The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), released its Provisions and Policies, which will regulate adult-use cannabis while the state continues to fine-tune the final regulations.
The state of Connecticut uses the term “provisions and policies” to refer to preliminary regulations that are produced by an executive agency. Those rules go into effect, but must still be approved by the legislature in order to become final regulations.
“They function like regulations, but they’re not permanent,” explained DCP Communications Director Kaitlyn Krasselt.
Governor Greg Lamont signed adult-use legalization into law in June, and it went into effect July 1.
That date also marked the start of a four-year period in which the cannabis market will be governed by “provisions and policies.”
Those provisions and policies were crafted by the DCP. The final regulations will need review and approval from the legislature.
The new rules were introduced on Oct. 1 and officially went into effect Oct. 16.
The sale of adult-use flower is limited to 1 oz. per package. Edibles are limited to 5 mg per serving, with a 100mg total cap on packages of multiple edibles. Oil cartridges are capped at 300 mg. For medical customers, the limit on flower is 5 oz., on edibles 25 mg per serving and 500 mg for a single pack of multiple edibles. State rules did not list a limit for oil cartridges for medical patients.
All products must be tested in a lab prior to sale.
The rules set minimum limits for employee training, which includes at least two hours on the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system, which Connecticut regulations refer to as the “cannabis analytic tracking system”, and facility security, which includes surveillance cameras at any point at which cannabis would be moved through rooms or given to another employee or customer.
Although the rules are in effect, they still need an actual industry to govern. Before the application process can begin, the state’s recently-formed Social Equity Council will need to finish creating their recommendations for what information to be collected from applications in order to give preference for those who qualify for social equity benefits.
The Social Equity Council will hold its next meeting on November 2.
The first licensed adult-use retailers are expected to open by the end of 2022, according to DCP.
“There will be a lot of opportunities over the next 45 months to make changes,” said Krasselt.
