[Hartford, CT] – Attorney General William Tong today praised final passage of House Bill No. 7181, An Act Concerning Enforcement of the State’s Cannabis, Hemp and Tobacco Laws, which seeks to protect public health and hold bad actors accountable for illegally importing, selling, and distributing tobacco and cannabis products.
“Connecticut has no tolerance for bad actors who peddle unsafe and illegal cannabis and nicotine products, especially those who break the law to sell these dangerous products to kids. This legislation gives state regulators, as well as state and local law enforcement, powerful new tools and incentives—both civil and criminal—to hold violators accountable and protect public health and safety,” said Attorney General Tong.
Strengthening Cannabis Enforcement
Residents age 21 and over can legally possess and consume cannabis in Connecticut, but cannabis products may only be sold in the regulated market and must meet rigorous testing and packaging requirements. Despite those laws, illegal sale of high-THC cannabis products continues in Connecticut. In unannounced visits and raids, state and local law enforcement routinely find illegal cannabis products for sale, including untested and unsafe edibles, blunts and marijuana flower.
The legislation strengthens both civil and criminal laws regarding illegal cannabis sales. Among several provisions, the bill would make it a class E felony for a cannabis shop to sell synthetic cannabis or to sell cannabis and cannabis paraphernalia to anyone under the age of 21. The bill incentivizes municipalities in pursuing civil actions against bad actor retailers by enabling cities and towns to retain all civil penalties from illegal cannabis civil enforcement actions. Penalties are currently shared with the state. The bill would further create a new state Hemp and Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce to strengthen existing collaboration across state agencies and municipalities in cannabis enforcement actions.
Sale of youth-attractive nicotine products, including flavored e-cigarettes, in Connecticut is a significant public health concern. Lax age verification for online sales has made youth access to these addictive products far too easy. The legislation addresses this challenge by expanding Connecticut’s existing ban on online sales of traditional tobacco cigarettes to now cover e-cigarettes, and closes a loophole in Connecticut’s e-cigarette age verification law.
Attorney General Tong Prior Nicotine Enforcement Actions
In 2022, Attorney General Tong led 34 states and territories in reaching a $438.5 million agreement with JUUL Labs, resolving a two-year bipartisan investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices. In addition to the financial terms, the settlement forced JUUL to comply with a series of strict injunctive terms severely limiting their marketing and sales practices.
In January 2025, as part of a coordinated coast-to-coast crackdown on bootleg nicotine products, Attorney General Tong served civil investigative demands on 12 Connecticut smoke shops and convenience stores and two wholesalers. Connecticut’s civil investigative demands seek comprehensive information to determine how these unapproved, unregulated, and illegal e-cigarettes are entering the state. That investigation is active and ongoing.
Attorney General Tong Prior Cannabis Enforcement Actions
Cannabis products in Connecticut cannot be sold by unlicensed retailers and must meet rigorous testing and packaging requirements. The Office of the Attorney General works closely with local law enforcement and state partners, including the Department of Consumer Protection and State Police, to investigate and hold accountable bad actors who sell illegal, unregulated, untested cannabis products. Enforcement actions have resulted in seizure of hundreds of pounds of illegal cannabis products, including potent edibles that look like common snacks and candies.
To date, Attorney General Tong has obtained judgments against nine retailers and wholesalers totaling $300,000, and a judgement against a tenth retailer, Planet Zaza of East Haven, for $4.93 million.
In 2023, Attorney General Tong sent letters to all licensed Connecticut vape shops advising that cannabis products sold outside of the regulated market may subject sellers to civil and criminal penalties.
