Members of the public who are against legalizing recreational marijuana spoke with lawmakers Wednesday about their concerns that it would lead to underage use.
Dr. Deepak D’Souza, a researcher at Yale School of Medicine, said states that have legalized marijuana have the highest rates of adolescent cannabis use.
“There’s no reason for us to expect that to be any different if we were to legalize marijuana in the state of Connecticut.”
D’Souza said the use of marijuana damages brain development in adolescents.
State lawmakers said more studies should be conducted to understand the potential risks and harm of the drug on youth and adults. Marijuana is still illegal at the federal level because of its Schedule I drug status.
The proposed law would only legalize use for adults 21 and older.
A spokesperson for the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association said if marijuana is legalized, more policing would be needed.
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