HB 5236 Summary

• Permits retail sale of marijuana in Connecticut, with regulation oversight provided by the Department of Consumer Protection

• Directs marijuana sales tax revenue to the General Fund, with allocations for drug awareness education, opioid abuse prevention, marijuana testing for potency and contaminants, and legalization impact studies

• Requires high-potency marijuana to be labeled and sold in child-safe packaging, with medical marijuana dispensaries receiving initial priority for recreational licenses

• Establishes impaired driving enforcement through roadside testing, applying DUI laws when marijuana consumed within previous two hours, and requires sealed container transport by consumers

• Bans public consumption of marijuana and maintains separate regulatory frameworks for medical and recreational marijuana use, exempting medical marijuana from retail sales tax