Connecticut Raises THC Beverage Limits in Tiered System

CONNECTICUT, October 9, 2026: Connecticut's tiered THC limits for infused beverages, set by House Bill 5350, carry an October 1 effective date, replacing the state's flat 3mg per-container cap with limits that depend on where a drink is sold, according to the General Assembly's bill analysis.

Under the tiered system, beverages sold at package stores may contain up to 5mg of THC per container, while those sold at a dispensary facility, hybrid retailer or retailer may contain up to 10mg. Infused beverages still may not contain alcohol, though the bill specifies they may contain caffeinated coffee or tea.

The bill also changes how manufacturers source and test product. They may obtain commercial extracts only from persons authorized by the Department of Consumer Protection to produce or manufacture hemp products, and must keep certificates of analysis, invoices and transport documents. Beverages may be tested by similarly qualified out-of-state laboratories, and the age-21 warning symbol must meet ASTM International standard D8441, the analysis said.

The analysis describes the version the General Law Committee reported out 13-8 on March 16, and does not itself address the final enacted text. A May 7 summary of the 2026 session by JD Supra describes the same tiered limits and a companion bill, HB 5222, but does not give a beverage effective date.

In Pennsylvania, Sen. Dawn Keefer's planned Hemp and Cannabinoid Act, announced September 28, has no announced cosponsors. In New Jersey, the move of higher-potency hemp beverage sales into licensed cannabis retail is scheduled for November 13.