Officials in New York and Washington DC have also threatened to crack down on cannabis gift shops
It’s about to get harder to get weed in Connecticut.
On May 24, Governor Ned Lamont signed it House Bill 5329 to the law The bill now allows municipalities to fine cannabis sellers and participants who give away up to $1,000 for illegal sales. Additional fines may also apply to avoid tax regulations.
Cannabis activists and entrepreneurs have denounced the bill as criminalizing the plant again and hindering the market; Connecticut legalized cannabis for adults July 2021but does not anticipate fine recreational sales end of 2022.
The bill illustrates a growing trend on the East Coast, where states with legal weed still make patients and consumers jump through hoops to access the plant.
What is giving away cannabis?
The gift of cannabis is practiced around the world in places where cannabis is legal, but not legal for sale. Countries like Portugal allow loopholes for tourists, as visitors still can’t buy legal weed.
In gift shops, someone looking for cannabis buys a novelty item, such as a sticker, key chain or pair of socks, for a seemingly high price, and receives cannabis as a free “gift”.
Washington DC’s cannabis gifting ecosystem has been in full effect since 2015, after voters approved Initiative 71 for personal possession and cultivation. DC first legalized medical marijuana in 2010.
Districtwide, adults 21 and older can legally possess up to two ounces of cannabis flower, but they have no way to legally buy or sell it.
Despite much opposition, DC’s gift system remains in place. In April, the legislators voted against a bill that seeks to shut down the practice of gifting throughout the city.
Connecticut’s “High Bazaar” was a weekly gathering that began last summer after legalization. Patients and adult users met once to purchase flowers and other products. But the event has been on hiatus since March after multiple court cases against the event, including for improper zoning.
Related
‘Giving away’ weed still allowed in DC as city council rejects bid to crack down on practice
Why do states want to stop giving away?
It’s not just Connecticut. In the past year, New York’s Office of Cannabis Management has issued more than 24 cease and desist letters to gift violators. Cannabis Control Board President Tremaine Wright said the board wants to “protect New Yorkers from known risks and strengthen the foundations of the legal and regulated marketplace.”
Similar measures were taken in New Jersey last year, before recreational sales began. The motivation behind the crackdown on “cannabis bazaars” is twofold: the danger of unregulated sales and untaxed money.
At first, Connecticut’s new bill HB 5329 carried much harsher consequences, including a year in prison and a $10,000 fine. Comments from cannabis advocates led to revisions.
An important note: gifting between friends and family is still allowed.
“You can gift your friends and family,” state Rep. Mike D’Agostino, D-Hamden, said during the House debate in May, as reported by the Connecticut Mirror. “That remains legal and will remain legal after this bill passes.”
Amelia Williams
New York-based freelance cannabis journalist Amelia Williams is a graduate of San Francisco State University’s journalism program and a former promoter. Williams has contributed to the San Francisco Chronicle’s GreenState, MG Magazine, Culture Magazine and Cannabis Now, Kirkus Reviews and The Bold Italic.
View articles by Amelia Williams
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