The ban on cannabis “gifts” has been criticized by Connecticut residents

By Nicolas Jose Rodriguez

The General Law Committee, a joint standing committee of the Connecticut General Assembly, was debating a bill that would bar residents from giving away cannabis products or face up to a year in prison and a $10,000 fine, NBC reported.

During a public virtual hearing that was live-streamed on March 8, business owners and cannabis advocates voiced their concerns about Raised Bill No.

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“It’s important to be able to give cannabis as a gift because not everyone has the financial stability they need to participate in the medical program,” said Christine Capitan of CT Canna Warriors, a local advocacy group.

“Passing legislation criminalizing the supply of this herbal medicine to our family members, friends, or even complete strangers is unethical, inscrutable, borderline shameful,” added Duncan Markovich of Better Ways, a local cannabis retailer.

“Why would it be criminal to give my community a vegetable or herb from my own garden?” asked Markovich.

Rep. Michael D’Agostino of Hamden said the newly proposed bill was created to discourage large-scale donations, the High Times reported.

“The intent of the committee was to use that language to really prevent and curb these retail gift giving events that have been happening in the state that are really retail events,” D’Agostino noted in reference to festivals like “High Bazaar,” which allowed visitors to explore local vendors.

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“They are just one end of the approval and transaction process that we have put in place through our cannabis laws.”

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House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora said a homegrown model would have been a better way to make cannabis more affordable for medical patients. “This is not legalizing marijuana. This is truly a commercialized market,” Candelora said.

RELATED: Recreational marijuana now legal in Connecticut as government signs law

He also pointed out that removing the gifting provision would help cannabis producers and the state.

The General Judiciary Committee has until March 22 to refer the bill to the House of Representatives.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.