Connecticut
One state has a shortage of marijuana. Its neighbor had too much. What to do?
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Marijuana retailers in Connecticut say a dearth of licensed growers in the state’s fledgling legal pot industry has left them with a shortage of product to sell.
The supply problem has appeared after slow retail growth in neighboring New York last year left growers there struggling with the opposite: an excess of supply.
It would seem both problems could easily be solved by shipping product a few miles over state lines. But that would violate federal drug laws. So each state that legalizes marijuana is left with its own process for licensing growers and sellers, and trying to create a balance between the two within state borders.
Benjamin Zachs, the chief operating officer of Fine Fettle, which operates five dispensaries in Connecticut, said he worries that low supply in stores is leading some customers back to their former, illegal dealers, and across state lines where he cannot go to get product.
When recreational sales became legal in Connecticut in January 2023, he said, there were seven dispensaries in the state and four producers.
“Now we’re a year later and there are 26 open dispensaries and only one more producer, grower, cultivator,” Zachs said. “And that’s a micro-cultivator, so that’s only about 5,000 square feet of additional canopy.”
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, which regulates the industry, said it appears there is a temporary problem as new licenses for growers make their way through the pipeline. Eleven cultivators and five microcultivators, who grow in smaller spaces, have received a provisional license and are moving toward final licensure, the department said.
“As a new agricultural industry, there are natural fluctuations in supply and demand,” said Kaitlyn Krasselt, a department spokesperson. “The limited variety was exacerbated by increased demand over the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Retailers experienced heavy traffic in relation to the holidays, and the record sales in our December data supports that.”
New York, meanwhile, is emerging from the exact opposite problem it faced while gearing up its legal cannabis market.
Lawsuits and bureaucratic issues slowed the opening of state-licensed dispensaries to a crawl last year. That left the first wave of pot farmers unable to sell much of their fall 2022 harvests because there were too few stores to sell what they grew. With revenue from sales crimped, farmers struggled financially.
New York belatedly hastened the pace of retail openings, and the state listed 61 adult-use dispensaries open statewide Monday. Farmers say the crisis has eased some.
“In the last month it is better because more dispensaries are opening. So we’re beginning to see some momentum to relieve what has been extraordinarily painful,” said Gail Hepworth, who operates Hepworth Farms with her sister in the Hudson Valley.
A check of stores in New York and Connecticut this week found similar pricing, with 3.5 grams of flower selling in each state for between $50 and $75.
Still, the irony of two very different supply chain problems striking adjacent states is not lost on farmers.
“It’s just so unlike any other market, right? Because it has to all be siloed within one state,” said Brittany Carbone, co-founder of Tricolla Farms and a board member of the Cannabis Association of New York.
Retailers are wary that the expected increase in supply doesn’t lead to a glut in Connecticut, as it did just across the border, Zachs said.
“To me, while this is frustrating and annoying and difficult to address, this is a problem that is not unexpected,” he said. “What generally happens in states is that at first there is not enough supply, and then there is an oversupply, and that creates a total mess.”
Still, he’s wary of any push for a national law and standard, which he fears would lead to large corporations taking over the industry from smaller farms.
“States are rightfully focusing on entrepreneurs in areas impacted by the war on drugs — Black and brown communities,” he said. “Even the largest cannabis growers right now are startups, I would argue. And the story of the regular American family farm is a cautionary one, I would argue, when we look at solutions to this.”
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Hill reported from Altamont, N.Y.
A man was charged with murder and interfering with police on Sunday night.
According to police, officers were dispatched to an apartment on Washington Street for a wellness check of a woman who was reportedly unconscious and not breathing.
When officers arrived, they made contact with a man in the apartment who refused to cooperate and would not allow officers access. They then had to force entry into the apartment where they located the victim suffering from severe head trauma as well as the aggressive male, police said.
The man was secured and transported to the Hartford Police Detention Facility and is being held on a million-dollar bond.
