Do you know what would go well with that pizza? Some weed.
Although weed delivery services like Eaze and Get Nugg, are advertising across Los Angeles, getting a delivery isn’t as easy as ordering from Uber Eats. In today’s climate of micro-convenience, it’s no surprise that dispensaries want to get in on the app-based delivery market.
Supporters argue that delivery is the most convenient option for medical users who might not otherwise have access to dispensaries. Much like pharmacy delivery services, these medical cannabis delivery services focus on prescription meds and regularly scheduled drop-offs.
Recreational users face a lot of grey areas when it comes to getting pot delivered. Although recreational use is legal for adults over 21, sellers and growers must be approved by the state – IDs and checked and forms are signed.
Opponents to delivery worry that ID checking may not be as stringent – meaning minors may get their hands on marijuana – or that drivers will be easy targets for robbery because most marijuana transactions are still cash-only.
Although recreational use is legal in California, regulations can vary by county and municipality.
The state may license and allow delivery services, but local municipalities retain the legal right to prohibit them. Numerous cities and counties either ban cannabis delivery outright or restrict delivery to existing storefront cannabis companies. Confusion has mounted in the past four weeks, as the state has begun issuing delivery licenses in a bureaucratic trickle. At the same time, unauthorized—but determined—delivery operators scramble to stay on the road.
According to an article on Leafly, California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control has issued 73 temporary permits to delivery-only businesses in only 10 of California’s 482 municipalities. This means that a company may be incorporated in a municipality which allows delivery but may get requests to delivery to an address in a different area.
In light of these confusing regulations, many growers and sellers formed somewhat legal, medical-only delivery operations called collectives. The premise was that a medical card-holder would deliver product to other card holders.
But, this model won’t last for much longer. In Jan., 2019, just one year after the legalization of adult-use recreational weed, collectives will no longer be recognized. These loosely organized organizations are currently scrambling to get proper business license and documentation to continue operating. This may put the brakes on collectives that currently offer delivery.
Tech-cannabis hybrids like Eaze are now rolling out delivery to recreational users, after confirming age with a government ID. But, due to the inconsistent regulations, delivery still isn’t available to every address. And regulations are subject to change even more in the coming elections.
So, what’s the bottom line?
Lucky you if you live in a municipality that allows delivery. Currently, the regulations surrounding weed are much stricter than those surrounding alcohol and tobacco but, in a few years, things may change. Laws are evolving quickly in California and across the country. Otherwise, the best and only legal way to get weed is to buy it from a dispensary or grow it yourself.
