Before moving to Connecticut to join the staff she worked in Los Angeles for public radios Marketplace and, before that, for the Wall Street Journal's L.A. bureau. Darrel Williams grew up in Okmulgee, a city of less than 12,000 people south of Tulsa. The proposal would permit individuals aged 21 and older to buy marijuana products for recreational use from licensed vendors. Adults over 21 can now purchase cannabis in Connecticut regardless of whether or not they have a medical. In California, lawmakers have weighed whether to require labels on cannabis products that warn of health risks. We are hanging in there but across the industry in Oklahoma its rough going for the operators who are doing things the right way. Psychiatric and all the other stuff. Adult-use sales will begin in January, following a 30-day notice required by law. Curaleaf says they plan to have a celebration on Friday for their opening which will feature giveaways, discounts and food. According to the Zen Leaf website, the dispensary will have "cannabis flower, in an array of strains, pre-rolls, in single and 5-pack options," as well as inhalants. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, A Costumer from Connecticut buys marihuana supplies at the Weed World store on March 31, 2021, in New York. Montville, CT. 887 Norwich-New London Turnpike Uncasville, CT 06382. Susan Bysiewicz; and Senate President Pro-Tem Martin Looney, D-New Haven. About: The Botanist Montville will be open for recreational sales on Jan. 10. The 9 cannabis dispensaries ready for retail sales in Connecticut, according to the state. Affinity in New Haven, Bluepoint Wellness in Branford, Still River Wellness in Torrington, Fine Fettle stores in Newington, Stamford and WIllimantic, The Botanist stores in Danbury and Montville, [] A breakdown of all 14 licenses can be viewed here. Oklahoma voters legalized medicinal marijuana in 2018 under a similar statewide vote. Existing medical-use cultivators and retailers had to pay steep fees to convert their operations. 2016 CT.gov | Connecticut's Official State Website, regular Since then, the Department of Consumer Protection has worked aggressively to move toward the opening of a regulated cannabis marketplace. A cannibis plant that is close to harvest grows in a grow room at the Greenleaf Medical Cannabis facility in Richmond, Va., Thursday, June 17, 2021. Some of the features on CT.gov will not function properly with out javascript enabled. Michelle Tilley, the director for the Yes on SQ 820 campaign, said another component of the proposal is that it will require resentencing, reversing, modifying and expunging certain prior marijuana-related convictions. She grew up in Minneapolis, MN, graduated from Haverford College and earned a masters in journalism from the University of Southern California. I anticipate that certainly by the end of the first half of the year, we should be seeing some of those businesses ready to go, Comer said. Seven of the nine will be open on Jan. 10. 2023 The Conneticut News Project. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Under the law, the fee to convert is $1 million for retailers and $3 million for producers, which could be prohibitive for many businesses. At least half of the applications will be awarded to the social equity lottery. The measure includes a licensing process for recreational dispensaries, commercial growers, processors and transporters. The closest update comes from a press release by CT.gov, which states that "Retail . Thats wonderful I think, yes very good its helping out everybody really, said Nicholas Karo of Vernon. Our team of experts work together to ensure that you receive the best possible patient experience and treatment options. Customers can see available inventory on the website, choose a preferred time frame for pickup and head to the dispensary once they receive a "ready" text message. There is no current information on when the dispensary will open to those over 21. Some of the benefits of going to a medical dispensary include access to products with high THC levels, no taxes, product protection from shortages and access to regulated cannabis before the opening of recreational dispensaries. Tilley said she believes the drug has always been popular in Oklahoma and that people are just being more open about it now. In response to a question [] On Tuesday, yes. The fourth application was submitted two weeks ago and is under review, according to DCP. The state Department of Consumer Protection said on Friday, Dec. 9, that eight licensed hybrid retailers will be allowed to open their doors at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2023, depending on local zoning hours. Another potential hitch: retail sales cant commence until theres an aggregate of 250,000 square feet of grow and manufacture space in Connecticut thats devoted to the adult-use market. /. It helps people mend with their problems, said Christopher Yarmolovich, Hartford. Seagull said Tuesday that threshold had been met. The state is about to take a major step toward the