Connecticut will begin accepting the first applications for cannabis businesses. Rules governing the sale of adult-use marijuana approved.

January 4, 2022
AggregatedNews
Connecticut
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The state Department of Consumer Protection will begin accepting the first applications for certain adult-use cannabis establishment license types in early February.

On Tuesday, a panel establishing a framework for the sale of legal marijuana in Connecticut also approved criteria to ensure that Black and other underserved communities targeted by government’s war on drugs have access to the lucrative market.The Social Equity Council approved a workforce development plan, proof of residency and income requirements, ownership control rules and other regulations.

“Today is a huge deal,” said Ginne-Rae Clay, interim executive director of the council.

On Tuesday the department said that 56 first-round licenses will be available for retailers, micro-cultivators, delivery service, food and beverage businesses, manufacturers, transporters and others. They are evenly split among social equity and general licenses.

Applications for social equity cultivator licenses located in areas that are considered “disproportionately impacted” will have a one-time 90-day application period beginning Feb. 3 and ending May 4.

The Department of Consumer Protection will schedule several lotteries and announce the number of available licenses before each application round.

The General Assembly and Gov. Ned Lamont last year enacted legislation legalizing adult use of cannabis and included key provisions to address long-standing inequities. The law includes a “social equity” provision intended to provide those hurt by the prohibition of marijuana an expedited opportunity to enter the potentially lucrative cannabis market. [Read More @ The Hartford Courant]