Veterans' Affairs Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: SB-861
Title: AN ACT WAIVING CERTAIN MEDICAL MARIJUANA FEES FOR VETERANS.
Vote Date: 3/18/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 2/18/2021
File No.: 233
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Veterans' Affairs Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
Currently, the Department of Consumer Protection charges a fee to when it issues a
registration certificate to qualifying patients for the palliative use of marijuana (aka medical
marijuana). This bill seeks to waive those fees and exempt qualifying veterans, in an effort
make medical marijuana programs more affordable and accessible to veterans.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Michelle Seagull, Commissioner, Department of Consumer Protection.: Commissioner
Seagull submitted written testimony in support of the intent of the bill but stated some
concerns. She noted that there are currently 49,000 certified patients in the Medical
Marijuana Program and since the Department does not currently ask for veteran status, it
would be difficult to estimate those numbers and determine the fiscal impact. In addition, if
the legislation is enacted, the Drug Control Division would need to implement a tracking
system to verify veteran status, which would require more logistical resources and add
processing time to the application process.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Several speakers submitted written testimony in support of SB-861. They stated that this is
an appropriate step to take for the men and women who have served, and that eliminating
the fees from the Medical Marijuana Program allows for more accessibility and affordability
and can create a better quality of life for veterans. In addition, the medical marijuana
dispensaries estimate that about 5-6% of their patients qualify for veterans discounts,
representing a tiny fraction of the total medical marijuana fees collected by the state:
 David Cappiello, Representative, Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Brian Essenter, Medical Marijuana Counselor, Medical Marijuana Consult CT
Steve Jones, Resident, Tolland, CT
Linda Kowalski, Connecticut Medical Cannabis Council
Nathan Tinker, Secretary, Academy of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, CEO,
Connecticut Pharmacists Association
Steve Kennedy, CT Team Leader, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. : Mr. Kennedy
testified and submitted written testimony in support of SB-861. He stated that marijuana has
shown to have therapeutic value for veterans with conditions like chronic pain and PTSD. He
added that the federal department of Veterans Affairs physicians are prohibited from
prescribing or discussing medical marijuana use, which forces veterans to go outside the VA
Department to find private doctors to certify them for the Connecticut Medical Marijuana
Program. Mr. Kennedy recommended that the committee consider what Illinois has done
where instead requiring a non-VA physician signature on a certification, a VA diagnosis due
to qualifying conditions is allowed in order to enter the program.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
None Expressed.
Reported by: Edward Jacome, Assistant Clerk Date: 03/26/21
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