2023 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 21a - Consumer Protection
Chapter 420b - Dependency-Producing Drugs
Section 21a-279a. - Limits for legal possession of cannabis. Penalty for illegal possession. Calculation of amount and equivalencies.

(a) Any person twenty-one years of age or older may possess, use and otherwise consume cannabis, provided the amount of all such cannabis does not exceed such person's possession limit of (1) one and one-half ounces of cannabis plant material and five ounces of cannabis plant material in a locked container at such person's residence or a locked glove box or trunk of such person's motor vehicle, (2) an equivalent amount of cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, or (3) an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section. On and after July 1, 2023, a person's personal possession limit does not include any live plant or cannabis plant material derived from any live plant cultivated by such person in accordance with the provisions of section 21a-278c.

(b) (1) Any person under eighteen years of age who possesses or has under such person's control less than (A) five ounces of cannabis plant material, (B) an equivalent amount of cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, or (C) an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, except as authorized in this chapter or chapter 420f, shall for a (i) first offense, be issued a written warning, and such person may be referred to a youth services bureau established under section 10-19m or to any other appropriate services, (ii) second offense, be referred to a youth services bureau established under section 10-19m or to any other appropriate services, and (iii) any subsequent offense, be adjudicated delinquent pursuant to the provisions of section 46b-120.

(2) Any person under eighteen years of age who possesses or has under such person's control (A) five ounces or more of cannabis plant material, (B) an equivalent amount of cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, or (C) an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, except as authorized in this chapter or chapter 420f, shall be adjudicated delinquent pursuant to the provisions of section 46b-120.

(3) No person may be arrested for a violation of this subsection.

(c) (1) Any person eighteen years of age or older but under twenty-one years of age, who possesses or has under such person's control less than (A) five ounces of cannabis plant material, (B) an equivalent amount of cannabis products, as provided in subsection (h) of this section, or (C) an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, except as authorized in this chapter or chapter 420f, shall be required to view and sign a statement acknowledging the health effects of cannabis on young people and shall (i) for a first offense, be fined fifty dollars, and (ii) for any subsequent offense, be fined one hundred fifty dollars.

(2) Any person eighteen years of age or older but under twenty-one years of age, who possesses or has under such person's control (A) five ounces or more of cannabis plant material, (B) an equivalent amount of cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, or (C) an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, except as authorized in this chapter or chapter 420f, shall be required to view and sign a statement acknowledging the health effects of cannabis on young people and shall (i) for a first offense, be fined five hundred dollars, and (ii) for any subsequent offense, be guilty of a class D misdemeanor.

(d) Any person twenty-one years of age or older, except as authorized in this chapter, chapter 420f or RERACA, who possesses or has under such person's control more than the possession limit pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, but less than (1) five ounces of cannabis plant material and eight ounces of cannabis plant material in a locked container at such person's residence or a locked glove box or trunk of such person's motor vehicle, (2) an equivalent amount of cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, or (3) an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, shall for a (A) first offense, be fined one hundred dollars, and (B) subsequent offense, be fined two hundred fifty dollars.

(e) (1) Any person twenty-one years of age or older, except as authorized in this chapter, chapter 420f or RERACA, who possesses or has under such person's control (A) five ounces or more of cannabis plant material or eight ounces or more of cannabis plant material in a locked container at such person's residence or a locked glove box or trunk of such person's motor vehicle, (B) an equivalent amount of cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, or (C) an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis and cannabis products, as provided in subsection (i) of this section, shall for a (i) first offense, be fined five hundred dollars, and (ii) subsequent offense, be guilty of a class C misdemeanor.

(2) For an offense under subdivision (1) of this subsection, the court shall evaluate such person and, if the court determines such person is a drug-dependent person, the court may suspend prosecution of such person and order such person to undergo a substance abuse treatment program.

(f) The law enforcement officer issuing a complaint for a violation of subsection (b), (c), (d) or (e) of this section shall seize all cannabis and cause such substance to be destroyed as contraband in accordance with law.

