Guilford Leads Fight Against Legalizing Marijuana in Connecticut

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

GUILFORD – Besides the financial crisis the state is in – and the impact that is having on town budgets – the biggest issue that’s been talked about by politicians in Hartford this year is whether Connecticut should join the growing list of states to legalize recreational marijuana.

And when those heated discussions have gone on in the meeting rooms of the Legislative Office Building this year, the town of Guilford has been front and center in the debate.

By the end of this coming week it is likely that a subcommittee of the General Assembly will either approve – or reject – legalizing recreational pot in the state.

If the vote is to legalize it, the bill would still need to be approved by the full General Assembly and signed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who so far has indicated he isn’t in favor of the idea.

Whatever happens this week, you can bet the eyes of many in Guilford will be watching.

Proponents of legalization like to refer to a Quinnipiac University 2015 poll that said that 63 percent of people in the state are in favor of legalization. They also like to point out that Connecticut is facing a fiscal crisis and needs the millions of dollars in tax revenue legalization would bring in.

In 2016, Guilford DAY (Developmental Assets for Youth), began mobilizing the organization to oppose the legalization of marijuana in Connecticut.

One of the group’s leaders, Bo Huhn said the efforts started because of “the general lack of knowledge about the risks of marijuana for the developing adolescent brain.”

On a number of occasions, Guilford DAY youth leaders have met and worked closely with Rep. Vincent Candelora, Rep. Sean Scanlon and Sen. Ted Kennedy, all of whom are opposed to legalization of retail marijuana.

Huhn, and Guilford DAY co-chairs Lisa Ott and Peter Palumbo have, in Huhn’s words, “worked closely with the Governor’s Prevention Partnership and the Connecticut Association of Prevention Professional in organizing the effort.”

But it hasn’t just been the adults that have led the fight against legalization.

Also imploring the General Assembly to continue the prohibition on recreational use was Guilford High School junior Gabby Palumbo, who is a member of Guilford DAY.

She said legalizing cannabis would “send a wrong and hypocritical message.”

Palumbo said it would, first, be telling young people that smoking pot is ok; second, she said, it would send the message that “revenue outweighs public health concerns.”

But it hasn’t just been Guilford adults and students who have been at the center of the fight against legalizing recreational pot.

One of those who submitted written testimony against the proposed legislation was Deepak Cyril D’Souza, a staff psychiatrist at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and a professor of psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine.

D’Souza, too, is a Guilford resident.

He wrote that “there is accumulating evidence that the brain of adolescents is more vulnerable to the effects of cannabis.

As Huhn looks back on Guilford’s efforts to beat back those who want to legalize recreational pot, he said: "We totally outclassed the witnesses in favor of legalization, but I have always been an optimist. Our champion on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Vinny Candelora, told us that the coalition efforts were very important."

The vote in the Judiciary Committee on legalizing recreational pot should take place by this coming Friday at the latest.

Guilford will be watching.