrounds could come together to nearly unanimously endorse marijuana reform," was the delighted response from Sam Tracy, a member of the university's student senate and president of the UConn chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. [continues 371 words]
Making It Legal, Avoiding Paranoia and Joint-Passing Etiquette What's all this about Dan Malloy wanting to decriminalize marijuana? It's true, he's for it. In Gov. Malloy's 2011 Budget Address last week, he alluded to decriminalization as a means of saving money -- which was a smart approach. There are many good reasons to decriminalize, but the one that will be most universally accepted is the one that affects the state's wallet. "Despite the reforms of the past decade, we are still spending money we don't need to spend imprisoning people who, if given access to the treatment they need, would pose no threat to any of us," he said. "There are simply too many people who've been arrested or jailed for minor, non-violent or drug offenses who, if given access to alternative forms of punishment would take advantage of that additional chance to choose a different and better path." [continues 449 words]
What's all this about Dan Malloy wanting to decriminalize marijuana? It's true, he's for it. In Gov. Malloy's 2011 Budget Address last week, he alluded to decriminalization as a means of saving money -- which was a smart approach. There are many good reasons to decriminalize, but the one that will be most universally accepted is the one that affects the state's wallet. "Despite the reforms of the past decade, we are still spending money we don't need to spend imprisoning people who, if given access to the treatment they need, would pose no threat to any of us," he said. "There are simply too many people who've been arrested or jailed for minor, non-violent or drug offenses who, if given access to alternative forms of punishment would take advantage of that additional chance to choose a different and better path." [continues 451 words]
Sorta-high times. Now we've got a governor willing to get behind medical marijuana and decriminalization of small amounts of pot. So the obvious questions is, can complete legalization be far behind? Unfortunately, the answer is almost certainly yes. Connecticut is a long way from being ready to allow grass to be bought and sold legally, no matter how many millions of badly needed tax dollars it might generate. "I just don't think that would be appropriate in the current situation," says Michael Lawlor, Gov. Dannel Malloy's top criminal justice policy adviser and a former lawmaker who for years backed both medical marijuana and decriminalization of pot. [continues 772 words]
Weed's Not Likely To Be Full-On Legal For A Long Time It Might Be Medically Legalized, Though. Far Out. Now we've got a governor willing to get behind medical marijuana and decriminalization of small amounts of pot. So the obvious questions is, can complete legalization be far behind? Unfortunately, the answer is almost certainly yes. Connecticut is a long way from being ready to allow grass to be bought and sold legally, no matter how many millions of badly needed tax dollars it might generate. [continues 811 words]
To the editor: This letter is in response to a letter from Jan. 28, "Please stay on top of senate bills legalizing marijuana." Another reason to stop caging, punishing and persecuting responsible adults, sick or otherwise who use cannabis (marijuana) that doesn't get mentioned is because it is Biblically correct since God, The Ecologician indicates He created all the seed bearing plants saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only restriction placed on cannabis is to accept it with thankfulness (1 Timothy 4:1-5). What kind of government cages its citizens for using what God says is good? Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
To the editor: Two proposed senate bills to decriminalize and make medical marijuana legal are on the agenda this year. Please let your readers know of these very important issues. With our current economic woes, this will help ease the tax money spent on this "war on drugs." Cops can attend to the real criminals without having to waste so much time and effort on non violent offenders. Its a win-win situation for Connecticut. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Richard Meyer Wallingford [end]
Kudos to Courant columnist Tom Condon for pointing out that it is the policy of drug prohibition -- not the drugs themselves -- that causes violence and death, whether in the streets of Hartford or in Mexico [Place, Jan. 9, "Legalizing Drugs Would Stop the Bleeding"]. When alcohol was illegal, we had Al Capone and shootouts in the streets. Now that alcohol is legal, no one dies over the right to sell Budweiser. The same is true with illicit drugs today. There is nothing about plants such as marijuana or coca that cause the massacres in Mexico. It is because the plants are illegal, and thus worth more than gold, that people are willing to kill one another over the vast profits. [continues 93 words]
Here we go again. The new year dawned in Hartford a week ago with a double homicide on Francis Avenue in Parkville, normally a pretty quiet street. One of the two suspects, 20-year-old Jose Medina, was caught after a harrowing car chase with a sizable stash of heroin and other drugs in his car. It's not yet known if the slayings were, in the all-too-common phrase, "drug-related," but lethal violence around illegal drugs has been a scourge of Hartford for more than three decades. Despite the best efforts of two generations of police officers as well as prosecutors and others, it continues. [continues 680 words]
So we continue in our nonworking, nonwinnable, dismally failing, insane war on drugs. Until people in this country realize the political and financial hypocrisy of keeping such drugs as marijuana illegal and classified as a Class 1 drug, we will continue to see young lives ruined, millions of Americans incarcerated, and the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans and Mexicans. The Mexican cartels are killing each other, police officers, military personnel, reporters, children, and politicians because they want control of the approximately $40 billion a year drug flow into the single largest market in the world, the United States. The war is not only limited to Mexico but has expanded to Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Brazil. [continues 636 words]
Nothing in modern Connecticut history has been more excruciating to more people than the murder of the Petit family in Cheshire in July 2007. The other day the whole state relived the horror as one of the two perpetrators, Steven Hayes, was given a death sentence in New Haven Superior Court and the survivor of the crime, Dr. William A. Petit Jr., recounted at length the immeasurable loss of his wife and two daughters. In a few months a trial will be held for Hayes' accomplice, Joshua Komisarjevsky, who, as Hayes did, has offered to plead guilty in exchange for a sentence of life imprisonment without parole. In the meantime Connecticut will reconsider capital punishment. The General Assembly and the new governor, Dan Malloy, seem likely to repeal it for future cases while leaving in force the death sentences for Hayes and the nine others awaiting execution in the state. [continues 632 words]
TORRINGTON - Local police have expressed mounting concern over a concoction sold legally in local stores and known as "K2," "Spice" or simply "fake weed." According to Lt. Michael Emanuel of the Torrington Police Department, teens are getting high off of this substance. There have been reports of it causing hallucinations, delusions, vomiting, agitation, elevated blood pressure and heart rates, as well as other dangerous effects. K2 has been sold in shops since 2006 as incense or potpourri for approximately $30 to $40 for a bag containing 3 grams. [continues 342 words]
Inside Connecticut
