Consumer Protection Announces Next Steps for Retailer, Micro-cultivator Lottery Applicants

Equity Joint Ventures approved by the Social Equity Council are also invited to proceed with next steps

(HARTFORD, CT) — The Department of Consumer Protection has opened the process for selected social equity applicants to proceed with the next steps in the license application review for Retailer and Micro-cultivator license types chosen through the Social Equity Lottery. Three Equity Joint Venture applicants approved by the Social Equity Council have also been invited to proceed with the next steps in the licensure process.

The Department was notified that six Retailer and two Micro-cultivator applications were approved by the Social Equity Council for satisfactorily meeting the requirements approved by the General Assembly to qualify for social equity status. The applications represent the maximum number of Social Equity Licenses available for each license type in the first lottery round. Additional licenses will be available in future lotteries.

The following applicants have been approved by the Social Equity Council and notified by the Department of Consumer Protection to complete the next steps for licensure:

The approved applicants and their backers have been asked to submit additional information for the required background check and provisional license application, which will be reviewed by DCP. The background check is conducted by a third-party processing company and DCP’s review of the applications is expected to take several weeks. Once the review is complete, qualifying applicants are required to pay the appropriate fees and move forward with the next phase of licensure, including establishing their business for operation.

Remaining social equity applications not selected in the Social Equity Lottery will be added to the General Lottery. The General Lottery will be conducted by the UConn School of Pharmacy in a manner similar to the Social Equity Lottery after the DCP review of selected Social Equity applications is complete

Applicants for Equity Joint Ventures are not subject to a lottery process. Those applicants denied by the Social Equity Council may reapply. The law was amended this year to allow licensed DIA cultivators, medical producers and medical dispensaries to create up to two equity joint ventures, which are not subject to the lottery process.

Cannabis was approved for adult-use in June 2021. Adult-use cannabis retail sales are anticipated to begin in the state around the end of 2022. For information about Adult-Use Cannabis, visit ct.gov/cannabis.