(g) Any person who, at separate times, has twice entered a plea of nolo contendere to, or been found guilty after trial of, a violation of subsection (e) of this section shall, upon a subsequent plea of nolo contendere to, or finding of guilty of, a violation of said subsection, be referred for participation in a drug education program at such person's own expense.

(h) Any person subject to a fine under the provisions of this section may attest to his or her indigency, and, in lieu of paying such fine, complete community service with a private nonprofit charity or other nonprofit organization. The number of hours of community service required shall be equivalent to one hour of such service for each twenty-five dollars of the fine that would otherwise apply. Upon completion of the community service, such person shall attest, and present documentation from such private nonprofit charity or other nonprofit organization confirming that such community service was performed.

(i) (1) For purposes of determining any amount or limit specified in this section and RERACA, one ounce of cannabis plant material shall be considered equivalent to (A) five grams of cannabis concentrate, or (B) any other cannabis products with up to five hundred milligrams of THC.

(2) For purposes of subsection (a) of this section, one and one-half ounces of cannabis plant material shall be considered equivalent to (A) seven and one-half grams of cannabis concentrate, or (B) any other cannabis products with up to seven hundred fifty milligrams of THC.

(3) For purposes of subsections (b) to (e), inclusive, of this section, five ounces of cannabis plant material shall be considered equivalent to (i) twenty-five grams of cannabis concentrate, or (ii) any other cannabis products with up to two thousand five hundred milligrams of THC.

(4) For purposes of determining any amount or limit specified in this section and RERACA, the amount possessed shall be calculated by converting any quantity of cannabis products to its equivalent quantity of cannabis plant material, and then taking the sum of any such quantities.

(j) (1) As used in this section, “cannabis”, “cannabis flower”, “cannabis trim”, “cannabis concentrate” and “cannabis product” have the same meanings as provided in section 21a-420.

(2) As used in this section, “cannabis plant material” means cannabis flower, cannabis trim and all parts of any plant or species of the genus cannabis, or any infra specific taxon thereof, excluding a growing plant, and the seeds thereof. “Cannabis plant material” does not include hemp, as defined in section 22-61l.

(3) As used in this section, “motor vehicle” has the same meaning as provided in section 14-1.

(4) As used in this section, “trunk” means (A) the fully enclosed and locked main storage or luggage compartment of a motor vehicle that is not accessible from the passenger compartment, or (B) a locked toolbox or utility box attached to the bed of a pickup truck, as defined in section 14-1. “Trunk” does not include the rear of a pickup truck, except as otherwise provided, or of a hatchback, station-wagon-type automobile or sport utility vehicle or any compartment that has a window.

(P.A. 11-71, S. 1, 11; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 11-71 effective July 1, 2011; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing language re possession by any person of less than one-half ounce of a cannabis-type substance and associated penalties in Subsecs. (a)(1) and (a)(2) with a new limit for any person 21 years of age or older in new Subsecs. (a)(1) to (a)(3), added new Subsec. (b) re any person under 18 years of age, added new Subsec. (c) re any person 18 years of age or older but under 21 years of age, added new Subsec. (d) re any person 21 years of age or older possessing more than the possession limit but less than 5 ounces of cannabis plant material and 8 ounces of cannabis plant material in a locked container or glove box or trunk, an equivalent amount of cannabis products or an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis plant material and cannabis products, added new Subsec. (e) re any person 21 years of age or older who possesses 5 ounces or more of cannabis plant material or 8 ounces or more of cannabis plant material in a locked container or glove box or trunk, an equivalent amount of cannabis products or an equivalent amount of a combination of cannabis plant material and cannabis products, redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (f) and replaced reference to Subsec. (a) with references to Subsecs. (b) to (e) and “cannabis-type substance” with “cannabis” in same, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (g) and replaced reference to Subsec. (a) with reference to Subsec. (e) in same, added Subsec. (h) re indigent person completing community service instead of paying a fine, added Subsec. (i) re calculation of amount or limit and equivalencies and added Subsec. (j) re definitions, effective July 1, 2021.