Connecticut Receives Over 37,000 Cannabis Industry License Applications.

By Hunter Dublin | July 14, 2022

According to the Hartford Courant, Connecticut has received over 37,000 applications for 56 cannabis business licenses. The deadline for applications passed last week. The majority of the applications are for licenses in under-represented neighborhoods.

The Department of Consumer Protection received 13,806 general lottery applications and 23,487 social equity license applications. In all, 15,606 applications were received for retail establishments across both licensing classes. The 56 licenses will be distributed equally among general and social-equity firms. Regulators will grant 12 retail licenses: four to micro-cultivators, four to co-located adult-use and medical-use outlets, ten to delivery and food and beverage enterprises, six to packaging and makers, and four to transporters.

Michelle Bodian of the cannabis legal firm Vicente Sederberg said that the state made approximately $1 million in application fees in the first lottery round. According to the study, costs in the state range from $128 to $750.

On July 12, the state's social equity council will convene to choose applicants that match the state's social equality standards; those who are not selected will be forwarded to the public lottery.

Connecticut authorized adult-use cannabis last year but has since prohibited retail gifting as the state goes through with the application process. Future lottery rounds are scheduled to occur later in the summer or early in the fall.