Lawmakers: Little Pot Stash Should Bring Little Trouble

If you are caught with a little bit of pot, you will only get in a little bit of trouble if two Connecticut lawmakers get their way.  

The state is spending too much to prosecute people caught with small amounts of marijuana, Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney and Sen. Toni Harp said, and they're calling for fines instead of arrests.

Looney and Harp hope the state's growing budget deficit helps convince their peers that decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana is a good idea.

The two New Haven Democrats want Connecticut to do what Massachusetts did in November and impose fines on people caught with 1 ounce or less of marijuana.

Harvard researchers found that Massachusetts state police had been spending about $30 million a year on arresting and investigating low-level marijuana users. There's no similar cost estimate for Connecticut.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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