CT Cannabis Entrepreneurs Say: Let Us Sell Sooner, Before It All Goes Up in Smoke

Connecticut’s cannabis industry was supposed to be the great green equalizer—a chance for small business owners, especially those from historically disadvantaged communities, to stake their claim in a billion-dollar market. But now, some of those very entrepreneurs are waving a red flag: if the state doesn’t let them sell their cannabis licenses sooner, their dream might go up in smoke.

Under current Connecticut law, social equity license holders—those who qualified based on income and residency in areas hit hardest by the War on Drugs—are locked into a five-year hold. That means no selling their stake, no transferring control, and, in many cases, no lifeline if things go south financially.

And things are going south.

Startups in the cannabis space are expensive. Real estate, security, legal compliance, and product sourcing don’t come cheap. Without access to the capital that major players enjoy, many social equity owners are stuck bootstrapping operations in a high-stakes, heavily regulated market. If they want out—or just need a partner with deeper pockets—they legally can’t make a move for half a decade.

Critics say the rule is well-intentioned but out of touch. It was meant to prevent predatory investors from exploiting social equity licenses, scooping them up and turning the industry into another corporate monopoly. But instead, it’s boxing out the very people it aimed to help.

Now, several owners are calling on the state to revisit the rule. Give them the freedom to sell—or at least partner up—before their businesses burn out. Because owning a license isn’t the same as running a successful dispensary. And right now, too many are being set up to fail.

Bottom line: social equity in cannabis can’t just be about access. It has to be about sustainability. Otherwise, it’s not equity—it’s just PR.

Dabbin-Dad Newroom