Lawmakers hear public testimony on bill to crackdown on cannabis DUIs
March 31, 2025
The proposed legislation would change the rules for police officers detecting cannabis use behind the wheel.
CONNECTICUT, USA — Police officers in Connecticut are currently not allowed to pull someone over if they smell marijuana or if they suspect the driver is smoking behind the wheel, but that could change.
“Really as whole of a person as they are, not in spite of being consuming cannabis, but because I’m able to consume cannabis,” said Melissa Maichack, a recovery counselor with T.H.E. Movement.
After Maichack was hit by a car, she was prescribed medical marijuana.
“I smoke about a quarter of weed a day and I have started a nonprofit, graduated college, got my child custody back,” she explained. “I have started a recovery organization.”
On Monday, she spoke out against a new bill to change the rules for police detecting cannabis use behind the wheel.
Officers said since cannabis was legalized in 2021, they have struggled to enforce safety on the roads, but advocates believe this proposal is a step back and not the way to prevent DUIs.
The bill would allow officers to pull someone over if they both observe suspected cannabis consumption and detect the odor of burnt cannabis.
Maichack and other advocates are worried that this is too subjective.
“Smells can be misinterpreted, things can be confused for each other and also cannabis odor sticks around,” she added.
“You do not need to pull someone over for a joint to witness impairment,” continued Ivelisse Correa from CT Cannawarriors. “In fact, you don’t need to witness a cell phone or a beer can if there’s a vehicle swerving in the road, police have a right already to pull it over.”
Correa is concerned this bill opens the door to over-policing of already marginalized communities, but among legislators, there seems to be bipartisan support for the measure.
“The smell alone, I don’t think is enough, right? We have some folks who I have seen who do not have cannabis in the car at all but perhaps have been in spaces where they consumed or been around enough folks where you can smell that,” said State Sen. Gary Winfield, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee. “The reality is all of us want folks to be on our roads completely sober, completely in control of their cars and so this is the effort that we’re making towards that.”
State Rep. Greg Howard, Ranking Republican on the committee, is also a Stonington detective.
“A law that police officers cannot enforce is not a law at all,” he said. “It’s simply a suggestion, and it’s quite frankly really a risk to public safety when you’re driving down the road, actively intoxicating or impairing your ability to drive, we should have a police officer stop you before some more people get killed.”
Lawmakers on the judiciary committee have until Friday, April 11 to decide whether to advance this proposal.
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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