Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy seems to be advocating for legalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana.
“Let’s accept reality,” Mr. Malloy said last week.
The Democratic governor’s plan to reduce the penalty for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana from a crime to an infraction that carries a fine is the subject of a public hearing Monday before the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.
The move comes as the debate over legalizing marijuana seems to have been largely avoided in state legislatures across the nation.
The Democratic governor noted that the current system of dealing with marijuana convictions is largely flawed. The governor pointed to the racial component as one example.
“There it takes on this racial aspect,” Mr. Malloy said. “I’m in some sense trying to level the playing field.”
