Connecticut
The Constitution State
As of June 22, 2021, Connecticut is the 19th state to legalize cannabis, and the most recent in New England to begin operations to get their market online.
Legislation
The Connecticut legislature initially passed Public Act 21-1: Act Concerning Responsible And Equitable Regulation Of Adult-Use Cannabis, which established the framework and rollout of Adult-Use licensing statewide. The law was amended by Public Act 22-103 in May 2022. The legislature is currently revamping these laws and regulations to better suit Social Equity initiatives and maximize the rollout of licenses. More information about these upcoming changes will be available soon.
To view the latest legislation, please click the button below.
Licenses
There are currently eleven (11) different cannabis licenses and registrations issued by the Department. Below is a breakdown of each license type available for Adult-Use entrepreneurs:
Beyond these license types, the DCP has also provided individual license/registration categories for applicants to use when applying for approval.
Backer – Either: 1) owns 5% or more of the cannabis establishment, including in the aggregate with a spouse, parent and child; or 2) participates directly/indirectly in the control, management or operation of the establishment.
Key employee – Employees with specific managerial positions or an equivalent title within an establishment.
Employee – Any person employed by a cannabis establishment, and board members of a company with an ownership interest in the establishment.
For more details on Connecticut’s licensing and all available information the DCP has provided, please click the button below.
Timeline
As of July 1, 2021 - the possession of recreational cannabis is legal for adults 21 and older. As previously mentioned, residents are allowed to openly carry 1.5 ounces of marijuana, plus an additional 5 ounces in a locked container. The law specifies that edibles or vape-based cannabis must have no more than an equal amount of THC.
As of October 1, 2021 - Connecticut residents ages 18 and older are allowed to cultivate their own medical cannabis, solely for medical use. For recreational users 21 years and older, that timeline is extended until July 1, 2023.
January 1, 2022 - The Police Officer Standards and Training Council must provide clear instructions on how police officers will determine whether a person has exceeded the possession limits.
February 2022 - The first application round opens for the first round of lotteries and will remain open for 90 days. Applications for social equity cultivator licenses located in Disproportionately Impacted Areas have a one-time 90-day application period beginning on February 3, 2022 and ending May 4, 2022.
July 2022 - Out of 41 applicants for equity cultivation that were sent for review by Connecticut’s Social Equity Council, the Council gave official recommendation to 16 applicants to receive licenses. These social equity cultivator licenses were reserved for equity applicants seeking t0 operate facilities in disproportionately impacted areas.
September 2022 - The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) announced all of the winners for the the 12 retailer licenses and four micro-cultivator licenses that it will award in the first round of lotteries. The Governor believes sales will begin in January 2023.
January 2023 - On January 1, there will be about 44,000 eligible cases that will be processed automatically for expungement, made possible under a provision of the cannabis legalization bill. Licensed hybrid cannabis retailers (selling both medically and recreationally) can also begin selling cannabis products as of January 10.
July 2023 - All adults 21+ years and older are able to home grow cannabis. The law states that home grow individuals cannot have more than 12 cannabis plants to be grown at any given time per household. And as of this date, Medical users who are registering with the state will no longer have to pay the $100 fee.
As more market updates come in, we will update this Timeline. For more information on Connecticut’s Cannabis Industry, please click the button below.