Recreational cannabis business applications open

State offers webinars to help guide applicants through process

Connecticut’s first application window for businesses aiming to participate in the recreational cannabis market opened Thursday.

An educational webinar for businesses, the first of several planned as part of technical assistance aimed at helping social equity applicants, also streamed Thursday.

Non-lottery applications for cultivators in disproportionately impacted areas and lottery applications for recreational retailers are available.

Medical producers and dispensaries will also be allowed to convert to expanded licenses that allow them to participate in the medical and recreational markets. Applications for expanded producers and hybrid retailers are open.

Social equity status is determined by income and residency. The Social Equity Council, which is organizing technical assistance to aid businesses through the application process, is charged with ensuring the market benefits those who have been most impacted by the war on drugs.

All members of a household, regardless of relationship, will need to submit information on income for social equity applicants to meet the criteria, said Ginne-Rae Clay, interim director for the council.

This includes roommates, Clay said.

Half of all lottery licenses will go to social equity applicants. Application windows for more license types are set to open on a rolling basis over the next couple of months.

The state anticipates another lottery round in the second half of the year. Businesses that wish to participate will have to reapply for that round if they’re not selected in the first round, according to a state Department of Consumer Protection press release.

“This is an exciting step toward opening the adult-use cannabis market,” Michelle H. Seagull, commissioner for the DeThe partment of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. “We want to remind all interested applicants to be thorough and to complete their applications carefully and thoughtfully, and to be patient as we move through the lottery and application review process.”

Applications are available through the state’s online portal.

During Thursday’s webinar, Department of Consumer Protection and Social Equity Council leadership walked potential applicants through the application process.

“We are encouraging you not to rush through your applications and don’t wait for the last minute,” said Rodrick Marriott, director of the Department of Consumer Protection’s Drug Control Division.

application is compatible with translations into multiple languages using Google Chrome, Marriott told webinar attendees.

He also recommended that applicants use a laptop or desktop rather than the mobile version. The application has a save feature, and times out after a few minutes of inactivity.

Future webinars through the Social Equity Council are scheduled for Feb. 8 and 10. Tentative sessions are set for Feb. 16 and 17.

Associated Press file photo Connecticut opened its first application window for recreational cannabis businesses Thursday, another step toward the first legal sales of the substance for recreational use in the state.