State officials announced Friday that licensed hybrid retailers may begin selling cannabis products to all adults 21 and older starting on Jan. 10, 2023.
“We know that many people are excited to participate in this marketplace, whether as a business or a consumer, and we encourage adults who choose to purchase and consume these products to do so responsibly once sales begin on Jan. 10,” said Michelle H. Seagull, commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection.
The state says nine existing medical marijuana producers have met the requirements for an expanded license that allows them to supply both the adult-use cannabis and medical marijuana markets.
Seagull said she expects the number of licensed stores to grow.
“There’s going to be a lot more businesses opening up over the course of 2023,” Seagull said. “There’s nearly 100 additional businesses that are somewhere in a licensing pipeline.”
Sales will be limited to 1/4-ounce of cannabis flower, or its equivalent, per transaction when the market opens. Transaction limits will be reviewed over time and are in place to ensure businesses are able to maintain adequate supply for both adult-use consumers and medical marijuana patients. Patients in the Medical Marijuana Program may purchase up to 5 ounces per month.
The DCP said different types and sizes of products may be purchased together up to a total of 1/4-ounce of cannabis flower or its equivalent per transaction. Examples of what 1/4 of an ounce of cannabis flower or its equivalent might look like include:
- Up to 7 pre-rolled cigarettes that weigh 1 gram each, or 14 pre-rolled cigarettes that weigh 0.5 grams each. Or any combination up to 7 total grams, which equals 1/4-ounce.
- Two to four vape cartridges, which come in 0.5 mL and 1 mL sizes.
- Edibles vary by type and size. A standard-sized brownie or cookie can be the equivalent of 0.08 grams of cannabis flower. One edible serving cannot have more than 5 milligrams of THC.
- A combination of different product types that collectively amount to no more than 1/4 of an ounce.
Patients in the Medical Marijuana Program are advised to purchase any necessary medication prior to Jan. 10, or at one of the nine medical-only dispensaries in the state, as long lines and traffic are expected around the hybrid retailers during the opening weeks of adult-use sales.
The following medical marijuana dispensaries have been notified that they successfully completed the necessary steps for conversion to a hybrid license and may begin selling cannabis products to all adults 21 and over, beginning no earlier than 10 a.m. on Jan. 10, 2023:
- Affinity - New Haven
- Bluepoint Wellness of Connecticut - Branford
- Still River Wellness - Torrington
- Fine Fettle Dispensary - Newington
- Fine Fettle Dispensary - Stamford
- Fine Fettle Dispensary - Willimantic
- The Botanist - Danbury
- The Botanist - Montville
- Willow Brook Wellness - Meriden
Cannabis was approved for adult use in June 2021. DCP has worked since then to move toward the opening of a regulated cannabis marketplace.
Connecticut Public's Jennifer Ahrens contributed to this report.