sale of recreational cannabis for adults in Connecticut. All Rights Reserved. MONTVILLE, Conn. -- Connecticut's first round of recreational cannabis sales for adults 21 and older . Sales are expected to hit $375 million within the first year. CBD usually comes from hemp, a form of cannabis that has very minimal levels of THC. Gov. To buy from this location on Jan. 10, all orders must be placed ahead of time for pickup at finefettle.com. Unlike medical marijuana businesses that are building on existing operations and infrastructure, new entrants will be trickling into the market more slowly over the coming year or so. The group says existing medical patients will have priority access through a dedicated medical entrance. He's originally from the Bronx, but spent the last decade in Florida writing about everything from politics to Disney and tracing the steps of cultural icons like Jack Kerouac. In November, a man was arrested for killing four Chinese nationals at an illegal Oklahoma marijuana farm after demanding employees give him $300,000 as a return for his investment in the illegal operation, prosecutors said. 2021, with a large chunk of tax revenues from sales set to go to minority communities. Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily briefings. All Rights Reserved. Opening day for recreational cannabis sales in Connecticut appeared to go smoothly Tuesday, with lines both short and long at the seven dispensaries spread across the state.. A spokesperson for . Daniel Figueroa IV is the Associate Editor for Hearst Connecticut Media Group's Trending and Features team. Copyright 2023 WFSB. As of this week, three of those four existing medical marijuana producers Advanced Grow Labs, Connecticut Pharmaceutical Solutions and Curaleaf have fulfilled the requirements to obtain hybrid licenses, enabling them to serve both the medical and recreational markets. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. I do think theres a problem with the edibles. FAQ: What to know about recreational cannabis dispensaries in Connecticut, Everything you need to know about cannabis in CT, Weed edibles: How theyll be regulated in CT, Brian A. Provisional license recipients are now working to get up and running, which includes finding space for their operations and obtaining local zoning approvals, said Andrea Comer, DCP deputy commissioner and chair of the Social Equity Council tasked with evaluating applicants. In fact, we serve patients from all over the state. Its Fine Fettles fourth retail cannabis store. I am proud of the hard work our team has done to meet the goal of opening adult-use sales in a safe, well-regulated market, said DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull. This marks Curaleafs second recreational facility in the state. That stigma has just continued to melt away.. Its really archaic language, Cantrell said. CBD is the other main cannabinoid. (860) 377-0246(cell), Media Contact: Some point out that the lotteries favor those who entered multiple times and paid multiple fees $500 for general applicants and $250 for social equity enterprises to gain an advantage. Long lines are expected as the highly anticipated opening of the nine dispensaries to the general public begins on Jan. 10. To date, DCP has issued provisional licenses to more than 40 growers and retailers. Sale of recreational marijuana in CT depends on all four existing medical marijuana producers or additional cultivation to come online, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Retails sales of pot started Tuesday morning at seven dispensaries across the. Existing medical-use cultivators and . Private landowners and businesses would be allowed to prohibit or regulate the use of marijuana on their property or during the course of employment. Stitt, who was elected to a second term in November, also spoke about the flux of foreign nationals buying up Oklahoma farm land to operate marijuana growing operations. Please reload the page and try again. Hours: Monday - Wednesday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Thursday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday: Closed, About: Though licensed for recreational cannabis sales, Still River Wellness will not be selling recreationally on Jan. 10. Now theres weed on every corner.. Two more retail cannabis stores opened on Friday. Some haulers caught, Arming guidance counselors? Before moving to Connecticut to join the staff she worked in Los Angeles for public radios Marketplace and, before that, for the Wall Street Journal's L.A. bureau. This is what creates the "high" feeling when consuming THC products, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Get CT Mirror briefings with enterprise reporting, investigations and more in your inbox daily. This is also the first store to start giving a portion of profits to disadvantaged communities. To buy from this location on Jan. 10, all orders must be placed ahead of time for pickup at finefettle.com. The first application period for certain licenses will open on Thursday. We appreciate