Consumer Protection Announces Adult-Use Cannabis Market Opening Date

Adult-use sales will begin in January, following a 30-day notice required by law

HARTFORD — The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has notified licensed hybrid retailers that they may begin selling cannabis products to all adults 21 and over beginning no earlier than 10 a.m., or as local zoning permits, on Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

“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. “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 January 10.”

Following the Social Equity Council’s 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. The law requires at least 250,000 square feet of growing and manufacturing space in the aggregate be approved for adult-use production before retail sales can begin at licensed retailers, including hybrid retailers. With all four producers successfully converted, the 250,000 square-foot threshold has been met.

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.

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 .5 mL and 1 mL sizes.
• Edibles vary by type and size. A standard-sized brownie or cookie can be the equivalent of .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 ¼ of an ounce.

Patients in the Medical Marijuana Program are advised to purchase any necessary medication prior to January 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 January 10, 2023:

Cannabis was approved for adult-use in June 2021. Since then, the Department of Consumer Protection has worked aggressively to move toward the opening of a regulated cannabis marketplace.

For more information about Adult-Use Cannabis, visit ct.gov/cannabis.

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Media Contact:
Kaitlyn Krasselt
kaitlyn.krasselt@ct.gov
(860) 713-6019 (office)
(860) 377-0246 (cell)