The CT CannaWarriors were out in support of HB-6787, calling for sentence review or release of all non-violent cannabis offenders who were previously incarcerated in Connecticut, regardless of quantity.
“I’m here with my fellow CannaWarriors to finish the job,” said Hamden’s Terry Hopper. “Legalization is one part of the battle, but a lot of people still have records when they promised to wipe them out. A lot of people are still in jail for small amounts.”
Advocates like Terry Hopper were out supporting a bill that they said would retroactively modify sentences and immediately release all those incarcerated for nonviolent cannabis offenses, regardless of intent or quantity.
“There is no middle ground. Either you free our people, you look back, and you see that a lot of these individuals were charged with the possession and sale of cannabis when it was just for personal use or medicinal use before it became medicinally legal,” said CannaWarrior Christina Capitan.
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Rep. Greg Howard (R - Stonington) noted that while cannabis is now legal, there are still limits on the amount a person can legally have. For instance, only 1.5 ounces are allowed to be carried, and up to five ounces kept at home, in a vehicle glove box or trunk, according to state law.
“If somebody is in jail now and was put in jail for an amount of marijuana or amount of cannabis at the time that was illegal and is still illegal, they should be finishing out whatever their sentence is,” Howard said.
Howard, who serves on the Judiciary Committee, voted against the bill. He said he mainly opposed Section 1, but agreed with the principles in Section 2 – that past sentences for offenses now deemed legal should be reviewed.
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“Wherever you land on marijuana is not really the question. The legislature made certain amounts of cannabis legal, and to continue to keep people in jail for something that is now legal doesn’t seem to be a very just thing to do,” Howard said.
Howard said the bill made it out of committee, and is now up for vote by the House of Representatives.
