Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 420b - Dependency-Producing Drugs
Section 21a-278b. - Penalty for illegal manufacture, distribution, sale, prescription administration or growing of cannabis or cannabis products.

(a) No person may manufacture, distribute, sell, prescribe, dispense, compound, transport with the intent to sell or dispense, possess with the intent to sell or dispense, offer, give or administer to another person cannabis or cannabis products, except as authorized in chapter 420b or 420f or sections 21a-420n, 21a-420p, 21a-420r to 21a-420t, inclusive, or 21a-420w to 21a-420z, inclusive.

(b) (1) Except as provided in subsection (c) or (d) of this section, any person eighteen years of age or older who violates subsection (a) of this section (A) for a first offense, shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor, and (B) for any subsequent offense, shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(2) Any person under eighteen years of age who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be adjudicated delinquent pursuant to the provisions of section 46b-120.
(c) Any person eighteen years of age or older who violates subsection (a) of this section by manufacturing, distributing, selling, prescribing, compounding, transporting with the intent to sell or dispense, possessing with the intent to sell or dispense, offering, giving or administering to another person less than eight ounces of cannabis plant material, as defined in section 21a-279a, or an equivalent amount of cannabis products or a combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of section 21a-279a, (1) for a first offense, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, and (2) for any subsequent offense, shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor.
(d) Any person eighteen years of age or older who before July 1, 2023, violates subsection (a) of this section by growing up to three mature cannabis plants and three immature cannabis plants in such person's own residence for personal use (1) for a first offense, shall be issued a written warning, (2) for a second offense, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, and (3) for any subsequent offense, shall be guilty of a class D misdemeanor. If evidence of a violation of this subsection is found in the course of any law enforcement activity other than investigation of a violation of this subsection or section 21a-278 or 21a-279a, such evidence shall not be admissible in any criminal proceeding.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1, S. 13.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1 effective July 1, 2021.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes

Connecticut General Statutes

Title 21a - Consumer Protection

Chapter 420b - Dependency-Producing Drugs

Section 21a-240. (Formerly Sec. 19-443). - Definitions.

Section 21a-241. (Formerly Sec. 19-449). - Prior regulations continued.

Section 21a-242. (Formerly Sec. 19-450a). - Schedules of controlled substances. Exceptions.

Section 21a-243. (Formerly Sec. 19-451). - Regulations. Schedules of controlled substances.

Section 21a-244. (Formerly Sec. 19-451a). - Regulations re storage and retrieval of prescription information.

Section 21a-244a. - Drug records maintained on electronic data processing systems or media systems. Electronic identifiers. Regulations.

Section 21a-245. (Formerly Sec. 19-452). - Manufacture, sale, administering of restricted substances regulated.

Section 21a-246. (Formerly Sec. 19-453). - License to manufacture, wholesale, supply, compound, etc. Exception. License fees. License to possess and supply marijuana.

Section 21a-247. (Formerly Sec. 19-454). - Qualifications of applicant for license.

Section 21a-248. (Formerly Sec. 19-456). - Sale or dispensing of controlled drugs by licensed manufacturer or wholesaler. Records; orders. Scope of uses limited.

Section 21a-249. (Formerly Sec. 19-457). - Prescription requirements.

Section 21a-250. (Formerly Sec. 19-458). - Rights and duties of pharmacist.

Section 21a-251. (Formerly Sec. 19-459). - Dispensing of controlled substances by hospitals, infirmaries or clinics.

Section 21a-252. (Formerly Sec. 19-460). - Prescription and dispensing of controlled substances by certain practitioners. Surrender of unused substances by patients. Prescription, dispensing and administering of controlled substances to immediate fam...

Section 21a-253. - Possession of marijuana pursuant to a prescription.

Section 21a-254. (Formerly Sec. 19-461). - Designation of restricted drugs or substances by regulations. Records required by chapter. Electronic prescription drug monitoring program. Information reporting of diabetes drugs and devices.

Section 21a-254a. - Appointment of prescription drug monitoring working group. Membership.

Section 21a-255. (Formerly Sec. 19-462). - Penalty for failure to make, furnish or keep records, statements or information. General penalty.

Section 21a-256. (Formerly Sec. 19-463). - Labeling of package or container of controlled substances.

Section 21a-257. (Formerly Sec. 19-464). - Person receiving narcotic drug to keep it in original container. Exceptions. Class D misdemeanor.

Section 21a-258. (Formerly Sec. 19-465). - Exceptions concerning possession and control.

Section 21a-259. (Formerly Sec. 19-466). - Common nuisances. Receivership of rental housing property development.

Section 21a-260. (Formerly Sec. 19-467a). - Narcotics control section in Department of Consumer Protection.

