New Connecticut law restricts THC beverage sales to liquor, cannabis stores

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Sales of THC-infused beverages in Connecticut now will be allowed only at state-licensed liquor stores and cannabis retailers.

The restrictions are part of House Bill 5150, which Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law in May.

Under the new law, which went into effect July 1, intoxicating hemp products no longer may be sold at gas stations and convenience stores.

According to a news release from the state’s Department of Consumer Protection, the law mandates:

  • Selling THC-infused beverages at marijuana retailers and “package stores,” as liquor retailers are called in Connecticut.
  • A ban on selling these products elsewhere.
  • By Oct. 1, beverages must contain 3 milligrams or less of THC per 12-ounce container.
  • Packaging, labeling and testing standards.

THC-infused beverages in Connecticut may include hemp-derived cannabinoids, including delta-8, delta-9, delta-10, THCA, hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) or others, according to the release.

“The team at the Department of Consumer Protection has worked hard to quickly implement the provisions of this new law passed by the legislature, and communicate those changes to affected businesses,” the agency’s commissioner, Bryan Cafferelli, said in a statement.