Connecticut To Become 18th State To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

Connecticut is slated to become the latest state in the U.S. to legalize, tax and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older.

On Thursday, lawmakers passed an adult-use cannabis bill and Governor Ned Lamont said he would sign so the state could move beyond “this terrible period of incarceration and injustice.”

“The war on cannabis, which was at its core a war on people in Black and Brown communities, not only caused injustices and increased disparities in our state, it did little to protect public health and safety,” Governor Lamont said in a statement. “It will help eliminate the dangerous unregulated market and support a new, growing sector of our economy which will create jobs.”

The new law legalizes possession and cultivation of marijuana for adults 21 and older. It will also expunge low-level criminal records related to marijuana. Most of the tax revenue generated from adult-use sales will go communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition and half of the state’s adult-use licenses will be issued to social equity applicants, a provision that New York state incorporated into its law in March.

Connecticut legalized medical marijuana in 2014 and the country’s largest cannabis companies, including Curaleaf, Green Thumb Industries and Trulieve all have footprints in the state.

According to a report Cowen published in April, Connecticut’s cannabis market is expected to grow from $143 million in sales in 2020 to $164 million by the end of this year. Governor Lamont has said that adult-use sales will launch in May 2022.