Connecticut’s governor is belting out a new country song about all the good things about his state, including how “it’s cool to smoke pot” since signing an adult-use legalization bill.
Gov. Ned Lamont (D) shared a clip of the song, Rusty Gear’s “First Ever Connecticut Country Song,” which is basically a jingle for the Constitution State. But the mention of cannabis drew the ire of the governor’s Republican opponent in the upcoming November election, Bob Stefanowski.
“Connecticut has it all!” Lamont said on Twitter, making a list that includes beaches, mountains, brewpubs and country music (but ignoring the song’s prominent mention of marijuana, though it was included in the short song clip found in his tweet). “Yes, you read that right. We have country music, like this song about our great state.”
Connecticut has it all!
The best pizza in the country
Lobster rolls
College basketball
Beaches
Mountains
laughs
Great breweries#CTgrows to produce
country music
Yes, you read that right. We have country music, like this song about our great state. pic.twitter.com/5UKiYxVsKd
— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) June 5, 2022
Here are the lyrics from the clip the governor shared:
“Back home we thank the governor for the blessings we have received.
We can play online, and it’s cool to smoke pot.
So come visit my state and mind your etiquette.
I guarantee you will be welcome in Connecticut.”
The song also takes note of another state’s cannabis law, saying that “getting up in Colorado is the way of the Rocky Mountains.”
Lamont, who has championed cannabis reform throughout his tenure as governor, signed legalization around this time last year. Before signing the bill into law, he was asked if he would participate himself when it becomes legal, and he didn’t rule it out, saying “not right now, but we’ll see.”
But while the governor has made it clear he’s willing to bow to cannabis culture, his GOP opponent in this election believes the tacit endorsement of pot smoking shows why he should replace Lamont.
“This video can’t be real, can it be @GovNedLamont?” Stefanowski said. “Our governor shouldn’t be encouraging kids to smoke weed because Ned Lamont thinks ‘it’s cool to smoke weed.’” If that doesn’t show we need a change in leadership, I’m not sure what will!
This video can’t be real, it can be @GovNedLamont? Our governor shouldn’t be encouraging kids to smoke weed because Ned Lamont thinks “it’s cool to smoke weed.” If this doesn’t show that we need a change in leadership, I’m not sure what will!
— Bob Stefanowski (@bobforgovernor) June 5, 2022
To be clear, the song Lamont shared does not promote underage cannabis use. It just acknowledges that the state legalized recreational use for adults.
Also, when he ran for governor in 2018, Stefanowski didn’t seem particularly closed to the idea of reform, saying that “at some point we should look at legalizing marijuana … but we have a lot of fundamental issues in this state” to deal with first.
Meanwhile, Lamont also signed a large-scale budget bill last month that includes provisions to establish the state to provide certain patients with access to psychedelic treatments with substances such as MDMA and psilocybin.
Marijuana regulators and stakeholders hold closed-door conference to discuss future of reform and industry challenges
Photo courtesy of Martin Alonso.
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