Hartford Business Journal

13 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JANUARY 3, 2022 5 To Watch in 2022 delivery service and transporter. Applicants for each of the nine license categories will be divided into two groups: equity applicants and general applicants. Most businesses will have to go through a lottery process to get a licence; however, companies currently selling or producing marijuana for the legal medical industry can bypass the lottery and go through a separate process to gain a hybrid license that serves both markets. Connecticut's law says 50% of cannabis companies must qualify as social equity businesses. Companies selected through the lottery process will be issued provisional licenses; they will then have 14 months to get everything in order for final approval. All this regulatory work will require a lot of manpower, which is why DCP is looking to hire about 60 new staffers in 2022 to serve the cannabis industry, Seagull said. New employees will include members of DCP's legal team, licensing staff and site inspectors. "We are looking to hire a pretty significant number of people and it will cover a range of things," Seagull said. "[DCP] will be growing significantly." ANDREA COMER Deputy Commissioner, Department of Consumer Protection Chair, Social Equity Council Education: Bachelor's degree, communications/journalism, State University of New York College at Buffalo; Aspen Executive Leadership State Department of Consumer Protection's top regulators Andrea Comer and Michelle Seagull. PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER Vetting businesses One challenge the SEC faces is how to assess social equity businesses — and cannabis companies in general — amid a potential high volume of applications and pressure to get the market up and running quickly. Comer said she thinks the lottery process — which requires applicants to have a business plan and other details ready to present upfront — will enable council members to carefully vet applicants at a brisk pace. "I think [the lottery process] is going to help mitigate the floodgate of applications because you really have to have your act together," Comer said. "I'm hopeful that, in addition to what potentially could be a staggered lottery process, will help … manage the workflow." Comer said prospective marijuana entrepreneurs must research the industry before applying for a license, and make sure they understand the risks and requirements of running a legal marijuana business in Connecticut. "I think more than anything [cannabis entrepreneurs] must understand the breadth and depth of all that's required," Comer said. "This isn't a plug-and-play; this is something that requires significant investment, it requires significant understanding around the marijuana business." IMPACT PLASTICS | PUTNAM, CT TAC AIR HANGAR V BRADLEY AIRPORT WINDSOR LOCKS, CT LIBERTY MAZDA | HARTFORD, CT EPPENDORF | ENFIELD, CT NEFCO | EAST HARTFORD, CT Building For Your Success Retail • Industrial • Commercial • Institutional • Education • Healthcare • Religious PDS Engineering & Construction has been meeting the needs of the construction industry since 1965. Our dedicated team of design and construction professionals welcomes the challenge of serving its past and future customers on their most demanding projects. THINK • PLAN • BUILD

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