GOP legislators propose tightening Connecticut’s recreational cannabis laws

Republican lawmakers in Connecticut”™s House of Representatives are proposing a tightening on recreational cannabis product sales, which became legal in the state on Jan. 14.

House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora and members of his caucus used a Tuesday press conference to detail their proposals, which were filed with the General Law Committee. The proposals range from banning the sale of edible cannabis products to banning the sale of products containing THC in gas station to restricting cannabis consumption in spaces where alcohol consumption is prohibited.

While the lawmakers acknowledged their proposals were unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled legislature, they hoped their efforts would spark a discussion on the potential problems created by the legalization of recreational cannabis product sales.

“I think people are now realizing that it is no joking matter what we have seen starting to come out of the commercialization of marijuana and we would just like to bring a sober view of this,” Candelora said. “This is hitting all of Connecticut.”

Rep. David Rutigliano, a Trumbull legislator and the ranking Republican on the General Law Committee, told CTNewsJunkie.com that the sale of edibles creates new concerns, especially when there is no standard regarding cannabis content per product.

“At least we”™re going to have a conversation about edibles,” he said. “This is ripe for abuse and people getting sick and trips to the emergency room. It should be single serve. The dose should be the actual gummy, not a quarter of the gummy ”” an ear, a foot.”