Connecticut Regulators announced Tuesday they will begin accepting applications for recreational cannabis business licenses in February
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) said that it would begin accepting applications for some adult-use cannabis license types in 30 days, following the final approval of technical assistance plans by the department’s Social Equity Council earlier on Tuesday.
“This work by the Social Equity Council is a critical step in the licensure process for the emerging Adult-Use cannabis market in Connecticut and will be instrumental in ensuring the equity goals established in the law are met,” DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull said in a press release from the agency.
Lawmakers in Connecticut legalized the use and possession of cannabis by adults last summer, making the state the fourth of five states to legalize recreational cannabis in 2021. Connecticut regulators are currently drafting rules to govern the adult-use cannabis industry, with dispensaries expected to begin selling recreational cannabis as soon as later this year.
The DCP also announced the number of licenses for each adult-use cannabis business type that will be available in the first lottery round to be held later this year. A total of 12 retailer licenses, 10 delivery licenses and four hybrid retailer licenses will be awarded, with licenses for each type equally split among general and social equity applicants.
The department will also award a limited number of licenses for other recreational cannabis businesses including micro-cultivators, transporters, manufacturers and product packagers in the first round lottery, with all license types equally divided among social equity and general applicants.
“The initial number of available licenses is not a cap, but a starting point for opening the adult-use cannabis market in an effective, measured and thoughtful way,” Seagull said. “We know people are anxious to apply and see this market open, and we are hopeful that making this information available will help applicants as they begin to prepare for the lottery process.”
