Can a Felon Get a Medical Card in Connecticut?

It can be noted that the state of Connecticut is rather progressive regarding cannabis. Being among those states that have legalized marijuana usage for recreational purposes since June 2021 and launched cannabis sales for this purpose as early as January 2023, Connecticut took many measures to ensure its medical marijuana program works efficiently for its patients.

In case you have had your fair share of experience with committing crimes, being accused of committing a felony, and now wonder whether you can get a medical marijuana card despite it, then the answer will be quite positive, except for one major point to consider.

This article is going to cover all aspects of the medical marijuana program in Connecticut, as well as its applicability regarding people with criminal histories.

How Connecticut's Medical Marijuana Program Works

The laws governing the use of medical marijuana in Connecticut are stated in Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 420f (Section 21a-408), while the administration of the program is done by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). Patients who qualify to be part of the program will be permitted to buy the medicinal marijuana from dispensaries due to their having an active registration card.

Features of the program in 2025:

• The program is administered by the DCP, not the health department
• The patients are permitted to purchase a maximum of 5 ounces of medical marijuana within 30 days
• The registration cards issued have a validity of one year, which should be renewed after that period elapses
• Telemedicine is applicable when patients and their caregivers are seeking physician certification
• The registration fee for the program has been waived since July 1, 2023, meaning the registration will cost $0
• Connecticut does not offer reciprocity to out-of-state patients

Can a Felon Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Connecticut?

Yes - with one clear exception.

Connecticut does not have a criminal background screening criterion that must be fulfilled to obtain your medical marijuana card for qualifying applicants. Neither a felony nor a drug-related conviction would disqualify you from obtaining your medical marijuana card.

However, there is indeed one category of people who remain ineligible no matter what medical condition they may suffer from:

This criterion applies only to this category of people and to none other. You will become eligible once again as soon as you are released from the correctional facility.

The Inmate Restriction: What It Means in Practice

Under the laws of the State of Connecticut, inmates are not allowed to use medical marijuana. This applies even in those cases where all the other conditions have been met, such as residence, diagnosis, and approval from the physician.

What is more important to understand is the following:

• In jail: Not eligible for the registration to be applied for or hold the medical card.
• Parole or probation (not in prison): Usually eligible to register as a patient depending upon the conditions of your parole or probation.
• Out after serving the sentence: Fully eligible to register.

For patients who are paroled or on probation, it should be noted that some of the conditions of parole or probation prohibit the use of drugs in any form. Therefore, it is better to check your condition with your supervising agent or lawyer before registering.

Who Administers Eligibility: The DCP

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection regulates registration of patients, caregivers, and physicians under the state's medical marijuana program. More information on forms, applications, and procedures can be accessed through the DCP website (https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/mmp).

Any concerns about the medical marijuana program should be directed to the DCP Medical Marijuana Program at 860-713-6066 or dcp.mmp@ct.gov.

Qualifying Medical Conditions in Connecticut

Connecticut gives the largest amount of qualifying conditions, allowing its residents to use marijuana. It can be used to cure 42 conditions among the adult population (in 2026). The interesting thing about Connecticut is that the State Board of Physicians convenes twice a year in order to consider applications regarding addition of certain diseases to the list of qualifying ones. After that, the issue will be transferred to the Commissioner of Consumer Protection.

Some qualifying conditions for adults which can be used to treat using medical marijuana include such illnesses as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, injury of the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with chronic spasticity, epilepsy, cachexia, PTSD, Crohn's disease, sickle cell disease, ulcerative colitis, complex regional pain syndrome, chronic pain of at least six months duration due to a qualifying chronic medical condition, fibromyalgia, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and much more.

As for children in Connecticut, there are only 11 qualifying medical conditions.

Caregiver Rules: Stricter Standards Apply

On the contrary, when you do not need approval as a patient but want to become a primary caregiver providing services to a qualified patient, everything becomes even more complicated.

All primary caregivers are supposed to register themselves within the Connecticut Medical Marijuana Program and undergo a criminal background check for receiving their registration certificates. Background check becomes obligatory for everyone who wants to become a primary caregiver, and from July 2023, it becomes absolutely free of charge.

A criminal background check that is taken into consideration by all primary caregivers guarantees patient safety. Even though there are no special restrictions on criminal background checks of caregivers established in Connecticut legislation, as there are for starting any cannabis businesses, if any suspicious information raises some doubts about a patient's safety, then you may fail as a primary caregiver.

