RESPONSIBLE AND EQUITABLE REGULATION OF ADULT-USE CANNABIS ACT (RERACA)
On June 22, 2021, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Senate Bill 1201 or "Responsible and Equitable Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis Act" (RERACA) to legalize and regulate adult-use (21 and older) cannabis beginning July 1, 2021.
Licensing
The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) will be charged with the licensing of cannabis businesses.
The sale, manufacture, and cultivation of cannabis will require a license. The Connecticut measure contemplates multiple classes of licensed operators including:
- Cultivator
- Retailer
- Manufacturer
- Delivery
Cannabis Retail Businesses
Legislators anticipate cannabis retail sales to begin before the end of 2022. Municipalities will maintain the authority to prohibit cannabis businesses altogether or to limit the number of licensed businesses within their jurisdictions. Until June 30, 2024, the ratio of licensed cannabis retailers to residents cannot exceed 1 per 25,000.
Licensed cannabis retailers will be prohibited from selling cannabis flower with a THC concentration greater than thirty percent (on a dry-weight basis) or any other cannabis product with a THC concentration greater than sixty percent (on a dry-weight basis), except that these limitations do not apply to pre-filled vape cartridges and regulators may adjust these percentage limitations.
Hybrid Retailers
Licensed medical cannabis dispensaries may also apply to sell adult-use cannabis by submission of a conversion plan along with payment of a fee. Licensed medical cannabis cultivators may also apply to cultivate for adult-use by payment of a fee.
Social Equity Applicants and Initiatives
The Connecticut measure contemplates that half of the cannabis business licenses will go to social equity applicants. Social equity applicants are defined as those individuals from communities that have been disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition and enforcement. Such applicants would be subject to lower licensing fees and receive a fifty percent discount for the first three years of license renewals. They may further receive startup costs coverage, workforce training, and technical assistance.
Tax revenues generated from the legalization of cannabis will be reinvested into communities historically impacted by cannabis prohibition and enforcement.
PREPARE NOW FOR YOUR UPCOMING APPLICATION
The legal cannabis industry is growing, evolving, and highly-regulated. To succeed, it is a must for businesses to obtain licenses and insurance necessary to operate legally and position themselves to expand if desired. Leaf Legal, P.C. is fully equipped to guide your company as it obtains licenses, identifies and recruits our industry's top talent, executes its business plan, and navigates Connecticut's ever-evolving regulatory scheme. Contact the attorneys at Leaf Legal, P.C. to schedule a consultation.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER PROTECTION IS NOT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS AT THIS TIME
The DCP will be providing more information on the new process of opening either a medical marijuana dispensary facility or a medical marijuana production facility in the near future.
***PLEASE KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR UPDATES***
Or navigate to our licensing page to find states where licensing is currently open.