Connecticut Eliminates 43K Cannabis Convictions
- last year
The new year also heralded a fresh start for thousands of people in Connecticut. The state officially erased 42,964 cannabis convictions Sunday morning, according to a tweet from Gov. Ned Lamont. “It’s one step forward in ending the War on Drugs and giving our citizens a second chance to achieve their dreams,” he wrote.
Lamont had previously announced that thousands of low-level cannabis convictions would be automatically erased on Jan. 1. “Especially as employers seek to fill job openings, an old conviction for low-level possession should not hold someone back from their aspirations,” he wrote last month. The move follows 2021 legislation that also regulates the adult use of cannabis. Recreational marijuana is already legal in the state, and dispensaries can begin selling it on Jan. 10.
Lamont had previously announced that thousands of low-level cannabis convictions would be automatically erased on Jan. 1. “Especially as employers seek to fill job openings, an old conviction for low-level possession should not hold someone back from their aspirations,” he wrote last month. The move follows 2021 legislation that also regulates the adult use of cannabis. Recreational marijuana is already legal in the state, and dispensaries can begin selling it on Jan. 10.