Cannabis home delivery slated to begin in Connecticut

Home delivery to Connecticut cannabis consumers is one step closer now that the lottery for delivery licenses has closed closed.

Kaitlyn Krasselt, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, said after the lottery closed last week that delivery service is one of the license types now available in Connecticut as part of the new adult-use program and that home delivery will also be available to patients in the medical marijuana program."

Medical dispensary facilities are allowed to deliver if the entity submits an application to the department and satisfies an inspection.

A bill passed last year allows those who receive these licenses to deliver their product to homes on the first day that the Department of Consumer Protection allows recreational sales.

The infrastructure for home delivery is already in place.

DeVaughn Ward, senior legislative council at Marijuana Policy Project, said Connecticut already has 22 medical cannabis dispensaries, all of which will likely convert to adult use and start delivery operations when that market opens.

Ward also pointed out that consumers already receive controlled products like alcohol and pharmaceuticals through delivery in Connecticut."

The law addresses social equity in a number of manners, including reserving half of all cannabis business licenses for social equity applicants, Krasselt said.

Krasselt said delivery of cannabis products will also make these products more accessible to patients in the medical program, as well as individuals with other circumstances that may prevent them from visiting a retail store in person, or where in person retail experiences may not be available.

There are some concerns regarding home delivery, particularly when it comes to the potential for increased youth access.

"At this point, it is unclear what regulations and structures are being put into place to ensure that enforcement agencies are clearly identified, trained and adequately compensated and staffed to ensure delivery transactions do not involve minors," says the Connecticut Association of Prevention Professionals.

The group say one such enforcement mechanism is regular age compliance checks at point of sale. However, enforcement in Connecticut has historically has been severely under resourced when it comes to age compliance checks for tobacco and alcohol.

"This highlights the need for adequate licensing of retailers, delivery vendors and drivers, as well as training on carding practices for drivers," the group also said.