Consider testifying against proposed CT bill whichs removes potency caps of legal THC. Hearing date is March 4th.

CT House Bill No. 5350: AN ACT CONCERNING CANNABIS, HEMP AND INFUSED BEVERAGE REGULATION proposes multiple changes to CT’s legal cannabis market, including increasing THC potency and authorizing on-site / in plain view consumption at locations such as retailers, restaurants and cafes. A public hearing before the General Law Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4th starting at 10am & continuing all day. Please consider testifying against this silly bill, which promotes normalization of THC despite all the public health dangers. The deadline to register to speak or submit written testimony is Tuesday, March 3rd at 3pm.

• To testify (either live or virtually), you must register in advance here: 

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mIiVuzD2RmqMCeBWOu92tQ#/registration

On the day of the hearing, the Speaker Order number will be published so you can estimate what time you will be called. (3 minutes are allowed per speaker.) If you testify remotely, you will join via a Zoom link that will be emailed to you, and a few minutes before it’s your turn, you will be elevated to Panelist on the call.

• To submit written testimony, fill out this form and upload your comments or type them in: https://www.cga.ct.gov/aspx/CGATestimonySub/CGAtestimonysubmission.aspx?comm_code=GL 
• Whether you testify in writing or orally, be sure to specify which bill you are testifying about, since the Committee will be hearing testimony on multiple bills. Be clear as to whether you are pro, con, or providing general comments. 

PROPOSED CHANGES TO THC POTENCY: The bill removes potency restrictions on flower, concentrates, and plant material entirely. It raises the potency on edibles to 6% to account for the margin of error. It raises the THC ceilings for infused beverages. It increases the potency of THC-infused beverages from 3mg to 5mg. It updates the high-potency warning label requirement (related to risk of psychosis) for products exceeding 30% THC to extend to any cannabis product, not just concentrates.

Points to consider:

• Today’s cannabis products have been engineered for stronger THC potency. Whereas “Woodstock Weed” contained 1%-4% THC because it was still the natural plant, today’s plant typically has 15%-30% THC. (THC concentrates can go much higher, close to 99%.)  Marijuana Potency Handout – Smart Approaches to Marijuana 
• High potency THC (defined in the research as >10%) is associated with increased mental illness and addiction. 
  • High-Potency Cannabis Use and Health: A Systematic Review of Observational and Experimental Studies | American Journal of Psychiatry
  • Stronger weed, higher risk? Potent THC linked to psychosis and addiction | ScienceDaily 
  • The Many Risks of Cannabis and High-Dose THC Use | Psychology Today 
  • Association between cannabis potency and mental health in adolescence – ScienceDirect  
  • Substance-Induced Psychosis Associated With Later Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder | Psychiatric News
• Because of this data, Connecticut’s original retail cannabis law imposed limits on the potency of plant products (capping THC at 30%) and concentrates (60%) as a harm reduction measure.
  • Last year the legislature raised those levels to 35% and 70%. 
  • The proposed bill would remove the harm-reduction measures entirely. 
• Impact of higher potency THC
  • It’s Time for America to Admit That It Has a Marijuana Problem – The New York Times
  • Emergency rooms have been seeing increases in Cannabis-Induced Psychosis and Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome, both of which are associated with higher-potency THC. 
  • Younger adults are at highest risk.
    • Young adults ages 18-25 consume cannabis more than any other age group (see table page 4 of most recent NSDUH). 
    • 57% of young adults use cannabis in multiple forms, including concentrates (vaping, edibles, dabs) which have much higher THC potency levels, increasing the risk of addiction and mental illness. Marijuana Potency Handout – Smart Approaches to Marijuana 
    • Cannabis is known to harm brain development. Cannabis and Brain Health – CDC; Cannabis and the Brain | Harvard Medical School  The most recent research (Nov 2025) says “adolescent” brain development continues until age 32. 

CHANGES TO ALLOW ON-SITE THC BEVERAGE CONSUMPTION: The bill authorizes licensed cannabis retailers that receive an endorsement to allow cannabis consumption on premises or at an adjacent outdoor location, in plain view. It authorizes temporary licenses for cannabis sales and consumption in plain view at events, provided the municipality also approves. The bill authorizes THC-infused beverages to be sold and consumed on-site at restaurants and cafes, provided that the location has a liquor license and pays an annual fee of $500 to receive an endorsement.  

Points to consider:

• Training needs for restaurant and cafe staff on THC serving limits, risks of combining THC and alcohol, interactions between THC / alcohol / prescription drugs, how to recognize intoxication, whether and when to allow people to leave. 
• Added law enforcement responsibilities to monitor restaurants and cafes; need for additional budget? 
• Increased DUI risks. 
• “In plain view” consumption normalizes the use of cannabis among children and adolescents.