the fact that youre a customer and well treat you like an individual. The Department of Consumer Protection will notify a third-party lottery operator of the social equity applicants and after that, the first lottery commences. The lottery operator provides the DCP with numerical rankings for each applicant, by which time the Social Equity Council will go through each chosen application to ensure that they are indeed a social equity applicant. A standard-sized brownie or cookie can be the equivalent of .08 grams of cannabis flower. The state has not revealed an exact date for the opening of recreational dispensaries in Connecticut. That fee can be cut in half if the MMJ operator partners with a social equity business. On Jan. 10, 2023, retail sales of adult-use recreational marijuana will begin in Connecticut, with as many as seven locations opening on that date. Weed has been legal in Connecticut since 2021 and while the program's rollout has slowed rolling up, Nutmeggers will soon be able to take a toke without going over the state line. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Retail sales of pot will begin this morning at 9 dispensaries across the state.. I believe it would be a grave mistake to give these criminals a larger market to serve.. But for me, it represented a great business opportunity and thankfully they saw it that way as well.. They sell both medical and recreational marijuana. Seagull said 42 provisional licenses have been granted to various types of marijuana businesses, from cultivators to manufacturers, distributors, retailers and delivery services. To complete a Change of Dispensary, . There are 17 registered medical dispensaries located in Connecticut. Hours: Starting Jan. 10, the hours will be Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sunday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. About: A spokesperson for The Botanist Danbury said the location will not be opening Jan. 10 for recreational cannabis sales, but does plan to open in the coming months. The Department of Consumer Protection details that "adult-use cannabis retail sales are anticipated to begin in the state by the end of 2022.". Where can you buy recreational cannabis in Connecticut? Trulieve in Bristol opened Friday. The "Adult Use Only Menu" will be available after 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9. The year-long delay in recreational sales comes from the state's rollout of licenses and marijuana preservation plans. Hours: Monday - Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Thursday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 7 p,m. In all, nearly 100 businesses are somewhere in the licensing pipeline, Seagull said. The state also plans to offer technical assistance to cannabis entrepreneurs. Because there has been enough supply in the state, we havent had to fight over product, said Ben Zachs, COO of Fine Fettle. Things are pretty tight right now, Cantrell said. Ned Lamont signed the states law legalizing recreational pot, officials on Friday gave a required 30-day public notice of the markets official opening date. Given this threshold, the start of adult-use cannabis sales relies on the successful conversion of all four existing medical marijuana producers or additional cultivation to come online, the announcement read. The cannabis dispensary on Memorial Drive has been open since October. A CT bill would expand it. The "Connecticut Recreational Marijuana" is a state that will be launching recreational cannabis in 2022. Alex Premoli makes the first sale to a customer on the opening day of recreational marijuana sales at Theory Wellness in Great Barrington, Mass., Friday, January 11, 2019. One edible serving cannot have more than 5 milligrams of THC. All Rights Reserved. Current Policies (Updated January 2023) Cannabis is fully legal for medical and recreational use in Connecticut. Subscribe to Here's the Deal, our politics newsletter. To obtain a growers license, Oklahoma law requires that at least 75 percent of the ownership of a commercial grower operation be owned by Oklahoma residents. Applications had to include various social equity considerations, including the businesss plans for recruiting, retaining and promoting people from disproportionately-impacted areas. Our credo: "Good Health. There are even CBD cafes in Connecticut. Adam Kemp Please reload the page and try again. About This Dispensary. Former Oklahoma Gov. All rights reserved. Catch up on the status of marijuana laws and sales in Connecticut. Its Windy Too Woman arrested for prostitution near school in Watertown, Bomb threat called into North Haven Cinemark deemed hoax, suspect arrested, Norwalk math coach arrested after putting 5th grade student in chokehold, Overturned tractor trailer shuts down Route 9 in Middletown. As expected, the states existing medicinal marijuana infrastructure provided the groundwork for establishing the adult-use supply chain, but the fees to convert those licenses were significant: $1 million for retailers and $3 million for producers. He felt like