According to a poll from Sacred Heart University, almost 64% of Connecticut residents surveyed in the month of April are in support of legalizing recreational marijuana.
The poll was released this week as state lawmakers consider the issue with three weeks left in the legislative session.
1,000 residents were surveyed between April 20 and April 26 and the pollsters found that 63.9% supported legalization of cannabis for people at least 21 years old and 61.6% supported expunging the criminal records of those previously convicted of marijuana possession crimes.
Both are elements of a legalization bill before the Connecticut Legislature this year.
House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, who has led a negotiating team for House Democrats, said this week that lawmakers and the governor’s office were continuing to negotiate the bill.
House Speaker Matt Ritter has said he would consider convening a special session on the issue if a deal was close when time ran out.
“I’m not saying that’s the preferred route, but I’m also saying we wouldn’t rule it out.” Ritter said Tuesday.
Rojas remarked on New Mexico’s policymakers reaching an agreement earlier this year on cannabis legalization late in that state’s legislative session then convened a special session to focus on the issue.
“It allowed them to get out of their legislative session and really focus on what is a very complicated and significant policy change for the state of Connecticut so it merits a lot more attention,” Rojas said.
