Fine Fettle, a major cannabis dispensary operator in Connecticut, has shifted its remaining recreational-only stores to hybrid operations, allowing medical patients to shop at all nine locations starting this week. The move addresses a sharp decline in the state's medical cannabis program since recreational sales launched in early 2023. Company leaders see it as a way to revive access for patients amid falling registrations and revenue.
Declining Medical Program Sparks Industry Response
Connecticut's registered medical cannabis patients have fallen from nearly 49,000 to under 32,000 since recreational sales began. Medical sales, which carry no tax, dropped by $21 million last year, pulling total cannabis revenue to $290 million from $293 million the prior year, per state Department of Consumer Protection data. Recreational sales rose by $17.5 million, but the offset failed to compensate.
Ben Zachs, Fine Fettle's chief operating officer, attributes the slump to reduced program appeal. "We believe that the medical program has really gotten hurt over the last few years," he said. "And increasing access and having excellent customer service and having specific things geared toward patients is incredibly important."
Patients Shift to Neighbors or Illicit Sources
Experts observe that many patients let registrations lapse without switching to recreational markets. Instead, they travel to nearby states offering higher-potency products or turn to online vape shops and gas stations selling hemp items. Connecticut Cannabis Ombudsman Erin Gorman Kirk highlighted external pressures: "We have a lot of pressures from the other states around us."
Kirk welcomed Fine Fettle's expansion, noting it could shorten travel for some patients. The company's Bristol, Newington, Stamford, and Willimantic stores already operated as hybrids; now Manchester, Norwalk, Old Saybrook, Waterbury, and West Hartford join them.
New Law Eases Path to Hybrid Expansion
June 2025 legislation enabled recreational retailers to convert to hybrid licenses without a lottery. It relaxed pharmacist rules: stores now need one on-site for at least one eight-hour shift weekly, with telehealth available otherwise. Zachs said this preserved staffing levels while broadening reach. "By expanding to nine locations now, honestly, rather than removing any pharmacists, we’re able to expand their reach and breadth."
Conversions demanded significant effort, including private consultation spaces, staff retraining, remote verification systems, menu redesigns, and inspections. Medical products come at lower margins and prices, requiring more inventory. Still, Zachs expects gains: "We think that there’s a need of access for the patients, and so we think it’ll increase our top line."
Broader Push for Patient-Centered Access
Fine Fettle's full hybrid rollout reflects growing industry focus on retaining medical customers in recreational-heavy markets. Easier conversions and flexible staffing could encourage other operators, potentially stabilizing state revenue and patient options. Zachs emphasized retention through service: "We’re really confident that once customers come to Fine Fettle, they tell their friends."
This story includes prior reporting by Staff Writer Jordan Nathaniel Fenster.
