Lucky number 18! Connecticut governor signed the bill to make recreational weed legal in their state on June 22, 2021! Which will be implemented starting on July 1st, 2021. There are some stipulations as per usual, but overall this just brings us one step closer to having federal legalization, now having 36% of the U.S. on board with Marijuana!
Here is a simplified overview of the bill that was passed;
Sales: Connecticut hopes to start selling cannabis for retail by the end of 2022. You will need a license to sell, manufacture and grow. People who don't have a retail license can gift Marijuana to others, but cannot sell it.
Tax Design: Similar to most states, the taxation will include 1: A municipal sales tax of 3% that will be directed to the city or town it was sold in. 2: A state sales tax of 6.35% and 3: A THC content based tax, starting with edibles, they will tax 2.75 cents per milligram of THC; 0.625 cents of each milligram in flower; as well as 0.9 cents per milligram for any other form of THC.
Possession: Adults 21 and over will be able to posses cannabis legally starting July 1st, 2021. They can't have more than 1.5 ounces of weed on their person. They will be allowed to have 5 ounces locked inside the car trunk or glove box.
Growing from home: If you are a patient in Connecticut's medical marijuana program, you are permitted to grow six weed plants, they can't all be mature plants though, three of them have to be immature. They estimate that around the beginning of 2023, all adults of legal age will be able to grow a similar amount of plants in their homes. The government requires these plants to be in a secure place where other people can't get to them.
Cannabis Convictions: A certain criteria of weed related convictions that were charged between January 1st, 2000 and October 1st, 2015 will be erased.
These few key points are only parts of what this bill will mean for cannabis users. It's a good day for not only the stoners of Connecticut, but the people that see such a tremendous improvement on their quality of life and medical ailments. Here's to hoping this weed train doesn't stop anytime soon!
