Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 420h - Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis
Section 21a-421j. - Regulations required to implement RERACA. Policies and procedures.

The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to implement the provisions of RERACA. Notwithstanding the requirements of sections 4-168 to 4-172, inclusive, in order to effectuate the purposes of RERACA and protect public health and safety, prior to adopting such regulations the commissioner shall issue policies and procedures to implement the provisions of RERACA that shall have the force and effect of law. The commissioner shall post all policies and procedures on the department's Internet web site and submit such policies and procedures to the Secretary of the State for posting on the eRegulations System, at least fifteen days prior to the effective date of any policy or procedure. Any such policy or procedure shall no longer be effective upon the earlier of either the adoption of the policy or procedure as a final regulation under section 4-172 or forty-eight months from June 22, 2021, if such regulations have not been submitted to the legislative regulation review committee for consideration under section 4-170. The commissioner shall issue policies and procedures and thereafter final regulations that include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) Setting appropriate dosage, potency, concentration and serving size limits and delineation requirements for cannabis, provided a standardized serving of edible cannabis product or beverage, other than a medical marijuana product, shall contain not more than five milligrams of THC;
(2) Requiring that each single standardized serving of cannabis product in a multiple-serving edible product or beverage is physically demarked in a way that enables a reasonable person to determine how much of the product constitutes a single serving and a maximum amount of THC per multiple-serving edible cannabis product or beverage;
(3) Requiring that, if it is impracticable to clearly demark every standardized serving of cannabis product or to make each standardized serving easily separable in an edible cannabis product or beverage, the product, other than cannabis concentrate or medical marijuana product, shall contain not more than five milligrams of THC per unit of sale;
(4) Establishing, in consultation with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, consumer health materials that shall be posted or distributed, as specified by the commissioner, by cannabis establishments to maximize dissemination to cannabis consumers. Consumer health materials may include pamphlets, packaging inserts, signage, online and printed advertisements and advisories and printed health materials;
(5) Imposing labeling and packaging requirements for cannabis sold by a cannabis establishment that include, but are not limited to, the following:
(A) A universal symbol to indicate that cannabis or a cannabis product contains cannabis, and prescribe how such product and product packaging shall utilize and exhibit such symbol;
(B) A disclosure concerning the length of time it typically takes for the cannabis to affect an individual, including that certain forms of cannabis take longer to have an effect;
(C) A notation of the amount of cannabis the cannabis product is considered the equivalent to;
(D) A list of ingredients and all additives for cannabis;
(E) Child-resistant packaging including requiring that an edible product be individually wrapped;
(F) Product tracking information sufficient to determine where and when the cannabis was grown and manufactured such that a product recall could be effectuated;
(G) A net weight statement;
(H) A recommended use by or expiration date; and
(I) Standard and uniform packaging and labeling, including, but not limited to, requirements (i) regarding branding or logos, (ii) that all packaging be opaque, and (iii) that amounts and concentrations of THC and cannabidiol, per serving and per package, be clearly marked on the packaging or label of any cannabis product sold;
(6) Establishing laboratory testing standards;
(7) Restricting forms of cannabis products and cannabis product delivery systems to ensure consumer safety and deter public health concerns;
(8) Prohibiting certain manufacturing methods, or inclusion of additives to cannabis products, including, but not limited to, (A) added flavoring, terpenes or other additives unless approved by the department, or (B) any form of nicotine or other additive containing nicotine;
(9) Prohibiting cannabis product types that appeal to children;
(10) Establishing physical and cyber security requirements related to build out, monitoring and protocols for cannabis establishments as a requirement for licensure;
(11) Placing temporary limits on the sale of cannabis in the adult-use market, if deemed appropriate and necessary by the commissioner, in response to a shortage of cannabis for qualifying patients;
(12) Requiring retailers and hybrid retailers to make best efforts to provide access to (A) low-dose THC products, including products that have one milligram and two and a half milligrams of THC per dose, and (B) high-dose CBD products;
(13) Requiring producers, cultivators, micro-cultivators, product manufacturers and food and beverage manufacturers to register brand names for cannabis, in accordance with the policies and procedures and subject to the fee set forth in, regulations adopted under chapter 420f;
(14) Prohibiting a cannabis establishment from selling, other than the sale of medical marijuana products between cannabis establishments and the sale of cannabis to qualified patients and caregivers, (A) cannabis flower or other cannabis plant material with a total THC concentration greater than thirty per cent on a dry-weight basis, and (B) any cannabis product other than cannabis flower and cannabis plant material with a total THC concentration greater than sixty per cent on a dry-weight basis, except that the provisions of subparagraph (B) of this subdivision shall not apply to the sale of prefilled cartridges for use in an electronic cannabis delivery system, as defined in section 19a-342a and the department may adjust the percentages set forth in subparagraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision in regulations adopted pursuant to this section for purposes of public health or to address market access or shortage. As used in this subdivision, “total THC” has the same meaning as provided in section 21a-240 and “cannabis plant material” means material from the cannabis plant, as defined in section 21a-279a; and
(15) Permitting the outdoor cultivation of cannabis.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1, S. 32.)
History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1 effective June 22, 2021.

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