Cannabis and Drug Possession
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 21a-279a — 21 and over may have one and one half ounces, and five locked at home or in the car
A person twenty one years of age or older may possess, use and consume cannabis up to a limit of one and one half ounces of plant material, plus five ounces in a locked container at home or in a locked glove box or trunk, or the equivalent in cannabis products. Plants grown at home under the cultivation statute do not count against it.
Who handles this in Connecticut: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Connecticut directory.
| Who and how much | First offense | After that |
|---|---|---|
| Who and how muchUnder 18, less than five ounces | First offenseA written warning, and possibly a referral to a youth services bureau | After thatA referral, then a delinquency case |
| Who and how much18 or older but under 21, less than five ounces | First offenseA $50 fine, and a statement on cannabis and young people to read and sign | After thatA $150 fine |
| Who and how much18 or older but under 21, five ounces or more | First offenseA $500 fine | After thatA class D misdemeanor |
| Who and how much21 or older, over the limit but under five ounces and eight locked | First offenseA $100 fine | After thatA $250 fine |
| Who and how much21 or older, five ounces or more, or eight locked | First offenseA $500 fine | After thatA class C misdemeanor |
No one under eighteen may be arrested for cannabis possession. The officer issuing a complaint seizes the cannabis to be destroyed.
Possessing any quantity of any other controlled substance without authority is a class A misdemeanor. For a second offense the court evaluates the person and, for a drug dependent person, may suspend prosecution for treatment. Doing it intending to be within two hundred feet of a school or a licensed child care center brings a sentence of imprisonment and probation with community service.
Sources for this section (2)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 21a-279a — Limits for legal possession of cannabis. Penalty for illegal possession. Calculation of amount and equivalencies. Immunity
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 21a-279 — (Formerly Sec. 19-481). Penalty for illegal possession of a controlled substance other than cannabis. Alternative sentences. Immunity
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Connecticut attorney.