Connecticut State Senator Tony Hwang called on May 15 for Governor Lamont to veto recently approved legislation that expands access to cannabis and THC products in the state. In an op-ed published in the Hartford Courant, Hwang said that the new law could make Connecticut’s roads more dangerous by increasing the risk of impaired driving.
Hwang, who serves as a ranking Republican leader on the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee, said road safety should be prioritized over expanding access to recreational marijuana. He wrote, “This is a time when we should be doing everything we can to make our roads safer. Instead, the state moved in the opposite direction through the legislature’s recent approval of expanding access to cannabis/THC in ways that will only make an already dangerous situation worse.”
The senator cited concerns about increased THC potency limits and expanded product types under Public Act No. 26-8, which builds on Connecticut’s legalization of recreational marijuana in 2021. He noted that even within the bill itself there is recognition that cannabis impairs core functions necessary for safe driving: “Even within the bill itself, there is an acknowledgment that cannabis impairs motor skills, slows reaction time, and diminishes judgment: core functions necessary for safe driving.” Hwang argued that without a reliable way to measure impairment behind the wheel—unlike alcohol with breathalyzer tests—law enforcement faces challenges enforcing road safety.
Hwang also raised questions about whether public health and safety risks were fully considered during legislative debate. He wrote, “The recent bill that passed to allow this expansion was not vetted by the legislature’s Public Safety or Public Health Committees. It should have been–to fully understand the impact of public health and safety risks.” He further questioned if Connecticut has adequate tools to identify substance-impaired drivers or protect young people from increased exposure.
Concluding his argument against further expansion without stronger safeguards or assessment tools, Hwang said, “Connecticut families deserve safe roads, responsible policy, and leadership that prioritizes long-term public health and safety over short-term financial gains. Before we expand further, we must reexamine that we are not putting more lives at risk. Because when it comes to roadway safety, we cannot afford to get this wrong.”
