Connecticut has become the latest US state to pass legislation allowing recreational cannabis use for adults.
The state had already legalised medicinal cannabis and on Thursday passed a bill to make recreational use legal as well.
Governor Ned Lamont helped introduce the bill and is expected to sign it into law.
He said: “It’s fitting that the bill legalising the adult use of cannabis and addressing the injustices caused by the war on drugs received final passage today, on the 50-year anniversary of President Nixon declaring the war.
“The war on cannabis, which was at its core a war on people in black and brown communities, not only caused injustices and increased disparities in our state, it did little to protect public health and safety.”
Under the bill, set to come into effect on July 1, adults aged 21 and over will be able to legally purchase and possess a limited amount of cannabis for recreational purposes.
Recreational retail sales are not scheduled to begin until May 2022, and while home growing for medical use can begin as soon as October this year, recreational users will have to wait until 2023 before they can grow their own.
In February, Lamont published revenue projections estimating sales from an adult-use cannabis program starting in May 2022 would generate tax revenues of around US$33.6 million by FY2023.
UPDATE (June 23, 2021): Governor Ned Lamont has now signed the bill into law, making Connecticut the 18th state to legalise recreational cannabis use for adults.
