HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut is taking the next step in the legalization of recreational marijuana. Beginning Thursday, retailers can access the application to become a licensed cannabis establishment.
"This is going to be the place where adult consumers can go and purchase cannabis in a regulated marketplace. Where they can have some confidence in the product they're buying," said Michelle Seagull, commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection.
People will have 90 days to apply and licenses will be chosen through a lottery process.
"We're keeping these open for a few months here, so take some time, get the correct documentation. Certainly, we want you to make the deadline but don't feel like there's an advantage to doing it the first week," Seagull said.
For each round of applications, there will be two lotteries that take place. One, is a general lottery and, the other is for social equity applicants.
"The social equity process levels the playing field for those people who have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. Those who have been convicted, who have been arrested, for illegal use of cannabis," said Ginne-Rae Clay, interim executive director of the Social Equity Council.
The council was created as a part of the legalization of recreational marijuana in Connecticut. Their goal is to make sure the funds from the legalization go back to those hardest-hit communities.
She said there's already been a significant interest in applying to be part of the industry.
"We've had tons of folks contacting us. There's lots of folks who are very, very much interested in the social equity aspect of this process," Clay said. "We are also providing opportunities for folks who are interested in starting businesses that might supply or support the cannabis industry, or just other businesses," she said.
The Department of Consumer Protection said there will be 12 total retail licenses to start, half of which will go to social equity applicants. Eventually, the lotteries will open back up for more licenses.
"It's important to remember this is a first step in a process but it's not going to happen overnight and having this roll out properly and appropriately takes some time," said Seagull.
Connecticut is still on track for the first retail pot shops to open by the end of this year.
The Social Equity Council will begin hosting webinars on Thursday. Information on those sessions can be found here.
The first application period for each license type will open for a period of 90 days on the following dates:
- Disproportionately Impacted Area Cultivator: February 3, 2022 (non-lottery)
- -Retailer: February 3, 2022
- Micro-cultivator: February 10, 2022
- Delivery Service: February 17, 2022
- Hybrid Retailer: February 24, 2022
- Food and Beverage: March 3, 2022
- Product Manufacturer: March 10, 2022
- Product Packager: March 17, 2022
- Transporter: March 24, 2022
An equal number of licenses will be available to social equity and general applicants. The number of licenses available in each category in the first application round are listed below:
- Retailer: 6 general licenses, 6 Social Equity licenses
- Micro-cultivator: 2 general licenses, 2 Social Equity licenses
- Delivery Service: 5 general licenses, 5 Social Equity licenses
- Hybrid Retailer: 2 general licenses, 2 Social Equity licenses
- Food and Beverage: 5 general licenses, 5 Social Equity licenses
- Product Packager: 3 general licenses, 3 Social Equity licenses
- Product Manufacturer: 3 general licenses, 3 Social Equity licenses
- Transporter: 2 general licenses, 2 Social Equity licenses
Gaby Molina is a reporter and anchor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at gmolina@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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