Tag: Connecticut

Connecticut lawmakers have approved a bill to decriminalize psilocybin in a bicameral committee. About two weeks after the legislature’s Joint Judiciary Committee first discussed the psychedelics proposal, members approved it on Tuesday. The legislation would make possession of up to one-half an ounce of psilocybin punishable by a $150 fine, without the threat of jail time. A second or subsequent violation would carry a fine of at least $200 but not more than $500. A person who pleads guilty or no… Read more.

Only 10 adult-use cannabis businesses are operational or nearing operation in the state. Optimism in Connecticut is beginning to fade as the industry faces a slow and challenging rollout, with only a fraction of licensed businesses fully operational. As of Nov. 1, the state’s online licensing database showed that 55 cannabis companies are waiting for licenses. Forty have received provisional licenses, according to the Hartford Courier. However, only 10 businesses – seven dispensaries, two growers, and a delivery service –… Read more.

Alcohol sales are off-limits in Connecticut on Thanksgiving—but marijuana sales are just fine—according to guidance issued on Wednesday by the state’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). Liquor stores will be closed, grocery stores can’t sell beer and even breweries and restaurants are prohibited from selling carry-out drinks. Marijuana retailers, however, can remain open. After apparent confusion over the two policies—with at least one local news outlet mistakenly reporting that sales of both alcohol and cannabis would be paused—DCP issued a clarification stating… Read more.

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) has tapped the former CEO of the state’s first licensed cannabis grower as state program manager for cannabis, CT Insider reports. Jennifer Mandzuk worked at Theraplant from 2014 until January and served as the company’s CEO since July 2022, the report says.  DCP spokesperson Kaitlyn Krasselt told Insider that “Agencies often hire subject matter experts from the industry to ensure high quality, experienced staff.”  The state ethics office told Insider that the state’s code of ethics “does not… Read more.

A legal case has been initiated against the Stamford Zoning Board, aiming to exert control over Connecticut's emerging cannabis sector. In addition to addressing city-specific regulations, the lawsuit, which portrays the state's Social Equity Council as a questionable initiative, holds the potential for far-reaching implications across the state. By contesting the law that legalizes the possession and commercial trade of cannabis in Connecticut, the lawsuit argues that this law runs afoul of the federal Controlled Substances Act.  Legal Challenge Against Stamford Zoning… Read more.

Long after the markets closed on Monday, Acreage Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: ACRHF, ACRDF) reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023. Revenue fell 1.6% from last year to $55 million. Sales fell sequentially by 2.7% from the fourth quarter. The net loss in the first quarter was $16 million, which was slightly higher than last year’s net loss of $13 million. It was a more normal number than the fourth quarter’s kitchen sink net loss of $119 million.… Read more.

The Connecticut House on Wednesday approved a measure to decriminalize small quantities of psilocybin mushrooms, CT Examiner reports. Under the proposal, penalties for possessing less than a half ounce of psilocybin mushrooms would be reduced from a misdemeanor with penalties of up to a year in jail to a simple infraction with a $150 penalty for the first offense.  The measure passed the chamber 86-64 with two Republicans backing the plan and 13 Democrats opposing it.   Under current state law, for second offenses courts… Read more.

Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Clears Another Senate Hurdle Minnesota is close to legalizing marijuana after a Senate committee approved a bill by Sen. Lindsey Port (D). The bill has only two more committees to pass before it can be taken to the full chamber. The House companion bill, sponsored by Rep. Zack Stephenson (D) has already passed through 14 committees, reported Marijuana Moment. Want Some Great Weed In Michigan? Join the ultimate marijuana showdown at Michigan's 4th Annual Cannabis Cup. The competition is back and bigger than ever. With… Read more.

Even though Police Chief Rafael Medina warned of potential mental health concerns, traffic hazards and more, Wethersfield planners have set new rules that allow recreational marijuana shops in town. The decision is likely to draw applications from businesses that want to set up shop on the heavily trafficked Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield’s chief commercial strip. The town enacted a six-month moratorium in late 2021 after the Connecticut General Assembly authorized marijuana sales in the state, but it expired last May. Planners have… Read more.

The first two months of 2023 have shown expansive interest in bold drug policy reform in state legislatures across the country—most recently, with the introduction of numerous new bills touching on everything from psychedelics legalization to authorizing safe drug consumption sites. Lawmakers in several states will conduct hearings on such reform proposals over the next week. The marijuana legalization movement continues to spread and evolve, but it’s become quickly apparent this session that legislators are eager to more holistically move… Read more.

Connecticut may establish a Cannabis Ombudsman position for the state’s medical cannabis program, which would be an independent liaison between patients and the state to address concerns about the program. A bill proposed in Connecticut would create the position of Cannabis Ombudsman – an independent person that would serve as a liaison between medical cannabis patients and the state to address concerns, NBC Connecticut reports. The move comes about a month after adult-use cannabis sales commenced in the state which has caused complaints among… Read more.

As many U.S. states adopt policies that legalize the commercialization of cannabis, Yale School of Medicine recently announced the creation of the new Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids, which will investigate the acute and chronic effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on neurodevelopment and mental health. Its inaugural director will be Deepak Cyril D’Souza, the Albert E. Kent Professor of Psychiatry and an expert in the pharmacology of cannabinoids. The new center comes just as retail cannabis sales begins in… Read more.