The on-demand economy has created an environment in which you can get virtually anything delivered right to your front door. There are a few exceptions, including medical cannabis. While some states with active medical cannabis programs allow delivery, others do not. There are benefits to allowing delivery, but there are also challenges.
Differences in delivery options vary by state simply because there is no uniform medical cannabis policy that applies nationwide. There likely never will be. Even if Washington eventually decriminalizes marijuana, states will still have the authority to regulate how it is sold within their borders. That means states will probably retain control over product delivery.
Medical Cannabis Delivery in Utah
Utah is among the states with decriminalized medical cannabis. A few years back, state lawmakers gave the okay to home delivery. The state’s delivery rules have been very stringent in order to protect pharmacies, delivery agents, and customers. Recently though, the rules were modified.
The 2024 legislative session saw several significant changes to the state’s medical cannabis program. Perhaps the most important is a new policy that allows delivery to both homes and workplaces, rather than just homes. Zion Medicinal, an Iron County medical cannabis pharmacy serving Cedar City and St. George, says patients can now get deliveries to their workplaces with just a few exceptions: churches, schools, public playgrounds, and public parks.
Utah’s medical cannabis program and delivery rules offer a glimpse into the benefits and challenges of allowing delivery. No system is perfect, but Utah seems to have found a good middle ground.
The Benefits of Delivery
In general, delivery is seen as a more convenient option for customers as well as a way for retailers to expand their reach. Delivery works for everything from retail goods to food. Its benefits certainly apply to medical cannabis.
The convenience factor is perhaps the biggest benefit. In cities like Provo and Salt Lake City, medical cannabis patients do not have to drive across town to get their medications. They don’t have to take time out of their busy schedules to pay a visit to the pharmacy. Just order online, schedule a delivery time, and wait for the product to arrive.
Down in Cedar City and St. George, there was no local medical cannabis pharmacy prior to Zion Medicinal opening up. Patients had to drive more than an hour north, cross the southern border into Arizona, or schedule a delivery that could be a few days out. Delivery was less convenient at that time, but it still saved patience having to choose between a long drive and crossing state borders.
The Challenges of Delivery
While medical cannabis delivery is quite convenient to customers, there are challenges for pharmacies. First and foremost is the reality that medical cannabis continues to be mostly a cash-only business. Delivery drivers are subject to carrying large amounts of cash with them. There is also the risk of a driver being robbed of the cannabis itself.
Another challenge is making sure that deliveries get into the hands of the right people. In many states that allow delivery, personnel can only hand products directly to the buyer. Deliveries cannot be left with family members, neighbors, etc. This dovetails with the requirement in some states that medical cannabis can only be delivered to residential addresses.
Having medical cannabis delivered as freely as any other product would be ideal. However, there is still too much conflict between state and federal laws to make that happen. And even if those conflicts are eliminated through federal legalization, states are likely to continue being wary about home delivery.
