HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Gov. Ned Lamont and Mashantucket Pequot Tribe leadership signed Connecticut’s first tribal-state cannabis contract Thursday, giving the tribe legal authority to grow cannabis on their lands.
This agreement allows Mashantucket Pequot Tribe to participate in Connecticut’s cannabis market while respecting tribal sovereignty and public health standards within the state, according to the governor’s office.
The Responsible and Equitable Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis Act coordinates state and tribal rules about possessing, producing, delivering, processing and using cannabis. It passed in June 2021.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe has not authorized any adult-use cannabis businesses yet, but Thursday’s contract will allow for future tribal-licensed transactions.
The contract also determines how regulated cannabis moves between tribal land and other areas of the state, how criminal and civil cannabis laws are enforced, and how tax regulations come into play.
The agreement creates a framework that allows for increased participation in Connecticut’s legal cannabis market, Lamont said.
To read more about state-tribal contacts, click here.
