Now that cannabis is legal in Connecticut, one of the state’s longest-lasting industries is set to see record sales moving forward. Smoke shops, head shops, and glass galleries are all expecting to see more business now that cannabis is legal to possess in the state.
While people cannot purchase cannabis legally yet, people over age 21 are allowed to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis, and even more at home in a locked container. If cannabis is locked, adults can have up to 5 whole ounces at a time, which is a lot more than most states allow for recreational use. In fact, it beats many of the states with robust medical marijuana programs and personal cultivation laws.
Either way, official sales in Connecticut are projected to begin taking place late 2022 in a state-licensed program that allows for recreational marijuana dispensaries to operate in the state. Right now, however, is exciting. Recreational marijuana in Connecticut officially became legal on July 1st, 2021 — and that means the world to cannabis-adjacent industries and businesses.
Take smoke shops, for example. Phil Smith, the owner of The Glass House 3, said he had been anticipating July 1, when recreational marijuana became legal in Connecticut, for years and years. For the last several days, his business has been booming. Customers are pouring in with enthusiasm for the newfound legal market that’s coming soon to Connecticut and celebrating with new glass, papers, grinders, stash cans, dab rigs, and so much more.
Smith has been excited to speak with all the excited people coming into his store. Legalization is bringing a fresh wave of new businesses and bringing back the original head shop counterculture movement. He has hopes that legalization is going to pay off for The Glass House. The store has been selling cannabis paraphernalia for years, and is looking to expand their shop into a distribution business when they get the chance.
Down Bedford street you can find another store, Smoke Times. Smoke Times has been stocking up for this big post-legalization boom and putting all kinds of cannabis-friendly glass and vaporizers along their walls. But believe it or not, they’ve only been open for about two weeks. While Smoke Times has been in the works for years, the owner pushed to expedite the grand opening ahead of legalization so they could get in on some of the money to be made.
“It was a big moment for us,” he said. They think the decision has paid off as more and more customers stop by in the evenings before the store closes, excited to look at new glass and accessories that will make cannabis legalization all the more liberating.
After so many years of waiting and planning and going about business, cannabis-related businesses like these headshops have nowhere to go but up. Now that cannabis is legal and isn’t going anywhere, only time will tell how successful Connecticut’s economy is set to be.
