Signed by Governor Ned Lamont

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that authorizes the legalization of possession and sale of cannabis or marijuana in the state.

Highlights:

• Defines "cannabis product" as cannabis that is in the form of a cannabis concentrate or a product that contains cannabis, which may be combined with other ingredients, and is intended for use or consumption. "Cannabis product" does not include the raw cannabis plant (Sec. 1-7).

• Establishes any person subject to a fine under the provisions of this section can attest to his or her indigency, and, instead of paying such fine, complete community service with a private nonprofit charity or other nonprofit organization (Sec. 3.h).

• Prohibits the use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, test, analyze, pack, repack, store, contain or conceal, or to ingest, inhale or otherwise introduce into the human body, any controlled substance, other than cannabis (Sec. 4.a).

• Establishes any person who has been convicted in any court of this state of possession can have all police and court records and records of the state or prosecuting attorney about such a conviction in any court of this state erased by petitioning the court (Sec. 9).

• Prohibits a cannabis establishment, employee, or backer of a cannabis establishment from being subject to arrest or prosecution, penalized in any manner, including, but not limited to, being subject to any civil penalty, or denied any right or privilege, including, but not limited to, being subject to any disciplinary action by a professional licensing board, for the acquisition, distribution, possession, use or transportation of cannabis or paraphernalia (Sec. 11).

• Specifies any person eighteen years of age or older who before July 1, 2023, violates subsection (a) of this section by growing up to three mature cannabis plants and three immature cannabis plants in such person's residence for personal use (Sec. 13.d):

• For a first offense, will be issued a written warning;

• For a second offense, will be fined not more than $500; and 

• For any subsequent offense, will be guilty of a class D misdemeanor.

• Establishes the use or possession of cannabis by a person that does not violate section 21a-279a of the general statutes, or chapter 420f of the general statutes will not be grounds for revocation of such person's parole, special parole, or probation (Sec. 16).

• Establishes the existence of any of the following circumstances does not constitute in part or the whole probable cause or reasonable suspicion and shall not be used as a basis to support any stop or search of a person or motor vehicle (Sec. 18):

• The odor of cannabis or burnt cannabis;

• The possession of or the suspicion of possession of cannabis without evidence that the quantity of cannabis is or suspected to be more than 5 ounces of cannabis plant material or an equivalent amount of cannabis products or a combination of cannabis and cannabis products; or

• The presence of cash or currency in proximity to cannabis without evidence that such cash or currency exceeds $500.

• Authorizes a hybrid retailer to sell cannabis and medical marijuana products, to qualifying patients and caregivers. Any cannabis or medical marijuana products sold to qualifying patients and caregivers will be dispensed by a licensed pharmacist and will be recorded in the electronic prescription drug monitoring program (Sec. 42.c).

Full Bill Text