Medical Marijuana Registration Begins Oct. 1

It could be a while before medical marijuana becomes a bonafide Connecticut business, but the law formally goes into effect on Oct. 1 when people can start applying to use the plant for medicinal reasons.    

CT.com reports that although the law soon goes into effect, patients are unable to legally purchase marijuana or the seeds to grow their own supply. It could be another year until patients can find places to legally make the purchase as that state works out that aspect of the new law.

Despite the gap between registering and buying, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection website details how to register online for using marijuana.

When the law passed the Connecticut Senate in May, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy stressed that the Department of Consumer Protection would regulate the industry to prevent any problems. 

“I understand many of the concerns raised by opponents. We don’t want Connecticut to follow the path pursued by some other states, which essentially would legalize marijuana for anyone willing to find the right doctor and get the right prescription,” Malloy said. “In my opinion, such efforts run counter to federal law. Under this proposal, however, the Department of Consumer Protection will be able to carefully regulate and monitor the medicinal use of this drug in order to avoid the problems encountered in some other states.”