What are Medical Marijuana Laws in Connecticut? (Updated Laws- 2023)

Connecticut allows both medical and recreational use of marijuana but marijuana is still a schedule I substance under federal law. This means marijuana is legal, but you can not go to the shopping complex to buy marijuana as much as you want. Connecticut set some rules and regulations for the use of marijuana in the state.

To use marijuana for medicinal purposes, Connecticut offers CT medical marijuana card. For a medical marijuana card in Connecticut, you must adhere to the medical marijuana laws in Connecticut to use marijuana for your treatment. Keep reading on this to find the laws associated with CT medical marijuana.

Connecticut Medical Marijuana Laws

Possession Laws for Marijuana in Connecticut

CT medical marijuana card owners can possess up to 3.5 ounces of marijuana per month. Patients who have an allotment expanded by a licensed healthcare professional will remain unchanged. A weed dispensary may dispense a part of a qualifying patient’s monthly dosage limit not to exceed 2.5 ounces. It may issue the remaining part at any time, except that no qualifying patient shall receive more than their approved monthly quantity in one month.

Adults 21 or over can possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower or 7.5 g of cannabis concentrate on their person and no more than 142 gm or 5 ounces in their homes or locked in their vehicle or glove box with a Connecticut medical marijuana card.

Recreational users caught with more than 1.5 ounces of cannabis can be fined $100 for the first offence; penalties increase with repeated violations.

Cannabis Cultivation Law in Connecticut

Medical marijuana patients or CT medical marijuana card owners can grow up to 3 mature and 3 immature cannabis plants at their private residences, with a cap of 12 whole plants per household. Laws associated with the cultivation are

• The cannabis plants must be away from access to anyone other than the consumer.
• It cannot be seen from the street.
• Have to be off-limits to children under 21 living in the household.

Currently, for recreational users, home cultivation is prohibited in Connecticut. They have to wait until July 1, 2023, to be able to grow cannabis legally.

Employment Laws Protecting Medical Marijuana cardholders in Connecticut

The employer could not enforce its zero-tolerance drug policy against a medical marijuana user. Based on the Connecticut Clean Indoor Air Act, smoking in the workplace is still prohibited. Employers may take action

• If they can prove marijuana dosages decrease the employee’s performance of the duties of the job position.
• If the employee mishandling or carelessness in operating machinery or equipment
• If the employee disrupting of a production or manufacturing process

Employers can execute a zero-tolerance drug policy if they are employed in or seeking employment as

• A firefighter
  An emergency medical technician
• A police or peace officer
• A position requiring the operation of a motor vehicle
• A position requiring completion of a course in construction safety and health approved by the
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• A position requiring the care of children, medical patients or vulnerable persons

Law for Consuming Marijuana in Connecticut

According to the CT cannabis laws, you can not consume marijuana:

• In moving or parked vehicles, you can not even consume marijuana while sitting behind a vehicle, whether it’s medical marijuana.
• Near Education Institutions
• Near federal land or buildings is prohibited.
• Near Hospitals or any other such healthcare, space is also illegal.
• Public place
• Near a person under 18 years of age

So where you can consume:

The safest place to use medical marijuana is your home. Keep consumption out of public view, especially from minors, and utilize discreet consumption methods wherever possible.

Reciprocity Law of Marijuana in Connecticut

Connecticut does not have medical cannabis reciprocity and does not accept other states’ medical marijuana cards. In a nutshell, out-of-state medical cannabis cards do not provide immunity from arrest or prosecution.

Legalization of medical marijuana in CT

When Connecticut passed the medical marijuana on June 1, 2022, Connecticut became the 17th state that legalized the medical use of marijuana. The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is responsible for handling the medical marijuana program, and they adopted formal rules in September 2013.

The initial law restricts minors and adult use to in the program. However, on May 17, 2016, the department allowed minor patients to participate and qualify for certain types of medical marijuana beginning in October 2016. Whereas On June 22, 2021, the state legalized recreational marijuana. The possession of 1.5 Oz of cannabis or marijuana among individuals aged 21 and over will be legal in CT.

Qualifying conditions for CT medical marijuana card

For a medical marijuana card in CT, the patient must be a state resident of 21 or over. The CT marijuana law defines medical conditions as qualifiers for a CT medical marijuana card.

For Adults, Debilitating Medical Conditions Include:

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Cerebral Palsy
• Chronic Pain
• Chronic Pancreatitis
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Type 1 and Type II
• Crohn’s Disease
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Associated with Chronic Pain
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV/ AIDS
• Hydrocephalus with Intractable Headache
• Intractable Headache Syndromes
• MALS Syndrome (Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome)
• Movement disorders associated with Huntington’s Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Neuropathic Facial Pain
• Neuropathic Pain Related to Spinal Disorders
• Osteogenesis Imperfecta
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Post Herpetic Neuralgia
• Post Laminectomy Syndrome with Chronic Radiculopathy
• PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Severe Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
• Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Sickle Cell Disease
• Spasticity and Spinal Cord Injury
• Spasticity or Neuropathic Pain Associated with Fibromyalgia
• Terminal Illness Requiring End-Of-Life Care
• Tourette Syndrome
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Uncontrolled Intractable Seizure Disorder
• Vulvodynia and Vulvar Burning
• Wasting Syndrome

For minor patients or patients Under 18, Debilitating Medical Conditions Include:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Chronic Pancreatitis
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Intractable Neuropathic Pain that Is Unresponsive to Standard Medical Treatments
• Irreversible Spinal Cord Injury with Objective Neurological Indication of Intractable Spasticity
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Osteogenesis Imperfecta
• Severe Epilepsy
• Terminal Illness Requiring End-Of-Life Care
• Tourette Syndrome
• Uncontrolled Intractable Seizure Disorder

We have already shared a blog on how to get a medical marijuana card in Connecticut. This blog will enlighten you and elaborate on the process and documents required for CT medical marijuana card.

Bottom line

Prohibited and violations of these provisions can result in misdemeanour charges against the offenders. For Connecticut medical marijuana card, you can contact My MMJ Doctor anytime if you want a medical marijuana card in Connecticut or need anything about medical marijuana treatment in Connecticut.