Adult-Use Cannabis Sales to Begin on January 10, 2023 in Connecticut!

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection announced today that it has awarded final approval for several medical dispensaries to begin selling adult-use cannabis to consumers on January 10, 2023.  The greenlighting of adult-use sales follows a statutory 30-day waiting period after final licensure of producers who have 250,000 square feet of cultivation and manufacturing space in the aggregate.  This requirement is meant to ensure adequate and consistent supply for adult-use and medical cannabis consumers.

DCP identified nine dispensaries who are approved to convert from medical cannabis sales to hybrid retail, meaning they can sell both medical and adult-use cannabis on January 10.  Additional new retail establishments may also gain final approval and begin adult-use sales in the coming weeks and months.  

DCP also issued guidance on hours of operation and transaction limits for adult-use sales.  Sales may not begin before 10:00 a.m. and are subject to local zoning restrictions on hours of operation. 

Note that retailers may not dispense more than 1/4 ounce (or 7 grams) of cannabis flower, or its equivalent for other cannabis products, in a single transaction.  This new limit decreases the statutory limit of one ounce per transaction to ensure adequate supply in the early days, particularly for qualifying medical marijuana patients.  Medical marijuana cardholders may purchase up to 5 ounces in a given month.  DCP says that transaction limits will be reviewed over time. 

Purchasers should note that different types and sizes of products may be purchased together so long as the total does not exceed 1/4 ounce of cannabis flower or its equivalent per transaction. Some examples of acceptable purchases within these limits include:

• Up to 7 pre-rolled cigarettes that weigh 1 gram each, or 14 pre-rolled cigarettes that weigh 0.5 grams each. Or any combination up to 7 total grams, which equals 1/4 ounce.
• Two to four vape cartridges, which come in .5 mL and 1 mL sizes.
• Edibles vary by type and size. A standard-sized brownie or cookie can be the equivalent of .08 grams of cannabis flower. One edible serving cannot have more than 5 milligrams of THC.
• A combination of different product types that collectively amount to no more than ¼ of an ounce.

The full release is available here.

 Adult-use cannabis retailers and hybrid retailers are subject to a comprehensive regulatory scheme covering packaging, labeling, marketing, storage, handling, testing, and security.  Click to view the current regulations.

If you have questions about the cannabis law or regulations or what your business needs to do to be market-ready, don’t hesitate to contact us.