Connecticut Cannabis Laws

Is cannabis legal in Connecticut?

Yes. Connecticut has legalized both adult use and medical cannabis.

What are the medical marijuana laws in Connecticut?

Medical cannabis:

Here is an overview of the medical marijuana laws in Connecticut:

2011

Cannabis is decriminalized.

2012

Governor Malloy signed into law a medical marijuana program for his state (HB-5389: AN ACT CONCERNING THE PALLIATIVE USE OF MARIJUANA.) , following a 21–13 vote in the Senate.

2018

In April 2018, a recreational marijuana bill was approved to be sent to the General Assembly in a 27–24 vote. Connecticut has not legalized recreational cannabis.

Recreational cannabis:

2021

Recreational marijuana is legalized in Connecticut, with Governor Ned Lamont signing Senate Bill 1201 (SB 1201) on June 22, 2021. The Senate approved the bill on June 15, 2021 with the bill being passed on June 17, 2021 after amendments from the House.

Starting 21 July, 2021, those aged 21 or over will be allowed to possess and smoke marijuana or eat and drink cannabis products.

The bill also allows for the expungement of convictions for possession of less than 4 ounces of cannabis or six plants or fewer and provides broad protections for legal consumers on the job, in schools, and when renting a residence. Any person whose record has been erased can represent that the arrest or conviction did not occur.

The odor or possession of up to five ounces of cannabis can no longer be used as a basis to stop or search.SB 1201 prohibits prosecution for sale or possession when seeking medical assistance.

Senate Bill 1201 has improved protections for medical cannabis users, as well as non-medical marijuana enthusiasts. Landlords cannot refuse to rent to, or otherwise discriminating against, an existing or prospective tenant based on a past conviction in Connecticut for possessing specified amounts of cannabis, or in another jurisdiction for possessing four or fewer ounces of cannabis. Tenants are not required to undergo a drug test, and non-inhaled cannabis use cannot be prohibited at one’s rental home.

Recreational sales aren’t expected to take place until 2022.

What medical conditions qualify for a Medical Marijuana Card in Connecticut?

The Connecticut law lists the following medical conditions as qualifiers for a medical cannabis card:

• AIDS/HIV
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease
• Autism
• Cachexia or Wasting Syndrome
• Cancer
• Cerebral Palsy – inc. minors
• Chronic Debilitating Migraine
• Chronic Neuropathic Pain Associated with Degenerative Spinal Disorders
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Type 1 and Type II
• Crohn’s Disease
• Cystic Fibrosis (CF) – inc. minors
• Epilepsy – inc. minors
• Glaucoma
• Hydrocephalus with Intractable Headache
• Intractable Headache Syndromes
• Irreversible Spinal Cord Injury with Objective Neurological Indication of Intractable Spasticity – inc. minors
• Muscular Dystrophy (MD) – inc. minors
• Neuropathic Facial Pain
• Osteogenesis Imperfecta – inc. minors
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Post-Herpetic Neuralgia
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis – Severe
• Spasticity or Neuropathic Pain Associated with Fibromyalgia
• Uncontrolled Intractable Seizure Disorder – inc. minors
• Terminal Illness Requiring End-Of-Life Care – inc. minors

How do I get certified for medical cannabis in Connecticut?

There are three simple steps to seeing a Leafwell provider in Connecticut to obtain your medical marijuana card:

1. Create a Leafwell account using a valid email address and choosing a password. You’ll then be asked to complete a brief questionnaire of personal and health information and to either take or upload a photograph of identification (Leafwell is required by law to verify your identity). You will need a smartphone, computer, or tablet with a reliable internet connection and a working camera to be seen by a Leafwell provider.
2. Next, you will be taken to the virtual waiting room where you’ll be connected Leafwell provider for a video chat (i.e., a virtual doctor’s visit). (You will receive a text message to your cell phone when the provider is ready to see you.) During the video chat, the provider will assess your health situation to determine if you qualify for a medical marijuana certification.
3. If you are approved for a medical marijuana card, you’ll be sent a copy of your certificate letter via email. A temporary certificate will be emailed to you. Print it out and buy your medicine. The temporary certificate is valid for up to 60 days, or when you receive the hard copy of your CT MMJ card. Register with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Medical Marijuana Program here. Minors and caregivers can also be registered here.

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Is telemedicine allowed for medical cannabis consultations in Connecticut?

Yes, you can use telemedicine to get certified online as a new patient or to renew your certificate.

How much cannabis can I possess in Connecticut with an MMJ Card?

