The state’s four licensed marijuana growers are planning for the inevitable, if not imminent, approval of cannabis sales for adult recreational use in Connecticut by expanding their footprints. With the state’s fragile economy — all the worse in the coronavirus pandemic — 2021 could be the year state lawmakers approve full legalization, nine years after […]
Connecticut
Still a close vote: Lawmakers outline two paths to recreational cannabis in Connecticut
On the campus of a medical marijuana grower in Rocky Hill, state lawmakers on Tuesday outlined two possible paths to legalizing recreational marijuana, which has eluded Connecticut for years while neighboring states have passed it. The first — voting on a bill in the legislature — would be the quickest route, though there is still […]
Study: Legal marijuana in Connecticut would raise between $784M and $952M in state taxes in first five years
A new study by a UConn economist says legalizing recreational marijuana in Connecticut would generate between $784 million and $952 million in new state tax revenue over five years. The study, funded by a national group that lobbies for marijuana legalization, says direct new revenue from legalization would range from $35 million to $48 million […]
Connecticut adds chronic pain to medical marijuana program, could double participating patients
Thousands of new patients who suffer from chronic pain will soon be able to join the state’s medical cannabis program, following a vote Tuesday morning — after no debate — by the General Assembly’s only bipartisan committee. Connecticut will now become the last state to allow chronic pain as a reason for a marijuana prescription among […]
Connecticut’s recreational marijuana legalization efforts in limbo
his year’s canceled legislative session prevented the General Assembly from voting on many hot-button issues — including potentially making Connecticut the 12th state to legalize recreational marijuana sales. In early March, Gov. Ned Lamont gave his full support for adult-use legalization, proposing a blueprint for establishing a regulated pot market by summer 2022. Then the […]
Legalized recreational marijuana poses opportunities and threats to various CT business interests
Gov. Ned Lamont has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, creating a $1.25-per-gram tax on the drug, which would be available for purchase to customers 21 and older beginning at the earliest, July 1, 2022. Connecticut is behind the eight ball on legalization as Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine already allow recreational use of the […]
Connecticut lawmakers will make new push for marijuana legalization this year
After coming close in 2019, Connecticut lawmakers will make another push in 2020 to regulate and tax marijuana for recreational use. The leaders of three key legislative committees met last week to discuss the effort, said Rep. Jason Rojas, chairman of the finance, revenue and bonding committee. “There’s still some uncertainty about how much support […]
Fate of legalized marijuana in Connecticut remains hazy
After coming close this year, Connecticut lawmakers have yet to decide when to make another attempt at legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. Legislators acknowledge it’s doubtful there will be a vote this summer or fall. And despite a desire by proponents to revisit the issue when the General Assembly reconvenes in February, it’s unclear whether […]
Hemp-CBD Across State Lines: Connecticut
By Nathalie Bougenies, Attorney @ Harris Bricken The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”) legalized hemp by removing the crop and its derivatives from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) and by providing a detailed framework for the cultivation of hemp. The 2018 Farm Bill gives the US Department […]
Connecticut lawmakers advance bill that would legalize marijuana, erase criminal records for low-level drug offenders
State legislators Monday narrowly advanced a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana and erase criminal records for low-level drug offenders. By a vote of 21-19, mostly along party lines, the judiciary committee passed the second legal marijuana bill of the legislative session. Both bills still have to be voted on by the full House of […]