A new state law legalizing recreational cannabis for people aged 21 and older took effect last week, on July 1. Retail sales are anticipated by the end of 2022.

Governor Ned Lamont, who signed the bill on June 22, said that by creating a legal adult-use market in Connecticut for cannabis, the state will remain economically competitive with many neighboring states that have already legalized it, according to a press release. These include Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Vermont and Maine.

The new law addresses those negatively impacted by prohibiting cannabis in the state, establishing a Social Equity Council to help ensure that these communities are provided with opportunities to participate in the industry. It also erases cannabis-related convictions from a person’s criminal record.

State Representative Christine Palm (D-36) and State Senator Norm Needleman (D-33) said that the social equity components of the legislation were an important factor in voting to approve it. The vote on final passage of the bill in the House of Representatives was 76 to 62 on June 16. The final vote in the Senate was 16 to 11 on June 17.

“It’s been so ubiquitous for so long in the state that I’m not sure that legalizing it will have that detrimental effect,” said Needleman, adding, “we really did focus on trying to make sure that a leg up was given to people that might have been more negatively impacted than other people.”

Palm said, “we wanted to make sure that those folks who were disproportionally harmed were given a fair shake at reaping the benefits of the legalization. So ultimately, I was satisfied with it.”

“I also agreed with a lot of my colleagues, that we needed to increase the amount of the revenue that would go toward prevention and addiction education, which we did,” she continued.

Starting in 2023, 25 percent of the revenue from the state cannabis tax will go toward substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery services, as well as for the collection and analysis of substance abuse data.

The content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical found in the cannabis plant that is the main ingredient associated with feelings of euphoria or getting “high”, will be capped for sales in Connecticut.

“Everybody says, ‘oh, this isn’t the pot of the ‘60s’, and I think we had to acknowledge that it gets mixed with things, there are different strengths,” said Palm. “So, we did put a cap on THC levels…30 percent for the dry flower, 60 percent for concentrates.”

Palm discussed how the drug should be regulated and controlled by the government, as are other substances, like alcohol.

She said that a vote against the legislation “would have been to continue with the status quo, and the status quo isn’t working.”

“I’d rather see that product regulated, not mixed with fentanyl, and yes, to get the revenue,” said Palm. “A lot of people don’t want to acknowledge how important that is, but I do think it’s silly to be losing that revenue to neighboring states. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

The state anticipates millions of dollars in new state tax revenue through the legalization of cannabis. Municipalities with retail establishments would benefit from a 3 percent municipal sales tax, which must be used in the town where the sale occurred, according to state officials.

There are provisions under the new legislation for local zoning officials to prohibit the sale of cannabis or restrict retail establishments to certain locations in town.

A petition signed by 10 percent of a municipality’s citizenry is necessary to bring the decision on whether to allow the sale of recreational cannabis to a referendum.

“Each town will decide,” said Needleman. “The incentive is from tax revenue, but it’s really much more of a zoning issue. I wouldn’t advocate one way or another. I don’t think it’s my role.”

Similarly, Palm said that the decision on cannabis sales within a municipality’s borders is now with local officials.

“I think, honestly, my opinion about whether they should or shouldn’t is irrelevant,” said Palm. “It was my job to give them the option and I did that. And now it’s up to the townspeople and the town managers to figure out if that is an appropriate use in their town.”