marijuana just appeared overnight. Dispensaries are required to list the THC percentage on all products containing THC. (Thousands of applications have been submitted across the eight lotteries.). It costs $2,500 to obtain a sellers license in Oklahoma in contrast to neighboring Arkansas, where it can exceed $100,000. Connecticuts law caps THC percentages in flower at 30 percent a limit routinely exceeded by medical-grade cannabis. Seven of the nine medical marijuana dispensaries approved for a hybrid license were ready to start selling cannabis products to adults 21 . The application period is open for 90 days, according to an announcement from the state Department of . In CT its pick between these 4 eighths. Affinity Dispensary is an adult-use and medical marijuana dispensary built to serve the greater New Haven, Connecticut community. With medical cannabis dispensaries in Newington, Stamford and Willimantic, and adult use coming on January 10th to all three plus our new store opening soon in Manchester, you're never too far from a Fine Fettle Connecticut location. Following the Social Equity Councils vote Tuesday, all 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. Individual flowers and concentrates will most likely be available as well. font size, I am proud of the hard work our team has done to meet the goal of opening adult-use sales in a safe, well-regulated market, said. In Massachusetts, a case study. Photo by Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman/USA Today Network. When he's not searching for stories to tell, Daniel can be found in a book, on a motorcycle, playing drums or dreaming of galaxies far, far away. New York joins 14 other US states and the District of Columbia in permitting cannabis after lawmakers in both state chambers, where Cuomo's Democratic Party holds strong majorities, backed the bill on March 30. The Botanist encourages online ordering as it will speed up the purchasing process ahead of what the website said will be thousands of people coming to buy recreationally. Is CT recycling going into the trash? Some haulers caught, Arming guidance counselors? Although recreational use of cannabis has been legal in Connecticut since 2021, retail sellers are only now being allowed to open their doors to the public, starting Jan. 10. There was a lot of work that went into being able to make todays announcement, Michelle Seagull, commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection, told reporters at a Friday morning press conference. Kevin Pattah, a Michigan native who came to Oklahoma to get into the cannabis business, now operates six Mango Cannabis retail locations across the state. Hours: Monday - Thursday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday: Closed *Hours listed are only serving medical marijuana customers at this moment. I think the kids are more apt to get a hold of them and they do look like the actual candies, said Tammy Castonguay of Manchester. We're going to be constantly evaluating, talking to the businesses and monitoring the situation. In addition, CBD-based products can be purchased outside of dispensaries, and can found in a number of stores and online shops. But critics of SQ 820, including Republican Gov. The company's other location in Montville will open on Jan. 10. However, it should be noted that because cannabis has not been legalized on a national level, it is illegal to bring it over the state line, according to the Cannabis Control Commission of Massachusetts. (860) 713-6019(office) It has several locations: in Newington, Willimantic, and one soon to open in Stamford.. Some argue the conversion fees for medical producers and retailers restrict access to large companies that have millions of dollars to spare. - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation legalizing recreational marijuana on March 31. Existing medical marijuana producers and dispensaries can convert to adult use if they meet certain requirements and pay a fee. Tom Macre, founder of Still River Wellness, a medical marijuana dispensary in Torrington. They argue that children will be at the most risk if any further expansion of marijuana is passed, citing mental health risks among their concerns. [email protected] Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Twelve are up and running or will be soon. Located in Northern Torrington directly off Route 8, the dispensary provides access to the thousands of Litchfield County registered patients who currently need to travel to other counties for their medicine. The use of medical marijuana, and medical marijuana dispensaries, has been legal in the state since 2012, so the state does have some existing legal, physical, and personnel infrastructure around the industry. Area residents will have to go elsewhere in CT when legal cannabis sales begin, but a local shop may be allowed to open soon. Only a handful of dispensaries will launch initially, and there are limits on how . Kevin Stitt, say the marijuana industry has increased drug addiction rates and brought bad actors into the state.