Licensed cannabis sales topped $18 million in Connecticut during February, the first full month of regulated recreational marijuana sales in the state. Sales of adult-use cannabis began on January 10, only seven months after lawmakers passed legislation to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed legislation to end the prohibition of recreational marijuana in June 2021, legalizing the possession of cannabis by adults 21 and older and creating a framework for regulated adult-use sales. The measure also included restorative justice and social equity measures, including provisions that led to the expungement of nearly 43,000 marijuana-related convictions at the beginning of the year.
The Connecticut legislature passed a bill to legalize the medicinal use of cannabis in 2012, leading to the launch of legal medical marijuana sales to patients with qualifying debilitating medical conditions in September 2014. Regulated sales of adult-use cannabis began in Connecticut at seven of the state’s existing medical marijuana dispensaries on January 10.
“Today marks a turning point in the injustices caused by the war on drugs, most notably now that there is a legal alternative to the dangerous, unregulated, underground market for cannabis sales,” Lamont said in a statement last month. “Together with our partners in the legislature and our team of professionals at the Department of Consumer Protection, we’ve carefully crafted a securely regulated market that prioritizes public health, public safety, social justice, and equity. I look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure that this industry remains inclusive and safe as it develops.”
Cannabis Sales Data Released On Friday
Last week, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) released cannabis sales figures for February of this year, the first full calendar month of regulated adult-use cannabis. According to data provided by the department on Friday, total regulated sales of marijuana for the month came to more than $18.4 million. Total adult-use cannabis purchases in the state totaled about $7.02 million from February 1 through February 28, while medical marijuana sales contributed approximately $11.4 million to the monthly total.
Registered medical marijuana patients purchased 316,644 cannabis products in Connecticut last month, while adults 21 and older bought 168,565 adult-use cannabis items. Since the launch of recreational marijuana sales last month, the DCP’s Drug Control Division has approved more than 600 new brand names for products that may be sold in both the medical marijuana market and the adult-use market.
The DCP collected the cannabis sales data with its BioTrack seed-to-sale tracking system, which monitors the production, distribution and sale of all medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis merchandise in the state. In a press release, the department noted that it does not regulate prices, set sales expectations, or make revenue projections for Connecticut’s licensed cannabis market.
The department noted that cannabis sales information will be made public on or about the tenth day of each month. All data is subject to further review by the DCP. Because Connecticut’s seed-to-sale tracking system was not operational until last month, sales figures for the medical marijuana market prior to January 10 are not available.
Purchase Limits On Recreational Weed in Connecticut
To ensure that there is a sufficient supply of cannabis for the state’s medical marijuana patients, purchases of recreational marijuana are currently limited to a quarter ounce of cannabis flower per transaction. Medical marijuana patients are permitted to buy up to five ounces of cannabis per month, with no quantity limits on individual transactions.
In its notice last week, the DCP reminded consumers and patients that information about responsible cannabis use and the potential health risks of using marijuana is available online.
“Adults who choose to consume cannabis are reminded to do so responsibly, including storing cannabis products in their original packaging, locked up and out of reach of children and pets,” the department noted in its press release. “Resources regarding responsible cannabis use, as well as information about addiction and health risks is available at ct.gov/cannabis.”
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