Connecticut regulators announced on Tuesday that they will start accepting certain marijuana business license applications at the beginning of next month. The news follows a meeting of the state’s Social Equity Council (SEC), where members approved a technical assistance plan for the cannabis industry that will involve outreach and providing resources to people interested in participating in the market. That plan’s finalization was a necessary condition to trigger the start of the licensing process under the legalization law signed by Gov. Ned Lamont (D) last year. The decision means that the state Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) will soon be able to accept cannabis business applications, though the timeline for each type of licensee varies. There will be two separate lotteries: a general lottery and a social equity lottery. The first applications will open for social equity applicants on February 3 and last 90 days. SEC will ensure that those selected through that lottery meet the right standards, which means there must be at least 65 percent ownership or control of the business by people who “meet the income and residency requirements for a social equity applicant outlined in the law,” DCP said in a press release. People who fall under the “Disproportionately Impacted Areas” category can also pay a $3 million fee to get a cultivator license without going through the lottery. For those in the general lottery category—which involves licensing for retailers, micro-cultivators, delivery services, transporters and more—there will also be a 90-day application period starting at different times from February 3 through March 24. Regulators say there will likely be a second lottery period for most license types in the second half of 2022
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 01/05/2022 08:43:00