Connecticut House Passes Bill Removing Cannabis Product THC Caps

The Connecticut House of Representatives voted 81-63 on Monday to approve a bill removing the state’s THC cap on cannabis flower and concentrates, CT Insider reports.

The proposal would also increase the THC levels allowed in infused beverages, expand the state’s medical cannabis offerings, and allow registered cannabis patients who are visiting Connecticut to acquire products through state-licensed dispensaries. The bill also changes the word “marijuana” to “cannabis” in the state statutes.

Republican lawmakers led a bipartisan effort to amend the bill to remove the provisions increasing cannabis product potency, but the amendment failed 75-69, with 21 Democrats crossing the aisle. Supporters of the amendment were concerned about potential “mental health impacts on our children,” House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora (R) said.

State Rep. Roland Lemar (D) said the legislation “modernizes our cannabis and hemp laws to reflect today’s market realities.”

“It brings us in direct correlation with what is happening in states surrounding, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island, and their approach to a regulated adult-use marketplace.” — Lemar, in a statement

Lawmakers approved the legislation on Monday, April 20 — an honest coincidence, according to Democrat lawmakers, that sparked criticism from cannabis reform opponents.