State Sues Smoke Shop For Alleged Cannabis Sales

Thomas Breen Photo

Anesthesia's storefront: "Thirsty Trap" for sale?

The state is suing Chapel Street’s Anesthesia Convenience & Smoke Shop as part of a crackdown on stores allegedly selling illegal cannabis products.

Attorney General William Tong filed lawsuits against seven Connecticut-based retail and wholesale businesses for allegedly violating the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, which would incur fines of up to $5,000.

One of those stores is located in New Haven: Anesthesia Convenience & Smoke, a smoke shop that opened in 2022 at 968 Chapel St.

In a press release, Tong is quoted as saying, Cannabis is legal for adults in Connecticut, but it’s not a free-for-all — retailers must be licensed and legal cannabis products must comply with strict safety standards.” He said the businesses targeted sold products that did not go through the mandated testing program or did not display required warnings. Some are sold in dangerous and misleading packaging designed to appeal to children,” he added.

Specifically at Anesthesia, the legal complaint states that investigators with the state Department of Consumer Protection and Attorney General’s Office uncovered thousands of high-THC products, including those more potent than any product available in the regulated cannabis market.” The store is not licensed to sell cannabis.

The state is alleging that Anesthesia has sold both edibles and cannabis flower without warnings and labels, and that the products did not appear to be produced by licensed facilities.”

The Independent was unable to reach the store’s owner. An employee stated, We do not sell cannabis. We only sell CBD.”

In September 2023, the complaint states, an investigator from the Attorney General’s Office asked an employee whether the store sold cannabis, and the employee retrieved two boxes, one of which allegedly contained various strains of cannabis flower. The investigator purchased a strain called Thirsty Trap.”

That day and at another unannounced visit in November, investigators found products containing THC in the store, including some highly potent products containing up to 1000 milligrams of THC. In Connecticut, products containing more than 25 milligrams of THC per container (or more than 5 milligrams for edible and topical products) are considered high-THC” products and can only be sold with a license.

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