Section 21a-261. (Formerly Sec. 19-468). - Inspection of records. Entry on premises. Warrants and arrests.

Section 21a-262. (Formerly Sec. 19-469). - Commissioner's authority and duties re controlled substances. When seizing authority may destroy. Disposal by long-term care facilities, outpatient surgical facilities and home health care agencies.

Section 21a-263. (Formerly Sec. 19-469a). - Power of commissioner to receive and destroy drug paraphernalia. Records.

Section 21a-264. (Formerly Sec. 19-470). - Notice to licensing boards of violations by licensees.

Section 21a-265. (Formerly Sec. 19-471). - Inspection of prescriptions, orders, records and stocks restricted to government officers and third-party payors. Confidentiality.

Section 21a-266. (Formerly Sec. 19-472). - Prohibited acts.

Section 21a-267. (Formerly Sec. 19-472a). - Penalty for use, possession or delivery of drug paraphernalia associated with a controlled substance other than cannabis. Immunity.

Section 21a-268. (Formerly Sec. 19-473). - Misrepresentation of substance as controlled substance. Exemption.

Section 21a-269. (Formerly Sec. 19-474). - Burden of proof of exception, excuse, proviso or exemption.

Section 21a-270. (Formerly Sec. 19-474a). - Drug paraphernalia: Factors to be considered by court or other authority in determination.

Section 21a-271. (Formerly Sec. 19-474b). - Severability of provisions concerning drug paraphernalia.

Section 21a-272. (Formerly Sec. 19-475). - Preparations which may be sold and dispensed. Exceptions.

Section 21a-273. (Formerly Sec. 19-476). - Substances exempt under federal law.

Section 21a-274. (Formerly Sec. 19-477). - Cooperation in enforcement of law.

Section 21a-274a. - Drug enforcement grant program. Safe neighborhoods grant program. Community mobilization antidrug grant program.

Section 21a-275. (Formerly Sec. 19-478). - Revocation or suspension of licenses by commissioner.

Section 21a-276. (Formerly Sec. 19-479). - Discretion of commissioner to issue warning.

Section 21a-277. (Formerly Sec. 19-480). - Penalty for illegal manufacture, distribution, sale, prescription, dispensing.

Section 21a-278. (Formerly Sec. 19-480a). - Penalty for illegal manufacture, distribution, sale, prescription or administration by non-drug-dependent person.

Section 21a-278a. - Penalty for illegal manufacture, distribution, sale, prescription or administration.

Section 21a-278b. - Penalty for illegal manufacture, distribution, sale, prescription administration or growing of cannabis or cannabis products.

Section 21a-278c. - (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2023.) Cultivation of cannabis plants in consumer's primary residence.

Section 21a-279. (Formerly Sec. 19-481). - Penalty for illegal possession of a controlled substance other than cannabis. Alternative sentences. Immunity.

Section 21a-279a. - Limits for legal possession of cannabis. Penalty for illegal possession. Calculation of amount and equivalencies.

Section 21a-279b. - Construction of public act 15-2 of the June special session* re violations of section 21a-279.

Section 21a-279c. - Exceptions for seeking medical assistance for medical distress from use of cannabis.

Section 21a-279d. - Cannabis given by one consumer to another.

Section 21a-280. (Formerly Sec. 19-481a). - Breathing of anesthesia not violation.

Section 21a-281. (Formerly Sec. 19-481b). - Presumption of psychological dependence on volatile substances.

Section 21a-282. (Formerly Sec. 19-482). - No prosecution where federal action has been taken.

Section 21a-283. (Formerly Sec. 19-483). - Analytical tests for presence of controlled drugs or alcohol. Standards and procedures. Convictions constituting prior offense. Imposition of cost when analysis performed.

Section 21a-283a. - Court authorized to depart from imposing mandatory minimum sentence.

Section 21a-284 and 21a-285. (Formerly Secs. 19-484 and 19-485). - Suspension of prosecution for treatment for drug dependence; dismissal of charges. Order for treatment in addition to penalties on conviction; penalty for unauthorized departure from...

Section 21a-286. - Agreements for distribution and administration of opioid antagonists. Regulations.

Section 21a-254. (Formerly Sec. 19-461). *(See end of section for - Designation of restricted drugs or substances by regulations. Records required by chapter. Electronic prescription drug monitoring program. Information reporting of diabetes drugs an...

Section 21a-301 to 21a-305. (Formerly Secs. 19-504a, 19-504c to 19-504e, - Definitions. Regulations. Inspections of: Institutional pharmacies, pharmacist's drug rooms and dispensing outpatient facilities; correctional and juvenile training institutio...

Section 21a-307. (Formerly Sec. 19-504i). - Definitions re dispensing of drugs.