New Haven Rep. Lemar Drives CT Cannabis Reform Bill

New Haven Lawmaker Drives Connecticut Cannabis Reform Amid Equity Operator Struggles

Connecticut lawmakers held a hearing on March 4, 2026, for HB 5350, a bill that would revise the state's cannabis potency limits, adjust taxation, and change dosing rules for infused beverages. The legislation is part of a broader effort to stabilize Connecticut's legal cannabis market, which has struggled since recreational sales launched in January 2023.

The bill's hearing before the General Law Committee was co-chaired by New Haven State Representative Roland Lemar, a Democrat who represents portions of New Haven and has become one of the key figures pushing to reshape Connecticut's cannabis regulatory framework.

What HB 5350 Would Change

HB 5350 includes 24 provisions affecting multiple aspects of cannabis regulation. Among the most significant:

• Flower THC limit raised to 35 percent: The bill would allow cannabis retailers to sell flower with up to 35 percent THC, up from the current 30 percent cap. Products over 30 percent would be required to carry a "high-potency" label.
• Concentrates THC cap removed: Under the bill, there would be no maximum THC level for cannabis concentrates.
• Infused beverages: THC limits for infused beverages would increase to 5 mg per container in liquor-licensed channels and 10 mg per container at cannabis retailers.

Lemar said the THC limit increase for flower would help growers whose product sometimes tests slightly above the current threshold and is currently destroyed rather than sold. "The proposed higher THC levels for cannabis flowers would be a way to help growers whose product may have slightly higher levels than current law allows and it gets thrown out," Lemar said.

Lit New Haven and Social Equity

Part of Lemar's motivation for pursuing the reforms stems from the financial difficulties facing Lit New Haven, a social equity cannabis dispensary founded by Kebra Smith-Bolden in the city's Mill River neighborhood. The dispensary opened on May 1, 2025, as part of Connecticut's equity-focused legalization program, which was designed to prioritize licenses for operators from communities historically affected by drug enforcement.

Lemar said watching Smith-Bolden's struggles has shaped his understanding of the problems in the current system. He said he is pursuing regulatory fixes in part because of the difficulties she has faced making the business financially viable.

Connecticut's Cannabis Market Challenges

Connecticut's recreational cannabis market has faced persistent problems since it launched more than three years ago. Industry participants have cited high taxes, competition from the illicit market, and regulatory restrictions as obstacles to profitability — particularly for smaller, independent operators.

Social equity dispensaries, which were supposed to create economic opportunity for communities that bore the heaviest burden of marijuana prohibition, have been among the most financially vulnerable operators. Several have struggled to cover operating costs against well-capitalized chain competitors.

HB 5350 was referred to the General Law Committee after the March 4 hearing. No vote or further committee action had been announced as of the date of this report.

Rep. Lemar's Role

Lemar, who has represented New Haven in the Connecticut General Assembly for over a decade, co-chairs the General Law Committee, which oversees cannabis policy. His involvement in HB 5350 gives New Haven a direct line into the state's cannabis regulatory debate.

Recreational cannabis became legal in Connecticut on January 1, 2023, following legalization legislation signed by Gov. Ned Lamont in 2021. The law included social equity provisions designed to address the disparate enforcement of drug laws that disproportionately affected Black and brown communities.

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