Lawsuits have been filed against seven local retail and wholesale establishments for their involvement in the sale of illegal cannabis products. These legal actions follow multiple warnings issued by state investigators.
The state’s attorney general spoke on Tuesday, shedding light on recent measures to address this persistent issue.
“Operating in an adult-use cannabis market does not give you free rein,” remarked Attorney General William Tong.
After discovering that seven retailers and wholesalers in Connecticut, none of whom hold licenses, were continuously selling illegal cannabis products, Tong initiated legal proceedings.
The entities currently facing legal action this year include:
- Shark Wholesale Corp., located in Bridgeport
- Star Enterprise 74, LLC in New Britain
- RZ Smoke, Inc., based in Suffield
- Greenleaf Farms in New London
- Smoker’s Corner in Norwich
- Anesthesia Convenience and Smoke in New Haven
- Planet Zaza in East Haven
None of these businesses possess the necessary licensing to sell cannabis products. Furthermore, their products often go untested, bypassing stringent testing standards, as pointed out by Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli.
“Their contents are essentially unknown to us,” he stated.
Some products are designed to mimic common snack foods, creating a significant risk to children.
“This appears to be Doritos, but upon closer inspection, you’ll see it contains THC – 600 milligrams. In Connecticut, the legal limit is 100 mg,” explained Tong.
Since 2021, CT Poison Control has documented over 400 instances of children encountering cannabis, including 181 cases involving children under six years old consuming cannabis edibles, with many requiring emergency room visits.
“Children have been accessing and consuming these products in full,” Tong added.
Violations can lead to fines of up to $5,000 per incident.
The Attorney General’s Office of the state is actively enforcing regulations in the cannabis market through fines and legal actions. Concurrently, law enforcement and state prosecutors are being alerted to this serious issue to implement criminal penalties.
Recently, Tong sent a cease and desist notice to HighBazaar organizers, highlighting that their unlicensed cannabis marketplace seems to be in breach of several state laws. Additionally, a separate letter was dispatched to the Masonic Temple Day Spring Lodge in Hamden, which has ceased hosting the marketplace.
OTHER NEWS: Connecticut Residents Can Cultivate Cannabis at Home Beginning July 1
