Finding a location will likely be a challenge for those interested in starting one of Connecticut’s first recreational-use cannabis businesses, experts say.

 Plans by a well-known local businessman and town official to open a retail marijuana shop were put on hold on Tuesday after a the town’s First Selectman, residents and members of the Planning and Zoning Commission questioned the appropriateness of the proposed site or any location in town at a public hearing.

Robert Casner, chairman of the town’s Economic Development Commission, proposes to open the retail shop in a building that now houses a package store and an architect’s office, adjacent to a popular cafe at the busy Town Street intersection.

Casner submitted his application to open the shop in late October before the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted to impose a moratorium on marijuana businesses until next June.

Cannabis dispensaries may now explore the possibility of establishing a location in Enfield following the repeal of the previous ordinance. After a 2-hour public hearing in which dozens of residents spoke both in favor of and against the possibility of a marijuana dispensary in town, the Enfield Town Council voted to repeal a September ordinance which prohibits cannabis establishments. The council decided by a 6-3-1 vote to overturn the ban, which had passed by a 6-3 party-line vote on Sept. 7 under the previous Republican-controlled council. On Nov. 2, Democrats took the council majority by a 7-4 margin; one of the items featured prominently during the campaign was a letter signed by most Democratic candidates assuring they would reverse the ordinance if elected.

Connecticut approved an increased limit of mold and yeast allowed in medical marijuana at one of the state’s two cannabis testing labs through private emails last year, documents show.

At the request of AltaSci Labs, the state Department of Consumer Protection agreed to raise the total passing level of yeast and mold from 10,000 colony forming units per gram to 1 million per gram for the lab, according to August 2020 emails obtained via a Hearst Connecticut Media Group public records request.

When Lisa Capitani decided to start a small business to educate and guide medical marijuana patients, she knew she’d need some advice.

Several citizens spoke at the Nov. 9 meeting of the Essex Planning & Zoning Commission as its members continue to juggle two proposals related to cannabis facilities in town.

The first proposal is from an Essex resident, Roger Kern, whose text amendment would ban any type of cannabis facility. The second proposal has been developed by the commission for a temporary, six-month moratorium where no application would be considered, nor would any zoning permits be issued, related to cannabis.

No action was taken on either application, with the commission extending public hearings on both proposals to its Thursday, Dec. 9 meeting.

Despite recreational cannabis becoming legal for adults in Connecticut earlier this summer and setting a timeline for cannabis retail sales to begin by the end of 2022, multiple shoreline towns have taken legislative action to temporarily — or in Clinton’s case, permanently — prohibit cannabis establishments.

Dr. Bronner’s again showed support for psychedelic efforts around the country.

Dr. Bronner’s is pushing for psilocybin reform once again. According to state filings, Washington D.C.-based New Approach PAC, a lobbyist group, funded $14,000 between August and September to local firm Grossman Solutions to promote drug policy reform in Connecticut. Dr. Bronner’s is among New Approach’s biggest donors.

 Some Stamford representatives want to prevent people from smoking marijuana in certain parts of the city, including on school property, but it’s unclear if they have to do anything to make such activity illegal.