Connecticut House Passes Bipartisan Measure Regulating Cannabis And Hemp Industries

Connecticut House passed Tuesday a bipartisan bill to regulate the cannabis and hemp industries in a 130-16 vote, sending it to the Senate.  

Measure No. 5150, “An Act Concerning Cannabis And Hemp Regulation,” would redefine high-THC hemp products, ban specific cannabis product advertising and promotion, and allow some hemp farmers to enter the marketplace. 

"We can't ban them, but we can regulate the hell out of them," said Rep. Mike D'Agostino (D) co-chair of the General Law Committee as reported by CT Mirror. "We say, OK, those products need to be manufactured in accordance with our standards. They need to be labeled in accordance with our standards they have to be to have disclosures in accordance with our standards."

The initial version of the bill proposed limiting the amount of THC per serving to 0.5 milligrams, but this was amended to one milligram per serving, enabling sales in package stores and cannabis dispensaries.  

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Rules Need To Be Followed

The measure also strictly limits advertising for cannabis businesses, and establishes labeling and licensing rules.  

"We need to make sure that the rules are being followed, that there's not a product out there that is unregulated, that is being sold to minors, that is being sold in convenience stores, that is outside of the strict structures that we created," D'Agostino said.

Rep. Dave Rutigliano (R) was among many Republicans who are against cannabis legalization, but voted in favor of the bill.  

"It's already legal. We can't make it unllegal. So what we've decided to do is try to regulate it in a way that makes a safer environment for everyone," Rutigliano said. "Our goal this year, as it was last year, is to get THC products, intoxicating products out of our supermarkets, convenience stores and gas stations, to put it in a place where it's regulated, where it's taxed and controlled."

Promotions and discounts are also forbidden under this measure, and Rutigliano previously commented on that by saying, “We thought that commercialization of marijuana was supposed to be sort of a social justice kind of thing, to decriminalize it, not to promote it. These guys are putting these coupons in the Pennysaver.”

See Also: Video – Connecticut AG Warns Of Illegal Cannabis Edibles Packaged To Look Like Children’s Snacks

Courtesy of Handatko via Shutterstock