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Lasa Extract LLC has proposed an amendment to city zoning regulations that would allow it to open a retail cannabis dispensary and micro-cultivation facility at its existing CBD extraction business at 426 South Grand St. in Suffield.<\/p>\n
Lasa Extract currently operates a CBD extraction facility at the location, which is located in a residential area of \u200b\u200ba building that was originally constructed for tobacco processing.<\/p>\n
The business is owned by Rick Sotil, a former Jai Alai player, arborist and carpenter. Its state-of-the-art extraction process, which relies on carbon dioxide instead of the more commonly used ethanol, results in a high-quality and cleaner product, he told the Hartford Business Journal in November of 2020. <\/p>\n
Lasa Extract is one of the few manufacturers of hemp oil in Connecticut.<\/p>\n
The proposed zoning text change would give existing cannabis processing plants in Suffield the ability to apply for a special permit for the retail sale and micro-cultivation of cannabis.<\/p>\n
Recently, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission adopted limits on retail trade and micro-cultivation in industrial zones.<\/p>\n
The commission opened a hearing on the change at its May 16 meeting. The hearing was continued until the June meeting, to give the commission time to consult with its lawyers.<\/p>\n
Several residents said they support the proposal because it’s “a good opportunity for farmers” and would generate tax revenue. Concern was raised about odor control.<\/p>\n
Connecticut legalized the sale of hemp products in May 2019.<\/p>\n
Hemp is cannabis that contains 0.3% or less of THC, the plant’s psychoactive compound; Marijuana is cannabis that contains more than 0.3 percent THC. CBD, another active ingredient in cannabis, is obtained directly from the hemp plant and does not cause a “high” but has been found to provide benefits to some users.<\/p>\n
Lasa is represented by attorney Daniel Finnegan of Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas in Springfield, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n