Additional caregiver requirements include:

• Aged at least 18 years old
• Has agreed to assume responsibility for the qualified patient's well-being
• Normally cannot take care of more than one patient (unless more than one patient resides in the same home or is a parent or sibling of that patient)
• Is not able to access marijuana products without registering as a qualified patient
• Cannot cultivate marijuana plants at his/her own residence as per the current law
• This person should be selected by the patient and registered through the DCP website

Working in the Cannabis Industry With a Felony

Should you wish to join as an employee or investor in a cannabis business in Connecticut, as against being merely a medical marijuana patient, then you must gather further details about cannabis business regulations in Connecticut.

In particular, as per the adult-use cannabis licensing framework in Connecticut (Public Act 21-1), being a felon does not automatically disqualify you from obtaining a license as a cannabis business operator in Connecticut. However, committing a disqualifying financial crime in the last 10 years automatically disqualifies you from participating as a backer or principal of any cannabis business in Connecticut.

The definition of disqualifying conviction, in the context of cannabis business licenses, is a criminal conviction that took place within the last 10 years and was not pardoned absolutely, and includes offenses such as money laundering, vendor fraud, insurance fraud, forgery, falsifying records, bribery, witness tampering, telephone fraud, identity theft, and willful tax violation.

What's interesting about this is that all these crimes are not drug offenses, which was no mistake on their part. What the legislators in Connecticut wanted was to make sure that their state takes the equity route, where those who have been most affected by drug policies in the past will be helped join the legal marijuana industry.

How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Connecticut (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility

First, you must confirm that you are a resident of Connecticut, that you are not incarcerated, and that you have a qualifying sickness. Besides, children will need to do some more things, such as getting signatures from two doctors.

Step 2: Get a Patient Number from the DCP

Prior to meeting the doctor, ensure that you have the patient number provided by DCP. Provide the doctor with your contact information since the DCP will use the same to communicate with you.

Step 3: Get Certified by a Qualified Physician

Book an appointment with a licensed medical doctor, APRN, or physician's assistant from Connecticut who is qualified to certify the applications. An online appointment will be acceptable for this purpose. The consultant should be capable of verifying that you are under his/her care for the qualifying condition.

Step 4: Register with the DCP

Register your application using the DCP portal online. Here is what you will be required to provide:

• A readable copy of your current photo ID which must not have expired (either a CT state issued driver's license, CT state issued ID card, US passport, permanent resident card, or certificate of naturalization)
• Proof of your Connecticut State residency (computer generated proof that is not older than 90 days; proof examples include utility bills, bank statements, voter registration cards, and motor vehicle registrations containing your name and address)
• Doctor's statement

Step 5: Pay No State Registration Fee

There are currently no charges that are applied to the state registration of patients and caregivers as of July 1, 2023. The only payment that you will make relates to the evaluation fee which is levied by doctors, averaging at about $149.99.

Step 6: Receive Your Card and Purchase

Approval of your application for state registration will be followed by your receipt of a registration card for a patient. Almost all dispensers will require your patient registration card and a photocopy of your driver's license or any other form of identity card. You can buy a maximum of five ounces of medical marijuana in a span of 30 days.

Workplace Protections for Medical Marijuana Patients

The provisions in regards to medical cannabis laws in Connecticut provide considerable employment protection for the patients of this substance:

• An employer shall not discharge or discipline an employee or otherwise discriminate against an individual solely on the basis that he or she is a qualifying medical marijuana patient.
• A landlord may not deny tenancy to, or evict, a person solely on the basis that he or she is a qualifying medical marijuana patient.
• An educational institution shall not discriminate against any individual solely on the basis that he or she is a qualifying medical marijuana patient.

Nonetheless, employers have the right to forbid their employees from being intoxicated at work.

Federal Law Considerations

Even if you have a legal medical marijuana card through the state of Connecticut, federal law has not changed. The drug remains classified under Schedule I of the federal Controlled Substances Act. This is particularly true if you are one of those who:

• Are on federal probation or parole
• Live in federally funded housing projects
• Work for the federal government
• Serve in the United States Military

Please consult an attorney or your agent before using medical marijuana.

Key Takeaways

• There are only a couple of restrictions in regard to getting a medical marijuana card in Connecticut – without any background check for patients. The first restriction is that you cannot be behind bars through the Connecticut Department of Corrections in order to get a patient card. You may have either a parole or probation sentence, but don't forget to check your sentencing terms before using your medicine.
• Background check for becoming a caregiver is obligatory; however, the costs for such background checks were waived in July 2023.
• Felonies usually do not affect your chances to operate a marijuana business; the Connecticut program does not provide for punishment for drug-related crimes at all.
• All the costs of registration in Connecticut have been brought down to $0. All you need to register is a medical evaluation.
• Marijuana crimes committed between 2000 and 2015 will be automatically pardoned.

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