Kent establishes cannabis regulation subcommittee

KENT — At the Sept. 12 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission, members voted to establish a new subcommittee within the commission dedicated to regulating retail cannabis in Kent.

Recreational cannabis use has been legal in Connecticut since 2021 (medical use has been approved since 2012). While the sale of cannabis is permitted by state legislature, for businesses to sell it legally they must be locally licensed, meaning towns may decide how they regulate the product.

The formation of this regulatory subcommittee follows the July 10 meeting of P&Z where Land Use Administrator Tai Kern noted that Kent lacked sufficient regulation surrounding cannabis sales.

Kern drafted a letter to establish a new moratorium on cannabis licensing, which the commission approved, and a tentative date for a public hearing has been set for Nov. 14. More information will follow at next month’s P&Z meeting.

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