Connecticut Senate Passes Bill to Allow Medical Marijuana

It would appear that the number of states in which you can get your smoke on for medical issues is rising, with a late-night bill passed in Connecticut allowing for the limited use of medical marijuana.

The passage of the bill in Connecticut’s senate was preceded by a lengthy debate, stretching out over 10 hours, before votes were finally counted at 2:35 AM. (Which, incidentally, is a great time to spark up, Connecticut!) According to the Hartford Courant, Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy “hailed” the bill, and promised to sign it when the legislation reached his desk.

The paper quotes the Democratic governor’s statement, released after the late-night bill passed:

“There are thousands of people in Connecticut who will likely benefit from this legislation as they struggle with debilitating and life-threatening illnesses,” Malloy said in a statement issued moments after the votes were tallied at 2:35 a.m. “With them in mind, I want to commend the General Assembly for passing this bill.”

Senate President Donald Williams underscored a presence of regulation lacking in other states that allow for medical marijuana that he feels gives Connecticut an edge in making the laws work:

“When I looked at some of the other states that took what I thought was almost a wild, wild west approach of allowing people to grow plants at home and the lack of oversight and regulation, I did not believe it was the right thing for Connecticut to do, to emulate those states and those versions.”

Opponents of medical marijuana in Connecticut fell back on the “gateway drug” argument during the debate preceding the vote.