The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (“DCP”) has announced the timeline for adult-use applications, signaling that the Connecticut adult-use marketplace is ready to grow.
DCP will begin accepting applications for certain adult-use cannabis establishment licenses by February 3, 2022. The majority of licenses will be subject to initial license caps as well as a lottery, with the exception of social equity cultivation licenses located in Disproportionately Impacted Areas. This initial application round will remain open for 90 days, though the DCP has indicated that it will hold a second lottery in the second half of 2022.
The first application period for each license type to be issued by DCP is outlined below:
The total number of licenses solicited by the DCP in the first round are as follows (as broken down by number available to both the social equity and general license pool):
- Retailer: 6 general licenses, 6 Social Equity licenses
- Micro-cultivator: 2 general licenses, 2 Social Equity licenses
- Delivery Service: 5 general licenses, 5 Social Equity licenses
- Hybrid Retailer: 2 general licenses, 2 Social Equity licenses
- Food and Beverage: 5 general licenses, 5 Social Equity licenses
- Product Packager: 3 general licenses, 3 Social Equity licenses
- Product Manufacturer: 3 general licenses, 3 Social Equity licenses
- Transporter: 2 general licenses, 2 Social Equity licenses
Importantly, though social equity cultivators located in Disproportionately Impacted Areas are solicited in this same 90 day period, the DCP has yet to announce whether there will be any corresponding cap on the total number of these licenses to be approved.
The Social Equity Council has adopted forms related to social equity applicant’s proof of residency, income, and ownership/control requirements, though more application information will be released by the DCP in the weeks to come.