The victim was revealed to be 76-year-old Linda Anthony and was pronounced deceased on scene.
The Hartford Police Major Crimes and Crime Scene Divisions responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.
Hartford police are investigating a fatal vehicle accident that occurred early Sunday morning in the area of Elizabeth and North Beacon Street.
Police say they were dispatched to the area for reports of a single vehicle crash and found a 2013 Hyundai Sonata crashed into a retaining wall on the west side of the intersection.
According to police, 31-year-old Shalique Payne of Manchester sustained serious life-threatening injuries.
He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Hartford Police Crime Division responded and is investigating the scene.
The victim has not been identified and anyone with information is asked to call the Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS (8477).
Connecticut
Hartford Men’s Lacrosse Completes Comeback Win Against Western Connecticut State University – University of Hartford Athletics
DANBURY, Conn. – The University of Hartford men’s lacrosse team picked up a huge road victory on Saturday defeating Western Connecticut State University by a 10-8 final.
Rapid Recap:
- The Wolves scored the first three goals of the contest over the first eight minutes of action. Hartford got their first goal nine minutes into the first as sophomore Shaun Wright (Frederick, Md.) buried a goal from junior Michael Novotny (Cornwall, N.Y.). After an answer from West Conn, the Hawks would score back-to-back strikes as junior Jack Hart (Grafton, Mass.) scored the first goal, followed by a snipe from junior Colin Reilly (Southington, Conn.). The Wolves would tack on a fifth goal at the buzzer to take the 5-3 advantage into the second.
- The home team once again scored first to double the Hawk score, but this time Hartford battled back scoring three more times with two goals coming from sophomore Gavin Pelletier (Southington, Conn.) and the other coming from Wright. Senior Andrew Leibold (Chula Vista, Calif.) came into the goalie position making three saves as the teams were tied at 6-6 at halftime.
- Junior Aidan Ezra (New Milford, Conn.) gave Hartford their first lead in the contest lighting the lamp on an assist by Wright. West Conn would respond to even the score once again. Reilly would follow it up for the Hawks on a feed from senior Aidan Kemp (South Orange, N.J.). The Wolves would even it up just a minute later to draw the score at level once again. Hartford would stay in front as Novotny scored after a save from the West Conn keeper as the Hawks led 9-8 heading into the fourth.
- The fourth quarter was very chippy in the early stages. Ezra would get the lone goal in the period to give Hartford the 10-8 advantage. Graduate student Nick DiDomizio (Cheshire, Conn.) would cause a turnover followed by three more saves for Leibold as Hartford would pickup the 10-8 victory.
Post Game Press:
“It feels great to get a comeback win on the road against a good team”, said senior Andrew Leibold (Chula Vista, Calif.). “We showed a lot of resilience after going down early and did what we needed to do to get the job done.”
Inside The Numbers:
- Wright led the offense with two goals and an assist to go with four grounders and a caused turnover in the win. Ezra and Pelletier both added two goals and an assist in the victory. Kemp led the passing with two assists, while Novotny added a score and a helper. Reilly tallied two scores and Hart picked up his second collegiate goal to end the point scorers.
- Five Hawks each had one caused turnover in the win. Sophomore Ian Reynolds (Queensbury, N.Y.) went 12-19 from the face-off dot with 10 grounders to lead the way.
- Sophomore CJ Ledwick (Falmouth, Mass.) stopped just a single shot in 15 minutes. Leibold (Chula Vista, Calif.) added eight saves picking up the win while just allowing three goals in 45 minutes.
- Tristan McMahon led the Wolves with three goals in the loss.
- The Hawks held a 41-29 shots advantage in the win, while also grabbing 26 grounders compared to 24 for West Conn.
Up Next:
The Hawks will travel to Skidmore College on March 14th with a game taking place at 1:00 PM.
For the latest information on Hartford Athletics follow the Hawks on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
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