A hemp cultivator based in Cheshire has filed a federal lawsuit contending that Connecticut’s approach to awarding adult-use cannabis cultivation licenses is constitutionally flawed and discriminatory. BackgroundSince launching his hemp farm in 2018, following federal legalization of non-intoxicating hemp, farmer Brant Smith has sought the opportunity to transition into … [Read more...] about Hemp Farmer Initiates Federal Legal Action, Challenging Connecticut’s Cannabis Licensing Framework
Licensing
Court Declares New York’s Cannabis Licensing Preferences Unconstitutional
In a landmark ruling issued in August 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit struck down New York State’s cannabis licensing preferences that favored residents with prior in-state marijuana convictions. The court found that the system violates the Dormant Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits states from enacting laws that discriminate … [Read more...] about Court Declares New York’s Cannabis Licensing Preferences Unconstitutional
