With little discussion, a key legislative committee on Thursday approved the first of two bills aimed at revising the commercial cannabis landscape, nearly three years after the legalization of the adult recreational-use retail market was decriminalized.
The bill, which next heads to the state House of Representatives for consideration, would ban the sale of products that contain synthetic forms of cannabis. It would also prohibit members and employees of the state’s Social Equity Council, which oversees the distribution of cannabis licenses — as well as the state department of Consumer Protect — from having monetary interests in cannabis companies, or participate in cannabis-related transactions.
State Rep. David Rutigliano of Trumbull, a top Republican on the panel, said that much of the approved bill was a follow-up to legislation last year aimed at taking so-called Delta-8 ingredients, available in snack foods at gas stations and convenience stores, off the shelves.
Rutigliano said the bill approved Thursday would reclassify synthetic THC as a dangerous drug rated Schedule 1, the same classification for heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. “We’re tightening this up, for sure,” he said. “From an anti-drug perspective, we’re trying to keep things out of stores and away from kids. But we’re also protecting cannabis license holders, because it dilutes the market and the value of their cannabis licenses.” In addition, the bill would also codify that lawfully grown hemp — a form of marijuana that does not contain levels of THC, the active psycho-active ingredient in cannabis that has been found to have medicinal properties — may be transported or shipped through this state.
The General Law Committee unanimously approved the bill on Thursday, noting that next Tuesday — the committee’s deadline day for moving proposed legislation to the floor of the House or Senate — action is scheduled on wider-ranging legislation that would let some social equity applicants apply for additional licenses; allow so-called micro-cultivators sell cannabis seedlings; and ban certain forms of advertising including so-called loyalty programs for return customers.
H/T: https://www.registercitizen.com/
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