State lawmakers are considering a sweeping bill that would adjust how marijuana is taxed, how businesses operate, and even how cannabis products are regulated. The proposal aims to fine-tune a market that’s still finding its footing just a few years after adult-use sales launched.
One of the biggest changes involves taxes. The bill would replace Connecticut’s current potency-based cannabis tax with a simpler 10.75% excise tax on adult-use sales, a move supporters say could make prices more predictable for both businesses and consumers.
The legislation would also give cannabis businesses a financial break by allowing them to deduct normal business expenses when calculating their Connecticut state income taxes, something many operators have been unable to do under existing rules.
Beyond taxes, the bill tackles several operational issues inside the industry.
New provisions would tighten product testing requirements, ensuring cannabis samples are sent to licensed laboratories and giving businesses a limited window to address failed test results before products must be destroyed.
The proposal would also clarify who can deliver cannabis products. Dispensaries, hybrid retailers, and certain employees could be authorized to deliver marijuana to qualified patients, caregivers, or research participants, expanding access while keeping deliveries within regulated channels.
Another update involves pharmacist staffing rules at dispensaries. The measure would require a licensed pharmacist to be physically present for at least eight hours each week, while also allowing telehealth consultations and remote dispensing when a pharmacist isn’t on site.
Altogether, the proposal represents one of the most comprehensive attempts yet to tweak Connecticut’s cannabis framework.
With competition increasing and some consumers heading across state lines for cheaper marijuana, lawmakers appear eager to smooth out the system before the market fully matures.
If passed, the bill could reshape how cannabis is taxed, sold, and regulated across the state — a sign that Connecticut’s marijuana experiment is still very much a work in progress.
Dabbin-Dad Newsroom
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