A smorgasbord of sometimes conflicting research on marijuana was bogging down a legislative committee’s hearing Wednesday morning as lawmakers weighed the merits of legalizing recreational use of the drug in Connecticut for those ages 21 and older.
Those that testified in person and in writing to the Judiciary Committee on Senate Bill 11 included advocates pointing to the potential for an estimated $83.4 million in tax revenue in the first full year of legalization, and $135 million in the third year.
There were also those concerned about societal and health impacts, particularly on teenagers, as some studies have claimed that marijuana use before the brain is fully developed can lead to lower IQ. The potential for increased motor vehicle accidents from impaired drivers is also a concern.
Legalization opponents cited a 2012 New Zealand study that found individuals who used marijuana in their teenage years later suffered declines in IQ.
But proponents pointed out that the results of that study have since been criticized by other researchers.
“There seems to me to be very compelling arguments on both sides of this issue,” said Rep. Doug Dubitsky, R-Chaplin.
A 2015 study of the effects of legalization in Colorado found a higher prevalence of traffic accidents and more use of the drug among high school students.
But there has been pushback on that study as well.
There was also debate Wednesday over the definition of addiction and whether marijuana is addictive.
Having perhaps the most expertise at the hearing was Dr. Deepak D’Souza, a psychiatrist at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and a professor at Yale’s School of Medicine, who has studied the effects of cannabinoids for several decades.
D’Souza said that while marijuana withdrawal effects are minor compared to more serious drugs like alcohol, opioids and cocaine, they do exist, and “there is absolutely no question” that marijuana is addictive.
Meanwhile, D’Souza said he is not convinced either way that marijuana is a gateway drug, and he also told legislators that there is no test that would allow police to determine “with any degree of certainty” if a pulled-over driver was high on marijuana.
The committee bill calls for a blood-test procedure in scenarios where an officer believes a motorist is high.
An AAA Foundation study released last year found that blood tests are a flawed method for determining marijuana impairment.
Rep. Toni Walker (D-New Haven) said teenagers are likely to experiment no matter what, and that she thinks there shouldn’t be criminal penalties for immature decisions. She said she supports more educational efforts to teach young people about drugs and alcohol.
