Connecticut decriminalized marijuana in June 2011, when the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1014, turning possession of less than half an ounce from a crime punishable by up to a year in jail into a $150 infraction for a first offense. The Senate passed it on a tie broken by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, the House followed 90 to 57 on June 7, and the law, Public Act 11-71, took effect July 1, 2011. It was the first of three steps that led to full legalization in 2021.
What Happened
SB 1014, “An Act Concerning the Penalty for Certain Nonviolent Drug Offenses,” was a governor’s bill, filed to carry out Gov. Dannel Malloy’s budget recommendations, according to the General Assembly’s bill record. On June 4, 2011, the Senate split 18 to 18 on the amended bill (roll call), and Wyman cast the deciding vote, CT Mirror reported. Malloy then urged the House to act before the session ended, and on June 7 it passed 90 to 57. The bill record lists the governor’s signature on June 30, 2011.
The Office of Legislative Research summary of Public Act 11-71 lays out what changed for possession of less than half an ounce:
- A first offense became a $150 fine, and later offenses $200 to $500, handled like a traffic infraction that can be paid by mail.
- A third offense brought a referral to a drug education program at the person’s own expense.
- Paraphernalia offenses tied to less than half an ounce also became infractions.
- Anyone under 21 convicted under the act lost their driver’s license for 60 days.
- Police had to seize and destroy the marijuana.
Background
Under the old law, which still applied from half an ounce up to four ounces, a first possession offense carried up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine, and a second offense up to five years and $3,000. Possession near a school or licensed day care center added a mandatory two-year sentence. Supporters argued that arrests were too rigid a tool for police and ate up court time, and the ticket option gave officers a middle path.
What Happened Next
Police adjusted quickly. In the second half of 2011, officers issued 1,956 of the $150 tickets for a half ounce or less, according to state Judicial Branch figures reported by the Connecticut Post in February 2012, and the paper found the change was easing the courts’ caseload. The Weed Street Journal reported at the time that arrests for possession fell sharply after the law took effect.
The next steps came over the following decade. Connecticut legalized medical marijuana in 2012. In June 2021 Gov. Ned Lamont signed Public Act 21-1, which made adult possession legal on July 1, 2021, and licensed retail sales began January 10, 2023. Under that law, certain low-level possession convictions imposed from January 1, 2000, through September 30, 2015, were automatically erased at the start of 2023; Lamont’s office said about 44,000 cases would be fully or partially cleared.
Where It Stands in 2026
The half-ounce infraction system no longer governs adults, who can now legally possess and buy cannabis. Possession limits, the 2026 tax changes and home-grow rules are in our Connecticut marijuana laws guide. Other states’ decriminalization and legalization laws are on our cannabis laws page, and the longer arc is in our marijuana history section.
Connecticut Marijuana Decriminalization FAQ
When did Connecticut decriminalize marijuana?
The law passed in June 2011 and took effect July 1, 2011.
What was the fine under Connecticut’s 2011 decriminalization law?
$150 for a first offense of possessing less than half an ounce, and $200 to $500 for later offenses. A third offense added a drug education referral.
How close was the vote?
The Senate tied 18 to 18 and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman broke the tie. The House passed it 90 to 57.
When did Connecticut fully legalize marijuana?
Adult possession became legal July 1, 2021, under Public Act 21-1, and stores opened January 10, 2023.
Originally reported by The Weed Street Journal; rewritten and updated in October 2026 with what happened next.
