With Lamont’s signature, Connecticut became the 19th state to legalize cannabis.

“We had a chance to learn from others and I think we got it right here in the state of Connecticut,” said Lamont, a Democrat. “We weren’t the first but we were the first to show we can get it right.”

The new law will allow adults 21 or older to purchase and possess up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana (or up to 5 ounces locked away at home or in a vehicle’s glove box or trunk) starting on July 1. Retail sales of recreational cannabis in Connecticut would not start until the end of 2022, about six months later than the legislation initially envisioned.

Critics of legalization say it will lead to an increase in cannabis consumption among children, a spike in crime, a rise in addiction and other societal ills. [Read More @ The Hartford Courant]