The president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association is calling on state lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow police to pull over drivers who are consuming cannabis behind the wheel, CT Mirror reports. During testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, Meriden Chief of Police Rob Rosado said officers in the city frequently see individuals consuming cannabis while driving “but that could be the same for anywhere” in the state. 

The legislation would allow police to pull over drivers they see consuming cannabis while driving or if they smell the odor of burnt cannabis emitting from a vehicle, and would allow the person to be charged under the state’s drugged driving laws. The bill would also create a feasibility study for implementing a THC limit for drivers – akin to blood-alcohol levels used to determine drunk driving. The study would be required to be public by Feb. 1, 2026.  

In a letter supporting the bill, House Republicans called it “important” and “crafted to increase safety on … roadways by giving law enforcement officers additional tools to prevent and enforce cannabis-related driving under the influence in the state.” 

“While we believe that it would be better policy to repeal the current law that requires police officers to ignore their sense of smell and sight when it comes to marijuana related motor vehicle stops, allowing officers to stop or search a vehicle based on the smell of cannabis when there is also visual observation of cannabis consumption is a step in the right direction.” — Connecticut House Republicans, Testimony in Support of House Bill 7258, 3/31/25   

During the hearing, state Rep. Steven Stafstrom (D) contended that the legislation is not necessary because “there are so many other reasons the car can be pulled over.” 

“I think this notion that a car can’t be stopped when a cop quote-unquote knows someone is smoking cannabis,” he said, “I don’t buy it.” 

In written testimony, John R. DelBarba, assistant legal counsel for the Office of Chief Public Defender, argued against imposing the blood THC levels.

“Law enforcement has tried in some of the States mentioned in this section to improve upon this situation for drivers by measuring THC in blood. But even when you are measuring THC itself in the blood, which is psychoactive, it doesn’t necessarily tell you how long ago the person used it,” DelBarba wrote. “And the reason for that is THC is a very fat-soluble substance, and the THC comes out of the blood and gets stored and builds up in a person’s body fat. For people who use cannabis nearly every day (such as medical users), the level in their blood can be rather high. It can even sometimes be as high or higher after not smoking for more than a day than the level of an occasional user right after they smoked.” 

The bill remains in the committee. 

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The latest draft of the lower chamber’s THC regulation bill would allow retailers to continue selling edibles and drinks, along with low-dose smokable hemp flowers. It would ban vapes and allow counties to vote to ban consumable hemp.

The bill calls for a much tighter regulatory system than what exists today, six years after the GOP-controlled Legislature inadvertently set off the state’s booming consumable hemp market. It would require products to be sold in child-resistant packaging that does not resemble popular snacks or otherwise appear marketed to kids. And it would establish an age limit that does not exist under the current law, restricting sales to those 21 and older.

Sales would also be barred within 1,000 feet of a school or certain other areas frequented by children.

Still, the restrictions fall well short of the full ban on THC products that would be codified under the version of the measure, Senate Bill 3, advanced by the upper chamber in March. It is also more permissive than an earlier draft floated last month by the House sponsor, Rep. Ken King, that would have allowed only THC drinks.

Patrick, a Republican who presides over the Senate, has threatened to force an overtime legislative session if lawmakers failed to pass an all-out THC ban.

King, a Canadian Republican who chairs the House State Affairs Committee, described his latest draft as a “regulatory bill” that is “substantially different” from earlier versions. The committee advanced the bill on a 15–0 vote. It now heads to the House Calendars Committee, which will decide whether to schedule it for a floor vote.

Since Patrick launched his crusade to ban THC products in December, hemp industry leaders have turned to the House as the bulwark that would, they hope, pass tighter regulations rather than quash the industry altogether. Hemp retailers have largely backed calls for the regulations included in King’s latest draft of SB 3, such as restrictions aimed at keeping hemp products out of the hands of minors.

The legislation comes in response to the more than 8,000 cannabis retailers that have popped up across Texas since 2019, when the GOP-controlled Legislature authorized the sale of consumable hemp. That law, passed one year after hemp was legalized nationwide, was intended to boost Texas agriculture by allowing the commercialization of hemp containing trace amounts of delta-9 THC, the psychoactive element in marijuana.

While hemp products are not allowed to contain more than a 0.3 percent concentration of delta-9 THC—anything higher is classified as marijuana—critics say the industry has exploited a loophole that set the 0.3 percent threshold for delta-9 THC but not other hemp derivatives.

These other hemp-derived products still look, taste and sometimes have intoxicating effects similar to their more potent sibling. (Hemp and marijuana plants are both cannabis plants; the difference lies in their THC levels.)

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/01/thc-hemp-regulations-senate-bill-3-texas-house/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

Texas House Committee Approves Senate-Passed Bill To Ban Cities From Decriminalizing Marijuana

[PRESS RELEASE] – MIDDLETOWN, Ohio, April 9, 2025 – Middletown’s first dispensary will open its doors in the coming weeks. Terrasana, one of Ohio’s most trusted cannabis retail brands, will soon open for recreational and medical sales at 3616 Dixie Highway, bringing increased access to safe and regulated cannabis products for cannabis consumers throughout the region. This will be Terrasana’s fifth dispensary in the state of Ohio.

Strategically located just minutes off I-75 in a high-traffic retail corridor, the new dispensary will serve Middletown as well as communities between Dayton and Cincinnati, including Monroe, Franklin and West Chester.

The Terrasana location will offer a curated selection of Ohio-grown cannabis products and prioritize consumer education, compassionate service and community engagement.

“We’re excited to join the Middletown community and expand safe, legal access to cannabis consumers in Southwest Ohio,” Terrasana owner Chad Wise said. “At Terrasana, we are more than just a place to buy cannabis; we are an integral part of the communities we serve. This is reflected in our tagline ‘Locally Rooted’: a statement that embodies our deep connection to Ohio since 2019, our customers, and the culture that makes each of our locations unique. We’re incredibly proud to open our fifth location in Ohio.”

As Middletown’s first dispensary, Terrasana will create local jobs, contributing to the area’s economic development and offering opportunities for career growth in a fast-growing industry.

Once open, the Middletown store will feature a bright, modern retail environment and employ knowledgeable, locally trained staff to help customers navigate the state’s cannabis product offerings with confidence.

Grand opening details, including a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony, will be announced in the coming weeks.

For updates on opening day, store hours, and vendor activations, stay informed by visiting TerrasanaCannabisCo.com to join the mailing list, and follow Terrasana on Instagram, X and Facebook.