For medical card holders = Up to 1 month’s supply – the Commissioner of Consumer Protection has increased the monthly allotment of medical marijuana for registered medical marijuana patients to 5.0 ounces per month.

For recreational users = No more than 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower or 7.5 g of cannabis concentrate on their person, and no more than 5 ounces in their homes or locked in their car truck or glove box.

One ounce of cannabis is considered equivalent to five grams of cannabis concentrate or any other cannabis product with up to 500 milligrams of THC.

Is it legal to grow cannabis in Connecticut?

It is illegal to grow cannabis in Connecticut at the moment. Beginning in October of 2021, state-registered medical cannabis patients will be permitted to home-cultivate up to three mature and three immature marijuana plants per person in a household, up to a maximum of 6 mature and 6 immature plants.

Non-medical marijuana patients (i.e. recreational users) will have to wait until July 1, 2023 to be able to grow cannabis legally.

Does Connecticut accept out-of-state cards?

Connecticut does not have medical marijuana reciprocity, and does not recognize other states’ medical marijuana cards.

Will my Connecticut card be accepted in other states?

Yes, some other states with a medical marijuana program recognize Connecticut medical marijuana cards (i.e. they have reciprocity).

The following states accept or recognize out-of-state medical marijuana cards:

• Arizona
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Puerto Rico
• Rhode Island
• US Virgin Islands
• Utah
• Washington, D.C.

However, this does not always mean you can purchase cannabis at a medical marijuana dispensary (non-medical adult use is fine) – just that you are protected by the state’s medical marijuana laws to some extent. It is wise to call the dispensary ahead if you are a medical cannabis patient from another state and you intend on purchasing medical marijuana.

The qualifying condition usually has to match between states, so if your qualifying condition is accepted in one state and not your visiting state, your recommendation is not necessarily valid. You are also beholden to the visiting state’s medical marijuana laws, not the state that issued your card.

The following states accept out-of-state applications, allowing a visiting patient application to use medical cannabis for the duration of their stay:

• Arkansas
• California
• Hawaii
• West Virginia (cancer patients only)

Are there employment laws protecting medical cannabis card holders in Connecticut?

In Noffsinger v. SSC Niantic Operating Co., LLC, a Connecticut federal court held that a federal contractor could not enforce its zero-tolerance drug policy against a medical marijuana user.

However, under Connecticut law, employers can still take appropriate employment action based on reasonable suspicion of an employee’s usage of cannabis while engaged in the performance of work or on call, or upon determining that an employee “manifests specific, articulable symptoms of drug impairment” while working or on call.

Employers cannot discharge or take adverse action against an employee because the employee uses cannabis outside of the workplace. Employers must be able to prove impairment whilst at work, and show that the employee’s work is negatively affected by cannabis use.

Employers can still ask employees not to use cannabis whilst at work. Smoking in the workplace is still prohibited, based on the Connecticut Clean Indoor Air Act.

Federal employees are exempted from Connecticut’s protections.

What are the medical cannabis product testing requirements in Connecticut?

Connecticut requires each medical marijuana brand label to display lab test potency results, including a terpene and cannabinoid profile including THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA, and any other active ingredient that constitutes at least 1% of the marijuana batch used in the product.Mycotoxins, heavy metals and pesticide residue must also be tested for. Testing is self-policed.

Where is it safe to purchase cannabis in Connecticut?

In all states with a medical marijuana program, the only way to purchase medicinal cannabis products is via a legally-licensed dispensary or pharmacy, or another legally designated space to purchase cannabis. Only those with a legal license to sell cannabis can actually do so.

Where is it safe to consume marijuana in Connecticut?

All states with a medical marijuana program have some restrictions on where a person can legally use cannabis. Near schools, nurseries, parks or other places where children are expected to be, using cannabis is illegal. Use of cannabis on or in federal land or buildings, hospitals or any other such healthcare space is also illegal. Private members club and landowners may also prohibit cannabis use on their property or restrict it at their discretion.

The safest place to use medical cannabis is in the safety of your own home. It is wise to use common sense and generally keep consumption out of public view, and utilize discreet consumption methods wherever possible. Some towns and cities in Connecticut have also placed moratoriums on cannabis-based businesses (e.g. Fairfield, CT and Shelton, CT). New Canaan, Westport, Ansonia, Ridgefield, Trumbull, West Hartford and Madison have also applied moratoriums, but these are less strict. However, it is worth knowing which areas are most cannabis-friendly and which are least!