Connecticut has enacted sweeping amendments to its cannabis and hemp regulatory landscape, introducing enhanced product definitions, licensing frameworks, enforcement powers, and compliance mandates. Drawing on input from the legislature and the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), the reforms aim to balance consumer protection, equity objectives and industry growth.
🌿 1. New Product Categories & THC Thresholds
- Moderate‑THC Hemp (0.5 mg–5 mg THC per container) must now be sold exclusively by DCP-certified businesses beginning January 1, 2025. To qualify, vendors must demonstrate that at least 85% of their monthly revenue is derived from these products.
- Infused Beverages — defined as non‑alcoholic drinks containing up to 3 mg THC per 12 oz — may be manufactured and sold only by licensed entities, subject to new licensing costs (e.g., $5,000 fee), packaging parameters, and age restrictions.
- A revised definition for “high‑THC hemp” now includes any hemp product exceeding 1 mg per serving or 5 mg per container, classifying it under stricter cannabis regulations .
🏗️ 2. Social‑Equity & Cultivation Flexibility
- DIA (Disproportionately Impacted Area) cultivators can now apply for micro-cultivation status through a $500,000 fee—far lower than the previous $3 million threshold—and maintain the ability to form a joint equity venture.
- The reforms permit outdoor cultivation within municipalities encompassing DIAs (including tribal lands), provided zoning conditions and acreage criteria (minimum ten contiguous acres) are met .
- Licensed hemp farmers are now allowed to produce cannabis under select cannabis licenses—a move designed to mitigate supply constraints by integrating hemp growers into the regulated adult‑use market.
📢 3. Advertising & Marketing Restrictions
- A state‑wide ban now prohibits cannabis businesses from advertising discounts or promotional offers outside their premises or on third-party platforms. Advertising is strictly confined to in-store promotions or the entities’ owned websites.
🤝 4. Project Labor Agreements (PLAs)
- Mandatory PLAs must now encompass labor unions for any cannabis-related construction or renovation exceeding $5 million. This extends to all associated entities, raising the labor compliance bar on large-scale facilities.
🚨 5. Enforcement Enhancements
- The DCP now holds authority to categorize violations of cannabis laws as CUTPA (Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act) infractions. Violators may face civil fines up to $5,000 per willful breach, $25,000 for restraining order violations, and restitution or injunctive relief orders .
- Local municipalities may seek court orders (without prior hearings) to seize illicit cannabis products, aided by expanded DCP enforcement authority .
🧪 6. Synthetic Cannabinoids
- To ensure public safety, all synthetic cannabinoids are now categorized as Schedule I controlled substances, effectively banning their manufacture and sale.
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