Legal Cannabis Sales Begin in Connecticut

Hartford capitol building and public park

Legal cannabis sales for adults 21 and over began in Connecticut in early January.

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has approved licenses for nine hybrid dispensaries across the state. Beginning Tuesday, January 10, adults 21 years of age or older with a valid ID were able to purchase up to a quarter ounce of cannabis flower, or its equivalent, per transaction.

Adults will be allowed to securely cultivate cannabis at home starting July 1, 2023. 

“Connecticut is positioned to become an example for other states that are looking to establish a well-regulated and equitable adult-use cannabis marketplace,” says DeVaughn Ward, Senior Legislative Counsel at the Marijuana Policy Project. “Years of advocacy efforts have resulted in one of the nation’s most comprehensive legalization laws that will make a real difference in the lives of Connecticut residents.”

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In addition to legalizing cannabis, the law also includes provisions for the expungement of lower-level cannabis records. According to the governor’s office, approximately 43,000 cases have already been automatically or partially erased.

Furthermore, the law dedicates a large amount of excise tax revenues into a Social Equity and Innovation Fund that will be used to promote a diverse cannabis industry and reinvest in communities that have been hit the hardest.

To date, 21 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized cannabis for adults 21 and older.