After the Connecticut General Assembly voted in favor of decriminalizing possession of half an ounce or less of marijuana in July, the number of arrests for possession of marijuana has dropped significantly, according to the Connecticut Post.
The Connecticut Post reports that there were 1,127 marijuana arrests made in 2011, down from a staggering 4,774 marijuana arrests in 2010 during that same period. Approximately 2000 tickets for marijuana offenses were issued in 2011.
The legislation decriminalizing marijuana, Public Act 11-71, came into effect on July 1st, 2011. This act reduces the penalty of possessing a half-ounce or less of marijuana to a $150 ticket for the first offence, a ticket between $200 and $500 for the second, and a heftier fine and drug treatment for the third offence.
Under Connecticut’s old legislation, possession of under four ounces of marijuana was punishable by a fine of up to $1000, and up to a year’s incarceration.
