Cannabis-Related Offenses In CT: Bill Seeks To Review Pre-Legalization Weed Convictions

Connecticut legislature’s Judiciary Committee is working on a bill that would reconsider cannabis-related offenses following Gov. Ned Lamont's (D) announcement that thousands of CT residents convicted of weed possession would have their records cleared in an automated erasure method. 

About The Bill

The measure, "An Act Concerning the Prosecution of Cannabis-related Cases and Modification of Sentences for Cannabis-related Offenses," would order review sentencing hearings for residents serving time on marijuana-related charges and "potentially discharge them or release them on probation if good cause is shown," per CT News Junkie.

It would also “direct the Division of Criminal Justice to cease prosecution of any pending cannabis-related cases, if such activity being prosecuted has since been made legal, and to require review of sentences for cannabis-related offenses for purposes of potential modification,” per bill HB 6787.

“Across the country and here in Connecticut there remains the fundamental injustice that at the same time mostly white individuals are profiting from the sale of legal cannabis, mostly Black and brown individuals are still incarcerated for the exact same activity,"  said Sarah Gersten, executive director of the Last Prisoner Project.

Chief state’s attorney Patrick Griffin told lawmakers that CT is still pursuing criminal action against people previously charged with possession of marijuana, despite adult-use cannabis sales beginning in January in the state.

“I will tell you very directly that I’ve had conversations with all 13 state’s attorneys, that we’re in agreement that what is legal today should not be penalized because it occurred prior to the passage of the bill,” Griffin said.

In related news, TerrAscend Corp. TRSSF recently announced that it has entered into an agreement with The Hoffman Centers, P.C., a New Jersey law firm, to provide free cannabis-related expungement services, which will be sponsored by The Apothecarium.

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