Is Weed Legal in Connecticut? Cannabis Legalization Guide (Updated 2023)

The people of Connecticut can now rejoice! Marijuana for recreational and medical purposes is legal. In 2022, patients in Connecticut with an MMJ card can shed their sufferings from their health conditions. Let us take a look at how all this came into effect.

History of Legislation

• 2011 – Governor Dannel Malloy signed legislation that decriminalized cannabis possession.
• 2012 – Governor Malloy signed into law a medical marijuana program for his state.
• 2021 – Governor Lamont signed Senate Bill 1201 which legalized recreational cannabis.

Qualifying Conditions

Patients must be 18 or older to qualify for a medical marijuana card in Connecticut or have a caregiver who can access cannabis if the patient is a minor or adult who cannot buy/grow for themselves.
For Adults, Debilitating Medical Conditions Include:

• Cancer (Effective 2012)
• Glaucoma (Effective 2012)
• Positive Status for Human Immunodeficiency Virus or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Effective 2012)
• Parkinson’s Disease (Effective 2012)
• Multiple Sclerosis (Effective 2012)
• Damage to the Nervous Tissue of the Spinal Cord with Objective Neurological Indication of Intractable Spasticity (Effective 2012)
• Epilepsy (Effective 2012)
• Cachexia (Effective 2012)
• Wasting Syndrome (Effective 2012)
• Crohn’s Disease (Effective 2012)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Effective 2012)
• Sickle Cell Disease (Effective 2016)
• Post Laminectomy Syndrome with Chronic Radiculopathy (Effective 2016)
• Severe Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (Effective 2016)
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Effective 2016)
• Ulcerative Colitis (Effective 2016)
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Type 1 and Type II (Effective 2016)
• Cerebral Palsy (Effective 2016)
• Cystic Fibrosis (Effective 2016)
• Irreversible Spinal Cord Injury with Objective Neurological Indication of Intractable Spasticity (Effective 2016)
• Terminal Illness Requiring End-Of-Life Care (Effective 2016)
• Uncontrolled Intractable Seizure Disorder (Effective 2016)
• Spasticity or Neuropathic Pain Associated with Fibromyalgia (Effective 2018)
• Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (Effective 2018)
• Post Herpetic Neuralgia (Effective 2018)
• Hydrocephalus with Intractable Headache (Effective 2018)
• Intractable Headache Syndromes (Effective 2018)
• Neuropathic Facial Pain (Effective 2018)
• Muscular Dystrophy (Effective 2018)
• Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Effective 2018)
• Chronic Neuropathic Pain Associated with Degenerative Spinal Disorders (Effective 2018)
  Interstitial Cystitis (Effective 2019)
• MALS Syndrome (Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome) (Effective 2019)
• Vulvodynia and Vulvar Burning (Effective 2019)
• Intractable Neuropathic Pain that Is Unresponsive to Standard Medical Treatments (Effective 2019)
• Tourette Syndrome (Effective 2019)
• Chronic Pain of at least 6 months duration associated with a specified underlying chronic condition refractory to other treatment intervention (Effective 2020)
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Associated with Chronic Pain (Effective 2020)
• Chronic Pancreatitis (Effective 2021)
• Movement disorders associated with Huntington’s Disease (Effective 2021)

For Patients Under 18, Debilitating Medical Conditions Include:

• Cerebral Palsy (Effective 2016)
• Cystic Fibrosis (Effective 2016)
• Irreversible Spinal Cord Injury with Objective Neurological Indication of Intractable Spasticity
• (Effective 2016)
  Severe Epilepsy (Effective 2016)
• Terminal Illness Requiring End-Of-Life Care (Effective 2016)
• Uncontrolled Intractable Seizure Disorder (Effective 2016)
• Muscular Dystrophy (Effective 2018)
• Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Effective 2018)
• Intractable Neuropathic Pain that Is Unresponsive to Standard Medical Treatments (Effective 2019)
• Tourette Syndrome for patients who have failed standard medical treatment (Effective 2019)
• Chronic Pancreatitis for patients whose pain is recalcitrant to standard medical management (Effective 2021)

Connecticut Medical Marijuana Laws

Possession

• Registered patients and caregivers can possess up to 5 ounces total between them.
• Adults 21 and older can legally possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis, 7.5 grams of concentrate, or up to 750 milligrams of THC on their person.

Cultivation

Patients who use medicinal marijuana will be able to produce their own cannabis starting in October 2021. Individuals may cultivate up to three mature and three immature cannabis plants in their own houses, with a total of 12 plants authorized per family (equivalent to 2 medical marijuana patients).

Consumption

The law does not apply if the patient consumes marijuana in a public place (i.e., any area used or held out for use by the public, whether owned or operated for public or private interests), including:
In a motor bus, school bus, or other moving vehicles

• At work
• On school grounds or any public or private school, dormitory, college, or university property
• On cannabis dispensary premises.

How To Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Connecticut?

SB 1201 placed the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) in charge of the state’s cannabis sales. So to register for a medical marijuana card, you must follow the guidelines stated by DCP.
Getting a Connecticut medical marijuana card is a trouble-free and uncomplicated process that only includes the following steps.

Book an Appointment with My MMJ Doctor.

Fill up the online form to book your appointment with My MMJ Doctor. We have a team of licensed medical health experts in medical marijuana.

Attend the Appointment.

Once you submit the form, a licensed medical health professional will connect at your mentioned time via a video call and examine your medical conditions. If your illness qualifies for marijuana treatment, the mental health professional will write you a medical marijuana recommendation letter.

Register with the State.

After receiving the recommendation letter, you need to register with the DCP. Patients must create an account with the DAS Business Network to access the online certification system.
A temporary certificate will be emailed to you by the state. Temporary certificates are valid for up to 60 days. A physical copy of your card usually reaches the address on your application form within 7 to 31 days.

Caregiving

Some patients can qualify for an MMJ Card yet cannot apply for an MMJ Card. For instance, a caregiver can complete the procedure on the patient’s behalf if they are minor or require help obtaining medicinal cannabis due to disability.
The caretaker must be at least 18 years old, cannot be the patient’s doctor, and cannot have a history of drug convictions. Unless there is a parent-child, guardian-child, or sibling relationship between each patient and the caregiver, the caregiver can only be in charge of one patient at a time.

Reciprocity

According to Connecticut state law, only qualifying patients who live in Connecticut are permitted to possess cannabis and buy it from authorized dispensaries. Out-of-state residents are not eligible for reciprocity.