CT is very much on the way....I believe it is passed but I think everything is in limbo still. I think MAYBE you can grow here now, a few plants. But for now we still only have the medicinal shops you need a card for (we've had medical for a while, but no recreational). Should be recreational shops next year I believe.
I think towns do whatever they can get away with. When the first dispensary opened in Great Barrington MA (3 years ago I think) the line was down the block, every day, for months. These dispensaries have billboards in NYS and CT, 45+ minutes from the place. People are clearly traveling for it! Plates from every nearby state, MA, CT, NY (I am VERY far west in CT, and this dispensary is very far west in MA). So it could be it's because they're "on the line" and is surely part of it but I bet demand initially was high everywhere in MA, and this was maybe tried everywhere. This place opened in December years ago, and it was cold. Lines, every day, all day. Was NUTS.
Things have died down now a BIT, but the stretch of route 7 that goes into MA from CT is essentially little Amsterdam. If you see any construction, guaranteed it is a new dispensary/grow op. There was one three years ago, believe ti is double digits from the state line to Great Barrington now.