Marijuana Dispensary: Connecticut’s Legal Cannabis Market

In 2021, Connecticut became the 19th state to legalize adult-use cannabis, joining neighbors New York and Massachusetts. Governor Ned Lamont signed S.B. 1201 into law on June 22, 2021, following years of advocacy by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana.

Key Provisions of Connecticut’s Cannabis Law

✅ Legal possession – Adults 21+ can carry up to 1.5 ounces and store up to 5 ounces in a locked container.
✅ Retail sales – Began January 10, 2023, with a THC-based excise tax applied to purchases.
✅ Expungements – Over 44,000 cannabis convictions were erased, and more than 1,500 pending cases were dismissed.
✅ Social equity program – 50% of business licenses were awarded to social equity applicants.
✅ Cannabis excise tax revenue – 60-75% is allocated to the Social Equity and Innovation Fund for business support, workforce education, and community investments.

Ongoing Legislative Efforts

📌 HB6697 – Sets advertising restrictions and clarifies financial backing for social equity businesses.
📌 HB6699 – Introduces off-site event permits for cannabis retailers.
📌 HB5413 – Allows cannabis businesses to deduct expenses on state taxes.
📌 HB6787 – Ends prosecution of pending cannabis-related cases and mandates sentence reviews.

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