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Gifting Parties in Connecticut Can Continue with Limits Under Settlement with Attorney General

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Gifting Parties in Connecticut Can Continue with Limits Under Settlement with Attorney General


Gifting parties—events that allow guests to buy a random item that includes a cannabis “gift”—will be subject to strict rules after Connecticut’s attorney general arrived at an agreement with organizers of one such event that attracted attention of state officials.

Attorney General William Tong announced May 15 that he reached an agreement, with stipulations, that HighBazaar organizers Joseph Accettullo and Cody Roberts can continue running gifting parties, however, the parties will not resemble what they used to be.

For $20 per ticket, attendees could gain entry to the event to buy accessories or other items and receive cannabis “gifts” on the side in an attempt to cut corners—namely, avoiding the law requiring sellers to have a license. Connecticut banned cannabis gifting events in 2022.

Tong alleged that HighBazaar events were essentially cannabis marketplaces that subverted Connecticut’s legal, regulated cannabis market. HighBazaar’s gifting events were canceled last January after Tong issued cease-and-desist orders in a letter to organizers and the venue.  

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“It appears that these events involve the illegal marketing and sale of cannabis outside of the regulated market and that the events are accessible to individuals under the age of 21,” the letter read. Tong warned that the markets appeared to violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (“CUTPA”), General Statutes § 42-110a, et seq., the Responsible and Equitable Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis Act, General Statutes § 21a-420, and/or other applicable laws and regulations. But Tong reached an agreement with HighBazaar that will allow them to continue to operate with several restrictions.

“HighBazaar operated unlawful cannabis markets where vendors peddled untested, illegal products. Not anymore. This stipulated judgment forces a series of strong, ongoing obligations, including clear and conspicuous disclosures and acknowledgements that the sale, distribution and exchange of cannabis will be strictly prohibited at any HighBazaar event. We will be watching closely—including unannounced inspections—to ensure strict, ongoing compliance,” said Attorney General William Tong.

The stipulations include that Accettullo and Roberts must make clear and conspicuous disclosures at HighBazaar events and on any advertisements that the sale, distribution, or exchange of cannabis will be strictly prohibited. 

All prospective vendors must be notified in advance, and must acknowledge in writing that they will not sell, offer, distribute, or exchange cannabis at any HighBazaar event. judgment provides the Office of the Attorney General the right to enter and inspect HighBazaar premises at any time to ensure compliance with the agreement.

CT Insider reports that Alex Taubes, an attorney for HighBazaar organizers, called the judgment a “great victory” and said he was “pleased that the state finally saw some reason.”

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The Office of the Attorney General also previously sent notice to EventBrite, where HighBazaar was promoting its gifting events. The letter warned that such posts violate EventBrite’s own Community Guidelines and that the events they promoted also violate Connecticut law. The Office of the Attorney General has an active and ongoing investigation into EventBrite’s continued marketing of unlicensed cannabis markets in Connecticut.

Assistant Attorneys General Jonathan Blake and Addison Keilty, and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, assisted the Attorney General in this matter.

Another legal loophole in Connecticut led to THC-infused seltzers surging in popularity.

Liquor stores in Connecticut are selling THC-infused drinks such as seltzers legally, due to a legal loophole regarding dosages listed on the cans.

Cannabis retail stores are selling cans listed as one serving, but the same cans of cannabis-infused seltzer, usually running in sizes from 7.5 – 12 ounces, are labeled as five servings in a package at a liquor store or market.

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All they have to do is ensure that each serving contains less than 1 mg of THC per serving and they can sell the seltzers without violating state law. CT Insider reports that when the drinks are labeled as five servings rather than one, they are technically legal to be sold anywhere in the state, so long as other elements of the packaging are in line with state rules.

Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) clarified that the drinks are indeed legal. “A package containing less than 1 milligram of THC per serving and less than 5 milligram per package is not considered cannabis, and may be produced and sold without a license,” DCP spokesperson Kaitlyn Krasselt confirmed. 

Connecticut legalized adult-use cannabis in 2021 and later became available for purchase by adults at retail outlets in January 2023. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis in June 2021, ending the prohibition on possession of cannabis by adults 21 and older and creating a framework for regulated adult-use cannabis sales. Connecticut’s cannabis market showed steady growth



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Connecticut

Do you work or volunteer for CT’s emergency medical services? We want to hear from you.

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Do you work or volunteer for CT’s emergency medical services? We want to hear from you.


ProPublica and The Connecticut Mirror, two nonprofit newsrooms, are examining the state’s emergency medical services and what it takes to provide lifesaving care across the state. If you work or volunteer for emergency medical services in Connecticut, we need your help. 

We know that the state’s emergency medical services have been strained for years, but that doesn’t stop paramedics, emergency medical technicians and emergency medical responders from working around the clock to serve community members in crisis. We have data on ambulance response times, but we know it doesn’t tell a full story about what is happening behind the scenes.  

If you work or volunteer for a Connecticut ambulance corps, a fire department, a law enforcement agency or an emergency room, we want to hear your experience and understand what resources you need to do this lifesaving work. 

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What has changed about emergency medical services since you started? If your ambulance corps needs more staff, what are the challenges to hiring or retaining new people? What do you wish Connecticut residents or lawmakers knew about the state of EMS?

Your input is crucial and will help guide our reporting. We want to understand the issue in all its complexity — from training limitations to worker housing needs to budget cuts, and what that means for your vital work every day. 

You can fill out our brief form to share your experience. Our reporters read through every response and may follow up with you. You can also email CT Mirror reporter Jenna Carlesso and ProPublica reporter Cassandra Garibay at ctemergency@propublica.org if you have any questions or concerns. 

Don’t work for emergency medical services in Connecticut but know someone who does? You can also help by sending this form to them. 

If you have called 911 for a medical emergency, we also want to hear from you. Please fill out our patient experience form.

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This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://ctmirror.org/2026/06/22/connecticut-emergency-medical-services-callout/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://ctmirror.org”>CT Mirror</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://ctmirror.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cropped-CTMirror_bug_rgb-180×180.jpg” style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>

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Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027

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Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027


Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.  

Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:

I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!

A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.

German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.

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German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.

German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).

Top SCY Times:

  • 50 Freestyle: 23.54
  • 100 Freestyle: 51.35
  • 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
  • 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19

A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.

German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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Strong Storm Emerges For Northern Connecticut: Here’s When, What To Know

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Strong Storm Emerges For Northern Connecticut: Here’s When, What To Know



Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 80. Light west wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Monday: A chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

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Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 59. Southeast wind around 8 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.





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