Hamden government leaders call for the legalization of marijuana to address racial inequity

Discussion about legalizing marijuana is aflame at the Connecticut State Capitol this year and State Representative Josh Elliott, a Democrat from Hamden, is spearheading the issue as a way to remedy the injustices caused by the War on Drugs.

The legalization of recreational cannabis in Connecticut is “almost certain to happen” by the end of the legislative session in June, Elliott said. 

Elliott previously served on a task force with Governor Ned Lamont to talk about priorities for legalization. The group talked about measures to ensure the money raised from taxing marijuana went to the communities affected by the criminalization of marijuana.

“The governor basically completely ignored those recommendations,” Elliott said. “The amount of money that is going to be going toward equity was reduced from 90% to 50%. It was not nearly aggressive enough in any of the equity provisions. It does not insure licensing will go toward communities of color or communities affected by the War on Drugs.”

The War on Drugs is a 1970s-era policy focused on thwarting illegal drug sales in the United States that particularly harmed Black and brown communities. Once marijuana is legal in Connecticut, Elliott proposed the taxes raised — as well as the first chance at becoming a licensed dispensary — be directed toward communities most impacted.

“There’s something that feels really wrong about for decades punishing Black and brown folk for ownership, sale and distribution of marijuana, legalizing it and then allowing profits from that market to go to closely held white markets,” Elliott said.

Lamont’s bill would decrease the amount of money going toward minority communities by 40%, instead opting to spend the money on general operating costs, like funding the pension for state employees.

“The governor’s bill is a pretty bad bill,” Elliott said. “That being said, it has to go through the legislative process.”

Elliott anticipates the final bill will not look anything like the one that is currently being considered. However, he said the only measure that will lead him to vote against a bill for legalization is if the records of those formerly incarcerated on marijuana charges are not wiped clean.

“The only red line I have is if expungement is not a part of this bill,” Elliott said. “It does not make sense to have a proactive measure of allowing legal cannabis but not ensuring that folk who have been punished in the past will have their slates wiped clean.”

Some Quinnipiac University students, like junior Samantha Simon, agree that legalization must come with justice.

“So many people are incarcerated for selling or being in possession of weed so I’d hope that legalizing it would free them,” Simon said. 

Quinnipiac Professor of Political Science Marcos Scauso said that giving money raised by a tax on marijuana to communities affected by The War on Drugs and expunging the records of those incarcerated on marijuana charges is a good start, but not a complete solution to addressing injustice. 

“Giving back to the community is important but it is not sufficient,” Scauso said. “The community was damaged by this and so to ask the community to fix the problem that was caused by others seems still unjust.”

Scauso argued if a tax on marijuana is what will fund the rebuilding of communities hurt by the War on Drugs, then the people who buy marijuana in these communities will actually be bankrolling their own recovery. He places the responsibility on private prisons and others who profited from the War on Drugs to fix the problem.

“If there is a disproportionate amount of obstacles for a community, the rest of society has to help,” Scauso said. “Those who are privileged need to help. It is not enough to have the community fixing itself. What other role can the rest of society have in contributing to fix that problem?” 

Slow Puffs Smoke Shop in Hamden sells tobacco, vaping and CBD products, but the owner Larry Trickett said the shop would transition into a dispensary once recreational marijuana is legalized.

“It will help us out if anything,” Trickett said.

On a municipal level, Representative Valerie Horsley of the Hamden Legislative Council believes that legalizing marijuana at the state level will help the town beyond just economic benefits. 

“It has implications broadly as long as we do it in a way that centers on not only economic growth for the state but also social justice for those who have been criminalized,” Horsley said. “I think a lot of the Black and brown folks that live in Hamden should have access to getting into the business and making sure that it is equitable and not just a few people who are able to benefit from the sale.”

Horsley said, in addition to Lamont’s proposed legalization bill, there is a bill in the Labor Committee at the state level that is more focused on equity.

“It is always a pull and push from the legislature and the governor,” Horsley said. “If they can pass that bill out of the Labor Committee, that would introduce the equity piece in an important way for Hamden.”

While the rollout of legalizing marijuana will come from state offices, Horsley said the town government needs to work on economic development and bringing new marijuana industries into town.

“We have a lot of space where I could imagine there being hydroponic growth warehouses for this industry,” Horsley said. “We have the potential for possibly benefitting, as long as it is done in a way where people can access.”

Quinnipiac students in support of the push to legalize marijuana pointed to alcohol as a more dangerous drug that remains widely accepted.

“I believe it is no worse than alcohol and I also believe there are many benefits that could replace over the counter drugs,” said junior marketing major Mary Allerton.

Elliott said he expects the state legislature will vote on the bill in either late May or early June, but the rollout of legalizing marijuana could take much longer. 

“Implementation could take anywhere from a year to two years,” Elliott said. “That’s a whole different beast.”